Remember the days of strolling through the Target clearance aisles and finding stuff for 70% – 90% off? If you’ve been wondering why you can’t find those same clearance aisles anymore — it’s because they’ve actually been moved elsewhere. Like, out of Target stores entirely! Instead of Target marking down items 70% – 90% off in store, they now “salvage” the items and send them to a Target salvage store.
But your local Target salvage store won’t have “Target” in its name. Instead, your Target salvage store might be a Goodwill or a liquidation store. But Target also works with a lot of other local chains (like Ollie’s, Dirt Cheap, and Bargain Hunt) to offload their salvage stock. Salvage stores carry items from a lot of other brands, but hidden in their inventory are Target clearance items that are marked down by as much as 90%.
I dug into all the salvage secrets to help you score huge savings at a Target salvage store near you.
1. Ask a Target associate if there’s a Target salvage store near you.
Visit a Target store in your area and ask a manager or team lead where there’s a Target salvage store near you. If they are no help, Google “salvage stores near me” to find some good leads.
It’s important to know that Target salvage stores don’t ONLY sell items from Target. They collect and resell items from a bunch of different brands. For example, one salvage store near me sells both Target and Amazon items. However, many salvage stores have a selection of Target items for up to 90% off.
You’ll find salvage stores in most states in the U.S. Some of the better-known salvage stores with Target items include Dirt Cheap, Big Deal Outlet,Bargain Hunt, The Salvation Army, and Goodwill. The salvage store near me was an island of misfit Target clearance items. The store was chock-full of boxes overflowing with closeout decor, furniture, kids’ toys, processed food, cleaning products, and more.
How much can you expect to save at a Target salvage store?
You’ll save up to 90% on items at a Target salvage store. Plus, some of these salvage stores have extra savings days. I have a salvage store near me that has a $1 bin day on Wednesdays, so everything in the bin is just $1.
That said, Krazy Coupon Lady readers are commenting that sometimes they don’t save this much. And in fact, sometimes the items still have the Target clearance tag on them, and Target’s original clearance price is actually lower than the price offered by a salvage store. So be sure to look into this to be certain you’re getting a good deal.
Related: Did you know there’s an Amazon Warehouse site where you can save up to 50%?
2. Find holiday clearance, toys, furniture, and more at your local Target salvage store.
According to Target staffers who post on Reddit, unsold perishable food and pet food from Target are donated to local charities. Anything with a battery is disposed of in an “environmentally sustainable” way.
Related: Too excited to wait for salvage? Check out all the best Target deals available now.
3. Plan your trip to the salvage store around Target’s holiday clearance schedule.
Target clearance schedules depend on store inventory, so the schedule will vary by store location. However, there’s a general pattern to Target’s clearance markdowns, and this is how it goes:
First Markdown: Target clearance items usually start at 30% off the day after a major holiday (or near the end of a season).
Second Markdown: Any remaining clearance items will hit 50% off one to two weeks later.
Third Markdown: If supplies last, clearance items will hit 70% – 90% off at Target.
When Target clearance hits 70% off, that’s your time to visit a Target salvage store.
TIP: Our team at The Krazy Coupon Lady can help you track Target clearance prices. Just download The Krazy Coupon Lady app and set a deal alert for Target. We’ll let you know when Target clearances start and when (or if) items get further markdowns.
4. Shop daily specials at salvage stores to save over 70% on Target home decor.
At Bargains in a Box (a salvage store with locations in Illinois), the daily specials usually apply to anything in boxes throughout the store — practically everything that isn’t furniture. I went on a Friday when everything in a box was $10 or less. I got this Threshold lantern for 72% off the regular price!
5. Buy furniture and bedding at a Target salvage store to save up to 80%.
I saw some of the best savings on bedding and furniture from Target brands such as Casaluna, Threshold, and Pillowfort. These items included Target Threshold stools for 75% off, which are regularly priced at $100, as well as a Pillowfort Pom Pom Canopy for under $15 (that’s 63% off).
Buy 1 Threshold 24″ Rumford Saddle Counter Height Barstool with Wood Leg, $25 Final Salvage Price: $25Compare to Target at $100 reg. price
Buy 1 Pillowfort Pom Pom Canopy, $14.99 Final Salvage Price: $14.99Compare to Target at $40 reg. price
Here’s the catch: My salvage store only allows 30 days for returns — versus the 365-day return window in Target’s return policy.
6. Double-check expiration dates on salvage store food items.
7. Find a Target salvage store near you.
If you’re trying to find Target salvage stores in your area, it isn’t as simple as searching in Google for stores named “Target Salvage Store.” The salvage stores are typically named something else, but they just carry Target salvaged items — and sometimes even Amazon returns.
Look for one of these retailers in your area:
If you take a trip to a Target salvage store, let us know how it goes! Share your salvage experience in the comments below.
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