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The Semi-Annual Target Toy Sale — which arrived on Dec. 27, 2022 — is hands-down one of the best times of year to stock up on toys. I’m talking about getting your family’s favorite brands for up to 70% off! This sale typically lasts about three weeks, but with clearance being sent to Target salvage stores quickly that in the past, I’d head out to shop now.
Guys, this is the time to buy birthday gifts for the whole year or even next year’s holiday presents. Here’s what you need to know to shop smarter during one of the biggest toy clearance events of the year:
Download The Krazy Coupon Lady app and bookmark our Target coupons page so you never miss a sale.
1. Shop the Semi-Annual Target Toy Sale to save up to 70%.
Starting in late December and June, Target stores mark down different toys to make room for additional inventory. The sale is available both in store and on Target.com, but I recommend heading to the store for the best prices. Typically, the semi-annual Target toy sale happens in January and June but in 2022, the toy deals started earlier in December. Each semi-annual sale runs for three weeks.
Walmart’s toy clearance sales also happen after the holidays, so make sure to check prices at both stores before buying. If Walmart has the cheaper online price for a clearance toy, let your cashier know you want a Target price match.
Related: Walmart kicks off their toy clearance sale in December and July. It’s just one of the many Walmart clearance secrets we can teach you.
2. Watch Target toy clearance start at 30% off and grow from there.
Target toy clearance starts at 30% off and typically progresses to 50% off within a week, followed by 70% off in the next couple of weeks.
Once the toys hit 70% off, the discount stops there. In years past, the toys went up to 90% off, but since Target salvage stores have come into play, the leftover toys will go there instead. In June 2022, the amount of 70% off toys was slim. I’m hoping we will see more toys at 70% off in January 2023.
Discounts and clearance selection at Target will vary by region and store. We called 10 stores around the country during the Winter 2022 Target Toy Sale in January, and look how different everything was:
- Atlanta: Clearance was 50% – 70% off, and the shelves were full! The employee we spoke to specifically said, “Come buy it all!”
- Salt Lake City: Clearance was located on the back wall, and prices were marked on the tags. There was no additional signage at the store.
- Los Angeles: There were no percentage signs hanging in the stores, but toys were individually marked as much as 50% off.
- Orlando: Inventory was high, and toys were discounted at 30% off at the time. The discount would go up to 50% off on that Sunday.
- Chicago: Discounts were 30% – 50% off at the time. Inventory was high.
- New York: Discounts were 30% off at the time. Inventory was high.
- Dallas: No store discount signage and toys were individually marked as much as 50% off.
- Austin: Discounts were between 20% – 70%, and shelves were still pretty full.
- Seattle: Shelves were still pretty full, and discounts were only at 30%.
- Phoenix: Discounts were at up to 50% off at the time and were set to be marked as much as 70% off on that Friday or Saturday.
3. If you see Lego or Barbie toys at 30% off, grab them immediately!
Two of the biggest brands you’ll see marked down during a Target toy sale are Lego and Barbie. But as you’d expect, they get scooped up pretty quickly. If you see them marked at 30% off, pick up these Target clearance toys before someone else does.
In July 2022, I was able to get a Barbie and Chelsea the Lost Birthday Party Fun Playset for $9.99 (regularly $19.99)!
4. You can still return Target clearance toys.
Target clearance toy items follow the same rules as anything else under the Target return policy. The only items you won’t be getting a refund for are products that have been salvaged or discontinued.
5. Pay with your RedCard for an extra 5% off.
Make sure to use your Target RedCard to pay for your toy clearance haul. You’ll get an extra 5% off your total, plus free shipping on your order if you’re placing it online.
6. Always scan a clearance toy to check the latest price.
Those bright yellow clearance tags are an easy giveaway that the toy you’re looking at is on clearance. But just because it’s on clearance doesn’t mean the price you see is what you’re gonna get. The tag on the box might not even match the tag on the shelf.
Bring the toy over to the in-store price scanner (every 10 – 15 aisles) to check the current price. You can also scan in the Target app, but it won’t give you the current in-store price.
7. Check your store’s inventory before you shop the Target toy sale.
Inventory — especially during big semi-annual sales — varies by location. Even your local Target stores will have different toys in stock.
If you get a “limited quantity” message, double-check against Target.com with your specific store location. It won’t give you the exact number of items, but it will at least let you know if it’s available at your location.
8. Use Instagram hashtags to see what other people are finding.
During the semi-annual Target toy sales, #targetclearance is a trending hashtag on Instagram. Although inventory varies between stores, it’s always good to see in real-time what other people have been able to score.
Browse these hashtags during January and June:
Here are the Target Toy Clearance deals we found in December 2022 & January 2023:
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MOBILE COUPONS NEEDEDBe sure to share your semi-annual Target toy sale haul in the comments below!
