Knowing what sales cycles are and understanding how they work is an important part of being a great couponer! Through this guide, we will cover what you need to know about Sale Cycles and what items to buy when.
What Are Sales Cycles?
If you’ve spent anytime at all watching the flyers you will have probably already noticed that different items go on sale at different times throughout the year. Everything from produce to health & beauty items to office supplies has a certain time when it is at it’s lowest price.
A few years ago, a friend’s mom introduced me to the term “loss leaders”. I’d never heard it before but when she explained the reasoning behind it, it all made sense! Each year during certain months the purchase of some items, invariably goes up (think hot dogs in summer & exercise equipment in January). Stores will actually offer certain “in-season” products at such a low price, they actually take a loss on it. But there is good reasoning behind it. If you are in the store for that one item, chances are, you’re going to buy something else.
When Do They Happen?
Store sales cycles are mostly common sense. Think about the things you use regularly at certain times of the year. Around the holidays, people do a lot of baking so flour, sugar, and baking ingredients will be on sale. In January, every one is all about their New Years Resolutions so healthy supplements will be on sale and so on. The stores want to draw you in based on the merchandise you will be most likely to buy at that time of year.
Product manufacturers can also influence store sales cycles. New products and coupons the coupons to accompany them are usually available around the first week of the month. To put further emphasis on these new products – there are likely to be sales on them too. This is done because only a small percentage of the population knows how to cash in on these opportunities. The sale is often enough to drive traffic into your store, it takes a savvy couponer to know how to spot a real deal! By the third week of the month, the sales are usually limited to Store Brand goods or less then stellar sales.
How Frequent Are The Cycles?
Most items will cycle through sales more than once per year. Personal care items (razors, body wash) and grocery items will cycle as often as every 4-6 weeks. But as with anything, sales cycles can change. Just because Item X was on sale this time last year doesn’t necessarily mean it will be on sale again, or that the sale will be as good as it was last time. This is where keeping a Rock Bottom Price Book becomes in very handy (we will talk about that in the next section!)
Why Do Sales Cycles Matter?
This is a super easy question to answer – because the whole point of this crazy adventure called couponing is to save money! Coupons are great for adding that extra bit of savings and possibly helping to make items free, but in reality, the majority of the savings come from the sale. Knowing about store sales cycles will save you loads of money on its own, and it will help direct you as to when the best time to use your coupons is.
So What Do I Buy When?
Here at SaveaLoonie, we do most of the hard work for you. By using our Weekly Coupon Price Match-Ups, you can quickly and easily see what the best deals are. But we always recommend keeping your own records. Sales change from province to province and from year to year. The coupons available also vary and we can’t possibly keep track of everything!
Below is a round-up of the items that generally go on sale, by month. Click on the tab for the month you want to view!
[tabs]
[tab title=”Jan”] Vitamins / Minerals
Weight loss Supplements
Smoking Cessation Aids
Diet foods / drinks
Exercise Equipment
Organizing Supplies
Cold & Flu Medications
Cleaning Supplies
Linens
Canned Soups & Chilis
Hot Chocolate
Tea / Coffee
Cereal
Oatmeal
Bananas
Citrus Fruits
Carrots
Potatoes
Onions
Holiday Clearance
[/tab]
[tab title=”Feb”] Cold & Flu Medications
Pain Relief Medications
Cleaning Supplies
Jewellery
Fragrances & Cosmetics
Pancake Mix & Syrup
Frozen Pizza
Chicken Wings
Chips & Dips
Canned Soups & Chilis
Pasta & Pasta Sauce
Soda
Bagged Candy
Potatoes
Onions
Carrots
Bananas
Valentine’s Clearance
[/tab]
[tab title=”Mar”] Cleaning Supplies
Paper Towels, Toilet Paper etc
Baking Items
Cereal
Frozen Fruits & Vegetables
Frozen Entrees
Seafood
Ice Cream
Bananas
Citrus Fruits
Carrots
Potatoes
Onions
Sports Equipment
Winter Clothing Clearance
Easter Clearance
[/tab]
[tab title=”Apr”] Gardening Tools
Eco-Friendly Products
Eggs
Canned Soups
Cereal
Beef
Cleaning Supplies
Rain Wear
Cookware
TVs
Winter Clothing Clearance
Easter Clearance
[/tab]
[tab title=”May”]
Cleaning Supplies
BBQ Sauce
Marinades
Ice Cream
Hot Dogs
Hamburger
Salad Dressing
Bottled Water
Pasta & Pasta Sauce
Juices
Sodas
Mexican food ingredients
Disposable Dinnerware
Razors & Shaving Gels
Linens
BBQs
Winter Clothing Clearance (minimal selection but lowest prices)
[/tab]
[tab title=”Jun”] BBQ Sauce
Marinades
Hot Dogs
Sausages
Hamburgers
Ground Beef
Condiments
Cheese
Mayo
Lemonade & Ice Tea
Ice Cream
Razors & Shaving Gels
Summer Clothing
Sunscreen
Insect Repellent
[/tab]
[tab title=”Jul”] BBQ Sauce
Marinades
Hot Dogs
Sausages
Hamburgers
Ground Beef
Ice Cream
Bottled Water
Lemonade & Ice Tea
Chips & Dips
Sunscreen
Insect Repellent
Fans
[/tab]
[tab title=”Aug”] Back to School Supplies
Cereal
Lunch & Breakfast Items
BBQ Sauce
Marinades
Hot Dogs
Sausages
Hamburgers
Cheese
Berries
Computers & Lap Tops
[/tab]
[tab title=”Sep”] Cleaning Supplies
Board Games
Home Fragrances
Baking Items
Granola Bars
Fruit Snacks
Pasta & Pasta Sauce
Peanut Butter
Apples
Canning Supplies
Summer Clothing Clearance
Plants
BBQs
Patio Furniture
[/tab]
[tab title=”Oct”] Toys & Board Games
Halloween Candy
Photo Albums & Frames
Slow Cookers
Oatmeal
Cereal
Pancake Mix & Syrup
Pasta & Pasta Sauce
Tea / Coffee
Thanksgiving Foods
Nuts
Apples
Onions
Potatoes
Carrots
Cold & Flu Medications
Summer Clearance Items
[/tab]
[tab title=”Nov”] Baking Supplies (flour, sugar, chocolate chips, etc)
Butter
Canned Fruit & Vegetables
Soup Broths
Hot Chocolate
Tea / Coffee
Batteries
Halloween Clearance
[/tab]
[tab title=”Dec”] Toys & Games
Batteries
Photo Albums & Frames
Cold & Flu Medications
Baking Supplies
Crackers
Cheese
Holiday Dinner Foods
Chocolates
Nuts
Cookies
Alcohol
Electronics
Tools
Cookware / Bakeware
Food Storage
Holiday Clearance
[/tab]
[/tabs]
© Copyright SaveaLoonie.com. All rights reserved.
