2023 Holiday Shopping and Spending

The holiday sales haven’t ended even though the holidays have. If you’re looking to stock up for next year’s holiday season, or pick up some last-minute gifts, there are opportunities to do so. 

Target has announced its annual post-holiday Clearance Run, where consumers can score 50% off in nearly every department. 

“We know our guests love hunting for deals at the end of the holiday season, and The Target Clearance run makes it even easier for them to wrap up their shopping and start the new year with budgets on track,” said Jill Sando, Target’s chief merchandising officer. 

“With savings on thousands of items, there’s something for every guest – whether they’re looking for belated gifts, prepping for New Year’s celebrations, getting a head start on holiday decor for next year, or spending a holiday a gift card. Now is a great time to wander the aisles at your local Target store and discover something special.” 

Save on clothes, decor, toys, and more 

What’s part of the latest sale at Target? Thousands of items in several departments. 

Here’s a look at the Clearance Run sale: 

• Up to 50% off: 

  • Select jewelry and accessories

  • Select toys, including games, dolls, and plush 

  • Select clothing and shoes for the family 

• 50% or more off: 

  • Holiday decor

  • Holiday family sleepwear

  • Beauty gift sets

• 30% of more off: 

  • Select holiday candy 

Some of the discounts include: 

• Mini Flap Satchel Handbag: $21.25

• Twisted Cupchain Statement Necklace: $14.44

• Butterfly Cord and Ear Pendant Necklace Two-Piece Set: $12.75

• Plaid Fleece Matching Family Pajama Pants: $8.50

• Women’s Matching Family Thermal Pajama Pants: $12.75

• Solid Woven Chenille Throw Blanket: $21.25

• The Perfect 10 Cosmetic Brush Gift Set: $8.50

• EcoTools Loofah: $2.50

• Kinetic Sand Snowy Surprise Playset: $4.24

• Minnie Mouse Kids’ Plush: $25.49

Shoppers can access the sale both in-store and online, as well as with in-store pick-up and curbside pick-up orders. 

Consumers also have more opportunities to save when they join Target’s free rewards program, Target Circle. 

It’s the final countdown to Black Friday, and Dollar General is preparing for a major sale, set to take place November 23-25. 

The DG Deal Days shopping event will feature deals on thousands of toys, home goods, and holiday necessities so consumers can stock up and save. 

Save on toys

One of the biggest parts of the DG Deal Days three-day sale is the toys. Dollar General says more than 2,000 toys will be part of its buy one, get one 75% off sale, with another 2,000 toys eligible for buy one, get one 50% off. 

“Dollar General offers so many great, name brand toys including popular items for only $10 and under, and when paired with special promotions like our buy one, get one 75% off or 50% off sale, it’s not only an amazing value, but a great opportunity to stock up on gifts,” said Nick Galletti, Dollar General’s senior buyer of toys. 

“I’m excited about the trendy items we are bringing to DG’s shelves and proud to partner with our vendors to offer quality products at affordable prices for our customers.” 

Dollar General’s toy selection features some of the biggest brands and characters of the season, including: Bluey, LEGO, L.O.L dolls, Pokemon, Harry Potter, Disney, Hot Wheels, Barbie, Peppa Pig, and more. 

Some of the biggest deals so far include: 

• Baby and Toddler Toys: Starting at $2

• Dress Up and Pretend Play Toys: Starting at $3

• Action Toys and Blasters: Starting at $5

Save on holiday essentials

In addition to toys, Dollar General will have sales on other holiday essentials during DG Deal Days. 

The retailer has reported on these sales so far: 

• 25% off holiday garlands, decorative bows, and battery-operated string lights

• 20% off select gift cards and packs of gift cards, including Chili’s, Applebee’s, Panera Bread, Domino’s, Xbox, and more

• Buy one, get one 50% off holiday candles

• 50% off Comfort Bay throws and blankets

• Buy one, get one 50% off Whitman’s and Russell Stover chocolates

• Select Toastmaster and Babycakes appliances for $5

• Buy one, get one 50% off Pro Essentials electrical cords

• Buy one, get one 50% off nutcrackers

• More than 35% of Christmas items priced at $1 or less, including: wrapping paper, ornaments, bows, ribbons, and more

Dollar General rewards members will be eligible for even more sales and exclusive coupons, and signing up for an account is free. Members can also get cashback to use on future Dollar General purchases, and gain early access to deals and discounts. 

With Thanksgiving and Black Friday right around the corner, BJ’s Wholesale Club is offering members special promotions to celebrate both occasions. 

In honor of Thanksgiving, BJ’s members will have the opportunity to score a free turkey for their holiday dinner. 

Then, to help members get a head start on holiday shopping, BJ’s will offer early Black Friday deals through November 16. 

Get your free turkey by November 9

If you’re looking to score a free turkey from BJ’s, you need to spend at least $150 between now and November 9. Shoppers can choose whether they want to order online or head to the store to spend their $150, but the total of one order must reach or exceed that figure. 

Once orders are completed, members will receive a digital coupon for a free frozen or fresh turkey. The coupon will appear in your digital coupon gallery – either on the BJ’s website or in the mobile app. 

Members then have until November 22 to redeem their coupon for a free turkey. Coupons can be redeemed for pickup, same-day delivery, or in-store purchases. 

“We are proud to continue our tradition of free Thanksgiving turkeys,” said David Rajkovich, BJ’s vice president of food merchandising. “We always provide unbeatable value, and our free turkeys provide another way for families to save on their Thanksgiving celebrations.” 

BJ’s brick and mortar locations will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, and will reopen on Black Friday, November 24, at 7:00 a.m. local time. 

Save on early Black FriYAY Deals

Ahead of Thanksgiving and Black Friday, BJ’s has ongoing early Black FriYAY sales, so members can save on holiday favorites early this year. Now through November 16, BJ’s is offering exclusive sales and low prices on electronics, toys, home essentials, and more for members. 

Some of the early Black Friday deals include: 

• $60 off small appliances

  • Chefman TurboFry Touch 8-Qt. Air Fryer: $49.99 (originally $119.99)

• 40% off TVs

  • LG 65” OLEDC3 EVO 4K UHD ThinQ AI Smart TV with Five-Year Coverage: $1,599.99 (after $900 off) 

  • Samsung 65” QN85CD Neo QLED 4K Smart TV with Your Choice Subscription and 5-Year Coverage: $1,297.99 (after $702 off)  

  • VIZIO 50” V-Series LED 4K HDR Smart TV with 4-Year Coverage: $249.99 (after $50 off) 

• 20% off Sealy mattresses

  • Sealy Queen 3” Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper: $119.99

• $50 off artificial Christmas trees

  • Berkley Jensen 7.5’ Frasier Fir One-Plug Color Changing Lighted Tree: $199.99

• $80 off refrigeration 

• $20 off toy purchases of $100 or more, including brands: Hot Wheels, Disney, Barbie, Nerf, Melissa & Doug, and more

  • Nintendo Super Mario Deluxe Mushroom Castle Playset with 5 Figures: $34.99

  • Hot Wheels City Transforming Race Tower: $29.99

  • PicassoTiles 102-Pc. Magnetic Tile Construction Play Set: $19.99 (after 50% off)

• 50% off select Berkley Jensen brand toys 

  • 55-Pc. Wooden Ice Cream Stand: $79.99 (after 50% off)

  • 34” Plush Animal, Assorted Designs: $19.99 

“As smart-saving families search for the best deals this holiday season, we want them to know they are getting unbeatable value and outstanding quality when shopping at BJ’s,” said Rachel Vegas, chief merchandising officer. “Our early Black FriYAY event makes it easy for members to deck their halls and discover amazing gifts at prices that can’t be beat.” 

The early Black FriYAY sales at BJ’s are available both online and in-store, as well as for pickup and delivery orders. 

Christmas stockings and dresser drawers might start to feel a little lonely. Those plastic gift cards we buy as presents could finally be headed to the land of the lost.

Digital gift cards have been bubbling under the chart for a while, but things are now starting to take off. The global digital gift card market is forecast to rake in $724.3 billion by 2028, growing 14.2% a year – pinning much of its hopes on the younger generation who’s all-in on digital.

One of the newest players in the game is Hallmark. Its angle comes in a partnership with Venmo. As such, it isn’t a “gift” in the sense that the recipient will get a gift card from a specific retailer, but rather a way of sending money through a scannable Venmo barcode printed inside a physical Hallmark card.

Hallmark mails that card to an address or the buyer can pick it up at a Hallmark store. With Venmo’s legion of younger consumers, this could give Hallmark an opportunity to gain a new demographic of shoppers it might not have otherwise.

Prezzee – another e-digital card player – has well over 100 brands in its partnership portfolio. Its angle is that it gives consumers a choice of purchasing a “Prezzee Plus” card with a “suggested” retailer – say, Applebees – but the Plus card allows the recipient to change that suggestion to another company like Delta Airlines.

The pluses of digital gift cards

As ConsumerAffairs found out in speaking to retail experts, digital gift cards are a good thing in one way – but could be fraught with problems in another. 

On the good side of the ledger, nearly 50% of all Americans leave about $21 billion a year on unused or lost gift cards. 

“Electronic gift cards offer convenience—they're instantly delivered and easy to send, and there's minimal risk of physical loss or damage,” retail expert Linda Johansen-James, publisher and founder at International Retail Group, told ConsumerAffairs.

“What's more, they're highly accessible, being mobile-friendly. For retailers, they provide a streamlined way to track redemptions, gathering valuable data for marketing, inventory management, and understanding customer behavior."

But, oh, the scams that await

The wait-and-see and possibly bad side is that we could see a spike in phishing scams -- a problem plastic gift cards already carry. 

Dawson Gant, vice president of Store Partnerships at Ecom Authority, gave this example: “If a predator knows a certain demographic is receiving digital gift cards, they could potentially exploit that with fake gift card redemption emails, etc.,” another impersonation trick that Johansen-James said scammers are likely to add to their toolbox.

In those cases, she advises anyone who gets an email from “someone” who says they’re a “friend,” to triple-check the sender's email address before you click on anything. “If you're familiar with the sender, you might even consider giving them a call to confirm their identity.”

Ally Armeson at the Cybercrime Support Network -- the company that recently alerted ConsumerAffairs to the large in-store gift card scam rings -- told us that another angle digital gift card scammers will try is creating fake gift card balance checking websites in hopes that you will land on these fraudulent sites instead of a real site.

"When you enter the gift card number and PIN into the fake website, the scammer takes that information and drains the value of the gift cards," she said.

Want another? "Scammers can also sell unsuspecting consumers completely fake physical or digital gift cards that have no value -- so it's important to make sure you purchase gift cards from official sellers and official websites," she added.

We might miss the touchy, feely aspect

This physical-to-digital conversion may be hard for some to give in to, however. 

Ray Sheehan, founder at Old City Media, who drops a ton of money in gift cards for his clients, thinks that “digital” sort of takes the “gift” out of “gift card.”

“Why? When you think about the gift card. You need to boil it down to its core purpose,” he said. “You are giving them a gift. The gift card is a much more tangible item.” 

If you’re hoping for a good Labor Day holiday, you can uncross your fingers when it comes to shopping deals because those will be in full swing.

ConsumerAffairs has checked in at the online and in-store retail level and at grocery stores looking for bargains and here’s what we found. Spoiler alert: One shopping expert says the better deals may happen before the weekend ever makes landfall.

Labor Day bargains

The good folks at RetailMeNot say that there are some heavy hitters already lined up for shopping deals this weekend. In their way of thinking, the best ONLINE sales and deals include:

Wayfair: Up to 70% Off Labor Day Clearance Sale

Amazon: Up to 60% off of Amazon's top deals of the day 

Cabela's: Up to 40% off each order. 

LEGO: Online cash back

Macy's: Up to 65% off furniture, mattresses, rugs 

Rack Room Shoes: $15 Off $99 with promo code “DEAL15”

Columbia Sportswear: 25% off sitewide

Walmart: Up to 50% off

As far as in-store deals, it likes what it sees from Forever 21, Office Depot, and J. Crew Factory. 

BlackFriday.com’s researchers have uncovered some deals of their own, including:

• Mattress sales
• Home decor and furniture sales from Ashley, IKEA, Crate & Barrel, and others
• Tech deals like Dell’s up to 50% off your purchase of a laptop or desktop computer. Samsung is focusing on big ticket items like appliances and TVs, but shoppers can also take advantage of trade-in credit deals on Samsung electronics (smartphones, smartwatches, earbuds). Example: up to $750 instant credit when you purchase the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Insider tips

Vipin Porwal, CEO and consumer savings expert at Smarty, a popular cash back portal, says that the smartest shoppers will actually hit the stores before the actual Labor Day weekend with add-on savings courtesy of promo codes and cashback rewards.

 “Those in the market to upgrade their sports and outdoor items will want to hit pre-Labor Day sales early as the most popular brands and options hitting summer clearance will sell out quickly, including summer active apparel, swimwear and outdoor sporting gear and equipment,” he told ConsumerAffairs.

He cautions that there are things you should resist buying this weekend. “Those looking for colder weather clothing should hold off for just a bit when the fall fashion sales kick in in late September and October, especially when shopping for jeans, jackets, boots and denim when bigger savings and selection are promoted more heavily.”

Your kid buggin’ you about a phone?

Before we move on from the sales deals, one last one: phone plans. If you have bought everything on your student’s must-have list for back to school but are holding out on a phone plan, you’re not alone.

After fielding a study about tech “musts” and how parents are dealing with the situation, Cricket Wireless found a hole it could fill and save budget-minded parents some money.

The company is launching three new online-only, multi-month unlimited plans that it says will save customers up to $300 a year or $30/per month on a single line when – and this is important – they pay in advance.

Here’s quick snapshot of what Cricket is offering:

• Three months of unlimited voice and data when customers pay $120 in advance, giving them a total of $45 in savings.

• Six months of unlimited voice and data when customers pay $210 in advance, giving them a total of $120 in savings.

• 12 Months of unlimited voice and data when customers pay $360 in advance, giving them a total of $300 in savings.

Not wanting to be left behind, MintMobile has gone deal crazy, too. It has plans ranging from 25% off to 50% off with the capper being its unlimited Talk & Text plan -- nationwide coverage, 40GB of 5G and 4G LTE Data, free calls to Mexico and Canada, 10GB Mobile Hotspot, WiFi Calling & Text. But like Cricket, you have to buy the deal in advance – $45 for 3 months of service. After that, though, the prices go up depending on what length of service you can commit to and prepay for.

Grilling out? You’ll save some money there, too

Labor Day weekend is usually the last big grilling day of the year – something not lost on meat producers, for sure. The latest Urner Barry Retail Rundown says that grocery shoppers should be aware of what’s going on with these meat essentials:

Beef: Choice cutouts are currently down about 6.5% from their summer peak but are nearly 16% above a year ago. Ground beef has been averaging around $5.72 discounted, a 5.9% year-over-year increase. Tenderloin last checked in at $19.17 per pound, $1.80 higher than the same week in 2022. 

Pork: “Meanwhile, wholesale pork prices trended well below year-ago levels throughout 2023 so far and have also drifted lower since the year-to-date high hit in mid-July,” said Urner Barry’s Courtney Shum. Shum says grocers have gotten aggressive with pork prices, so brats and chops are looking like a better bank for the BBQ buck than beef products are. 

For example, center-cut pork loin averaged 10 cents per pound lower than a year ago; shoulder roasts were at $2.08 per pound last week, slightly below Labor Day weekend in 2022; and fresh bacon averaged $5.91 discounted, down 11.9% from last year.

Chicken: What’s coming out of the hen house is a mixed bag, however. Because we’re headed into football season, wing prices are up because demand is up, but fresh chicken breasts are about 50 cents per pound lower than a year ago, and legs and thighs should be found for under $3 a pound.

Seafood: Shum didn’t offer any price points but did say that seafood continues to dominate ad space with 27.5% of total retail buying opportunities, so you should expect some good deals there, too.

Following in the most recent footsteps of Bed Bath & Beyond and David’s Bridal, Christmas Tree Shops is officially on the chopping block. 

The discount retailer announced it will liquidate all of its 72 brick-and-mortar retail stores after defaulting on its $45 million bankruptcy loan. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in May, and will now be forced to liquidate its inventory in the coming weeks if it doesn't get an investor fast. 

According to the company, the decision to file for bankruptcy was strictly a financial one, and executives had faith in their efforts to move forward and regain strength. 

“After careful consideration, we determined that availing ourselves of the Chapter 11 process was the best way to address our burdensome liabilities,” said Marc Salkovitz, chairman of Christmas Tree Shops, in the official bankruptcy filing. “This is strictly a financial restructuring. Our operations are sound. 

“By increasing our financial flexibility, we will be able to focus on continuing to delight our loyal customers with a wide selection of unique goods at affordable prices. We continue to believe that given its storied history and strong customer loyalty, Christmas Tree Shops has tremendous potential, and we remain committed to the long-term success of the business. 

Stores could be closing soon

Shoppers can expect to see liquidation sales at their local Christmas Tree Shops starting as soon as July 7. The goal for the company is to get as many stores emptied, with all goods sold, by the end of August. 

This timeline could mean that many stores could be closed within just a few weeks. The company is headquartered in Massachusetts, with the large majority of retail locations in the Northeast, and there is already an order of store closures throughout the state. 

Store closures have started in the last few months, with nearly a dozen stores closing across the country, including in Georgia, Florida, Virginia, New York, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

The company’s plan was to close 10 of the stores that were underperforming the most at the time of filing for bankruptcy in an effort to gain some ground; however, that didn’t go as expected. 

For consumers in need of anything from linens to home goods, holiday decorations or bathroom essentials, the Christmas Tree Shops liquidation sales are expected to offer steep discounts. 

For years, consumers have had all the freedom they want to return items back to a retailer, but that’s changing quickly. And it’s a complete about-face, too.

Just a year ago, some retailers were all “nah, don’t worry” about returns, but by the 2022 holidays, things started to change direction. Now, the gloves are really coming off and more than 60% of retailers are dramatically changing their policies, some eliminating returns completely.

This week, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that nonreturnable items are becoming the standard. The report gave the example of Poshmark, the secondhand clothing seller, which has witnessed a  61% increase in items marked “new with tags” and featuring the words “final sale” in an item’s description.

That use of “final sale” is as definitive as it can get for a shopper, too. If an item doesn’t fit, sorry, but you bought it and you’ll keep it.

We did this to ourselves

It doesn’t matter whether consumers made bad buying decisions or abused the privilege, though. It’s the retailers who are in the driver’s seat and for the last two years, they’ve been beset with 16.5% of the items they sold being returned – double what it was in pre-pandemic 2019. 

Either way, PracticalAdvice’s Marcia Kaplan suggests that we – the consumers – did it to ourselves. 

“Larger companies track ‘serial returners’ and ban returns from them, but smaller merchants do not typically have the software or personnel,” she said.

One of the lines we crossed is the habit of “bracketing” – the play where a consumer buys multiple sizes or colors expecting to return what they don’t like. It may seem like a fair angle to work for the shopper, but it’s still a return and the returns are throwing up roadblocks there, too.

Who’s charging what for returns?

The next time you go shopping, you should take extra caution in asking what the store’s current returns policy is before you plop down your credit card for those five dresses – four of which you’ll probably return.

Returns specialist goTRG says that 60% of merchants across the U.S. have changed their returns policies. Some have done away with free returns and some are charging additional shipping or restocking fees.

ConsumerAffairs compiled a current list of how many major retailers are handling returns and here’s what we found. Note: There may be variations on what's purchased online vs. in-store so it would be wise to ask before making any purchase that you think you might return.

• Abercrombie: $7 deducted from refund
• American Eagle Outfitters: $5 deducted from refund
• Anthropologie: $5.95
• Big Lots: 20% of purchase price processing fee
• Dillard's: $9 deducted from refund
• DSW: $8.50 deducted from refund (free for Gold and Elite Rewards members)
• Eddie Bauer: $7 deducted from refund
• Foot Locker deducts $6.99 from refunds on all returns made by mail.
• J.C. Penney deducts $8 from all refunds on returned online purchases made by mail.
• J.Crew deducts $7.50 from the refund for shipped returns.
• Kohl’s requires customers to pay for all shipping for returns.
• L.L.Bean charges $6.50 for returns and exchanges through U.S. mail unless the customer used an L.L.Bean Mastercard for the purchase.
• Lands’ End deducts $6.95 from the refund credit.
• Neiman Marcus: $9.95 deducted from refund (free if you return within 15 days and it’s not clearance)
• Pacsun deducts $7 from the refund.
• REI deducts $5.99 from refunds for packages of standard size and weight.
• Saks Fifth Avenue: $9.95 deducted from refund
• Shoe Carnival deducts $6 from all refunds on online returns sent by mail.
• T.J.Maxx: $10.99 deducted from refund
• Urban Outfitters deducts $5 from all online orders returned by mail.
• Zara charges $3.95 in the U.S. for returns at drop-off point 

It’s not Amazon Prime Day. It’s not Black Friday. But it sure wants to be.

That would be Wayfair’s “Way Day.” Running for the next 48 hours – through Apr 27, 2023 – Way Day is built around Wayfair’s idea of deep discounts -- up to 80% off -- on furniture, appliances, and home decor.

The best deals according to RetailMeNot’s team of shopping experts are area rugs and wall art (up to 80% off); and bedding, cookware & bakeware, curtains & drapes, kitchen faucets, mattresses, and tableware (60% off).

Discounts tier down from there and include:

• Up to 50% off bathroom vanities, bedroom furniture, entryway furniture, hardware and flooring, home office, kids bedroom, lighting, living room seating, mirrors & decor, TV stands and living room tables, outdoor furniture, outdoor lighting & decor and outdoor fireplaces.

• Up to 40% off kitchen & dining furniture, nursery, pet, small appliances, storage and organization and outdoor upgrades.

• Up to 30% off major appliances, outdoor grills and more.

Why is Wayfair's sale different than others

When ConsumerAffairs asked RetailMeNot's shopping expert Kristin McGrath where does Wayfair's sale stacks up against other doorbuster sales, she had this to say.

"You're likely to see a lot of similar deals at all these mega sales and a wide swath of products marked down. The question is whether you want to wait for Prime Day and Target Deal Days in the summer or shop right now. What makes Wayfair unique is the selection of home products it has, from furniture, down to very specific faucets and rugs for every aesthetic. These days, the retail industry is such that these mega sales are all compelling."

Boilng that down, McGrath says to take these comparisons into account:

Prime Day is a better time to shop for technology, especially Amazon products. And it tends to send other retailers into competition mode, so it's almost like Black Friday in the summer.

Target Deal Days tends to focus on clothing, beauty, food and household. However, it doesn't have the selection of rugs and household fixtures Wayfair has. 

Wayfair is focused on the home and home decor. And it takes place in spring, which can be advantageous if you're looking for outdoor furniture for summer. 

Choosing the "right" sale

Sales are sales for one reason -- because the Targets, the Amazons, the Walmarts, and now, the Wayfairs need to get rid of stuff. And to do that, they'll throw big-eyed discounts at the consumer to try and get them to buy regardless of whether they need it or not.

At that point, McGrath says that shoppers should look themselves in the mirror and ask what do they really need and when do they need to buy it.

"If you sorely need new patio chairs for this summer, for example, a deal in the spring during Way Day is going to be more advantageous than a deal late in the summer," she said.

She suggests that for popular, name-brand items, shoppers can look up the price history before they buy it using a price history tool like CamelCamelCamel to assess the strength of the deal.

"That way you can know if something is at one of its best prices ever – and take advantage if so," McGrath said, "If you need something, chances are it's going on sale in the near future. If what you need right now is home goods/decor, it's going on sale at Wayfair for Way Day."

Grocers across the country are hopping down the bunny trail with specially-priced bundles just like they did for the 2022 holidays and St. Patrick’s Day this year.

If you’re planning some sort of Easter get-together, here’s what grocery chains are offering through this Sunday.

Hy-Vee: Hy-Vee actually has two family bundles – one, an Applewood Pit Ham Meal (serves 8) for $119.99 and a Brown Sugar Spiral Ham Meal (Serves 8) for $99.99. It also is offering a brunch deal for two.

The Fresh Market: The Fresh Market is trying to cover every possible Easter dining option. It has a Ham Meal (with pineapple, dinner rolls, cake mix, etc. Serves 8-10) for $99.99. It also has a ready-to-heat Ham Meal for 4 for  $59.99, as well as a Prime Rib Meal for two, and a Brunch Meal for 4.

Walmart: Walmart doesn’t have bundles, per se, but it has marked down prices on the typical things you might buy for Easter – hams, pies, veggies, etc. It also has candy, eggs, etc. for Easter baskets.

BJ’s Wholesale Club: Much like Walmart, BJ’s Wholesale Club is offering members additional savings on Easter essentials through Easter Day. Plus, every member who spends $140 online or in-store in a single qualifying transaction through Easter will receive a $15 digital coupon valid for shopping from April 13 to April 23.

Target’s saving its best deals for after Easter

Target isn’t avoiding Easter, but it’s decided that it would be better served by putting its eggs in a post-Easter clearance basket where consumers can save up to 90%.

“Starting the day after Easter, you can get deeply discounted crafts, home decor, Easter candy, cookware, and more at Target. I’m talking about items you can repurpose and use the rest of the year — or stuff you can save until next Easter,” the Krazy Coupon Lady said.

When ConsumerAffairs looked into what she was talking about, the clearance discounts break down like this:

One day after Easter: 30% off food and candy and 50% off everything else in the clearance section.

Three to four days after Easter: 50% off food and candy and 70% off everything else in the clearance section.

Six to seven days after Easter: 70% off food and candy and 90% off everything else in the clearance section.

However, there might be some extra deals that could pop up on Target’s text alerts. To subscribe to those, just text TARGET to 57299.

With Easter just a few weeks away, BJ’s Wholesale Club is releasing its special seasonal deals for store members. 

Through the Easter holiday on April 9, BJ’s members can expect sales on just about everything they’ll need for their celebration – Easter basket essentials, decorations, paper goods, food, candy, and more. Walmart announced a similar promotion last month.

“Our members know they can shop with us for everything they need and want to make their Easter gatherings a quality, memorable time with family and friends,” said Rachel Vegas, BJ’s executive vice president and chief merchandising officer. “Members can find their family favorites for Easter dinner and brunch, candy and toys to fill their Easter baskets, plus seasonal decor and dining essentials to make their celebrations festive.” 

What’s on sale?

BJ’s is offering sales in three primary areas: paper goods and decorations, Easter basket goodies, and meal essentials. 

The first category includes savings on everything from seasonal paper plates and napkins, to Easter and bunny wreaths, an inflatable Easter bunny, and Easter gnomes. All items are available in-store and online, and the sales run through April 9. 

For parents, grandparents, or other family members who may be filling Easter baskets, the selection of on-sale items is wide. BJ’s is discounting Easter baskets, PAAS egg decorating kits, Reese’s peanut butter eggs, American Kids character baskets, a set of toy race cars, Peep’s, and more. 

Lastly, cooking Easter dinner or brunch will come at a cheaper price. BJ’s members can expect savings on: trays of cupcakes, ciabatta rolls, half spiral hams, packs of bacon, gourmet carrots, and carrot cakes. Overall, these prices are expected to be discounted as much as 25%. All of the on-sale items are available to members in-store or with in-store pickup, curbside pickup, or same-day delivery. 

Even more savings

BJ’s seasonal sale items are available through Easter on April 9. For BJ’s members who shop between March 23 and April 9, even more savings are possible. When shoppers make purchases over $150, they’ll receive a $15 digital coupon that’s valid between April 13-23. 

Consumers are no strangers to the effects of inflation. Whether it’s at the grocery store or the after effects of holiday shopping, rising prices have been a common theme in recent months. 

Now, a new survey conducted by Wish found that inflation is affecting how the majority of Americans are spending money on online shopping. 

Discount codes and free shipping are important to shoppers

Experts surveyed 2,000 Americans over the age of 18 about their online shopping habits, including how often they shop, how inflation affects their spending, discount codes, shipping costs, and more. 

Overall, nearly 85% of respondents said that inflation is affecting how frequently they’re placing online shopping orders. Additionally, 40% said they’re cutting back on their online shopping because of consistently rising prices. 

Inflation is also affecting what shoppers are looking for when placing online orders. Discount codes and free shipping are becoming more important.

The survey found that 30% of Americans will only be shopping when there are sales going on, 34% actively look for discount codes when online shopping and 32% are going directly to online stores that offer flat-rate or free shipping. 

Shipping costs are a major factor

Shipping proved to be a major consideration for survey participants. Eighty percent of respondents said their online purchases are affected by shipping costs, while 70% said they’d spend enough to reach the minimum purchase threshold to get cheaper or free shipping, and 65% said they’d cancel their order if the shipping costs were too high. 

“Online shopping should be a journey of excitement and discovery, and too often this experience is soured when shoppers get stung by high shipping fees,” said Mauricio Monico, chief merchant officer at Wish. 

“How we shop online continues to evolve, but the experience should stay convenient and accessible without pricing out consumers. The results of the survey reiterates that the shopping journey doesn’t stop at checkout, and today’s shoppers want shipping to be as painless and affordable as possible,” Monaco said. 

If you lost out in your holiday gift exchange and wound up with an unwanted gift card, is there anything you can do?

Consumers have a tendency to set an unwanted gift card aside, chalking it up as an unlucky moment or thinking that they might be able to use it at some point or re-gift it to another person who likes the retailer the card is connected to.

Still, you’re leaving money on the table – a situation that Julie Ramhold at DealNews told ConsumerAffairs is salvageable if the gift card holder puts in just a little effort.

Trade ‘em in!

There are two options here: One that Ramhold suggests is to check with your favorite retailers to see if you can trade in unwanted gift cards for store credit. 

Another is to try to trade the cards you don't want for ones that you do. Ramhold said sites such as CardCash can make this process easy because you don't have to list the card and wait for someone to agree to a trade or sale.

When ConsumerAffairs looked at CardCash, it appeared to be a fairly straightforward deal. It has 1,000-plus retailers it does trade-ins for, and it pays out different amounts for different gift cards, likely depending on how many other people want those gift cards.

For example, a $25 Walmart gift card would get a trade-in value of $21.50 and an eBay gift card would bring $21.25. However, restaurants don’t seem to fare as well. A $25 Macaroni Grill gift card would only get a $13.75 trade-in and a Cheesecake Factory card would produce $16.50.

There are other gift card trading sites that ConsumerAffairs found, too -- ClipKard, GiftCash, and Raise. When we looked at values on similar cards, though, it was apparent that the consumer needs to do some price shopping because the trade-in values are not consistent from site to site.

“Depending on the type of gift card, you may be able to use it to buy other gift cards — ones you'll actually use,” Ramhold said.

“This method is only going to be valid if you have a gift card that's more like a debit or prepaid card, though. That said, this can be a good workaround when you have a prepaid card and must match the exact amount in your transaction in order to use it.”

Don’t sell gift cards on eBay, one expert warns

Even though eBay gift cards may have a good trade-in value, the PennyHoarder’s Adam Hardy says that the platform might be the worst way to sell gift cards.

“First, an eBay buyer isn’t likely to buy your gift card for more than 80% to 90% of its value. For a $100 gift card, you can count on a loss of between $10 and $20 right off the bat,” he warned. “On top of that, you may be responsible for eBay’s insertion fees, a final value fee and a performance fee if your eBay seller account isn’t in good shape. These fees eat further into your earnings.”

“Also with eBay, there’s no built-in way to verify your gift card’s code or balance — making the selling and shipment process much more of a hassle.”