Clearance markdowns are often mixed in with regular items, pushed to top shelves, or hidden on back walls. Check every variation as one color or size may be far cheaper than the others.
Scan everything with the Walmart app. The app often shows lower in-store prices before shelf tags are updated, revealing hidden markdowns.
Shop by season and store location. Clearance is inventory-driven and varies by Walmart. Switch locations in the app and shop right before seasonal transitions for the deepest discounts.
Looking for clearance deals at Walmart isn’t a random sport. And it’s definitely not just that lonely yellow endcap near the front of the store.
If you understand where they hide many clearance deals, how the Walmart app exposes hidden markdowns, and when specific categories get prices slashed, you can turn an occasional clearance win into a repeatable system.
Here’s how savvy Walmart shoppers are doing it and saving big.
Where clearance really hides inside Walmart
Most shoppers look for big yellow clearance signs. That’s mistake number one.
Clearance at Walmart is often scattered all over the place. You’ll find it mixed in with regular-priced items and even tucked away in spots that don’t scream “deal.”
- Department endcaps (but not just one). Each department typically runs its own clearance section. Toys, electronics, lawn and garden, apparel, and home goods all often have their own clearance endcap. Never assume the front-of-store clearance area is the only one. Be sure to walk the perimeter of each department and look for yellow price tags — not just big signs.
- Back walls and low-traffic aisles. In particular, the clearance section for toys and seasonal items is frequently found along the back walls or in aisles with much less traffic. This is because Walmart knows that impulse buyers grab the obvious clearance stuff first. Then what doesn’t get sold quickly often gets consolidated away from prime space at a MAJOR discount of up to 75% off.
- Mixed in with regular inventory. This is where experienced clearance hunters make their money. Walmart often leaves clearance items right in their normal shelf spot, with nothing more than a small yellow price tag. Be sure to look at the shelf labels as you walk down each aisle. If you don’t, you’ll easily miss the deal.
- Top shelves. Overstock or discontinued products sometimes get pushed to the highest shelf with a markdown tag attached. Most shoppers don’t look up. When you find one of these “high” clearance item, scan the entire top shelf. The reason is because it’s common for multiple variations (different colors, sizes, or models) to be marked down unevenly. In other words, one color might be deeply discounted while another barely drops at all.
Pro tip: Try the scan the "wrong color" trick using the barcode scanner on the Walmart app. Clearance prices sometimes hit one color or variation before the others. A blue blender might be $12 while the red one next to it is still $29.
The Walmart app: Your most powerful clearance tool
I love using the Walmart app to find hidden clearance pricing that hasn’t been updated on the physical price tag yet.
Here’s how to make this happen when you’re in-store:
- Open the Walmart app.
- Use the barcode scanner.
- Scan the product directly on the shelf.
- Compare the shelf price with the app price.
It’s not uncommon to scan an item priced at $19 on the shelf and see $11 in the app for that specific store.
This happens because Walmart’s markdown system updates digitally before employees have time to swap out shelf tags.
When you find one of these items, just take it to the register and it should ring up at the lower price. If it doesn’t for some reason, just show the employee the lower price via the Walmart app and they'll match it.
Switch store locations
Over the years, I’ve also discovered that clearance pricing can vary dramatically from one Walmart to the next.
Inside their app, you can actually change your selected store to nearby locations to find the best price. This is a great way to quickly compare pricing before you drive all over the place.
I’ve found that this tactic works especially well for these products:
- Patio furniture
- Grills
- Air conditioners
- Lawn equipment
- Electronics
- Holiday décor
The reason these clearance items vary in price from location to location is 100% inventory-driven.
This means that if one Walmart is overloaded on patio furniture, they will drop the clearance price much faster than another store who’s almost sold-out before the end of summer.
Pro tip: Produce, meat, and bakery items are often marked down one to two days before their “best by” date. Look for yellow discount stickers and manager markdown labels.
The best time to check is early in the day, right after they open (if possible) — especially for clearance meats. If you have the room to freeze it the same day you buy it, you can cut your protein costs significantly.
Use social media like a clearance radar
I’m probably sounding like a broken record, but clearance at Walmart is hyper-local. This makes local social media searches extremely powerful.
Here are some great ways to search Facebook for clearance deals:
- “Walmart clearance [Your City]”
- “Walmart deals group”
- “Walmart markdowns”
Local Walmart shoppers will frequently post these insider tips to help you with your bargain hunt:
- Exact aisle numbers of the clearance deals
- Photos of yellow tags so you know exactly what you’re looking for
- Scanned app prices
- Even barcodes you can reuse
On TikTok and Instagram specifically, clearance hunters regularly share toy markdown cycles, price drops on electronics, and 75% to 90% seasonal clearance finds.
Pro tip: Screenshot barcode images from social media posts. You can then scan the barcode in the Walmart app while standing in-store to check your location’s pricing. It basically turns other shoppers in your area into your personal research team.
The calendar matters: When categories hit deep clearance
Markdowns at Walmart follow some fairly predictable seasonal cycles and allow you to time your purchase for maximum savings.
If you know the timing, it allows you to plan your purchase instead of impulse buying at the full retail price.
Here’s the clearance calendar at Walmart that’s worth knowing:
January
- Fitness equipment
- Storage and organization
- Holiday décor (75% to 90% off)
- Winter apparel
February
- TVs (post–football season demand)
- Space heaters
- Valentine’s merchandise
March
- Deep winter coat markdowns
- Small indoor appliances
May
- Mattresses
- Small kitchen appliances
- Spring apparel
August
- Summer toys
- Back-to-school leftovers
September
- BBQs/Grills
- Patio furniture
- Lawn equipment
- Garden tools
November (early)
- Fall décor
- Halloween (often 75% to 90% off)
Late December
- Toys
- Gift sets
- Gift wrap and holiday decor
- Electronics bundles
If an item is seasonal, it’s safe to assume that it will be aggressively marked down within 30 to 60 days after peak demand.
Pro tip: Check the garden center after it “closes” for the season. Specifically, in late summer and early fall, excess inventory gets consolidated and aggressively marked down.
Grills, patio cushions, hoses, fertilizer, and planters often hit 70%+ once space is needed for the upcoming holidays.