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."