IF you want to unlock huge savings at your favourite shops, it pays to have inside knowledge.
Hidden codes, handwritten numbers on labels and coloured stickers can save you a fortune if you know what they mean. So can shopping on particular days of the week or at certain times of the day when prices can be marked down.
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Consumer expert Martyn James explains: “These details are different for every store, so unless you have worked at that particular shop it can be hard to know how to bag the best deals.”
That’s why Lynsey Hope has spoken to current and former staff at five high street stores for their bargain-hunting tips.
Matalan
CLUE: Handwritten numbers on product tags
LOOK out for handwritten numbers on product tags, says former retail assistant Bobby-Lee Whinney. The 22-year-old, from Suffolk, worked at Matalan in 2021.
“A week before sales go live, staff go around the shop to see what items will go into the sale,” Bobby-Lee explains.
“They will write on the back of the tag a code which shows how much it will be sold for. If an item is going to be reduced to £1.50 for example, they’ll write 1.5 on the back of the tag.
“So, if you’re in a shop and you see something that isn’t yet in the sale but has a number like that on the tag, chances are if you go back in a couple of days it will be reduced to that price.
“Sales go live first thing in the morning so you’re best to get there when stores open if you want the best deals and to avoid items being sold out.”
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You should be able to haggle a discount if an item of clothing has make-up on the collar, Bobby-lee adds.
“Take it to the till and ask for a reduction, they should offer 20 per cent,” she says. “Often make-up will wash out when you get home so you could be getting a great deal.”
Boots
CLUE: Unlock extra savings for parents
CUSTOMERS with children can sign up to the Boots Parenting Club and receive eight points for every £1 spent — double the normal amount.
Maria Pike, 54, a customer adviser in Derby, says: “Plus, when you join you get a free gift. At the moment it’s offering Aveeno 2-in-1 baby shampoo and conditioner.”
New Look
CLUE: Wait a week before hitting the sales
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SHOPPING at least a week after the sales start could save you money, according to former New Look retail assistant Kayleigh Fazan.
Kayleigh, 37, from Cumbria — who worked at the Barrow-in- Furness branch — said initial discounts are usually between 30 and 50 per cent.
“Depending on how fast these items sell, it could be as soon as one week later they go into what’s called a ‘second line mark down’. Now, the reduction could be as high as 70 per cent.”
New Look often buy in bulk from suppliers in Thailand and Turkey and are left with surplus stock at the end of the season.
She adds: “Consumers rush to get items in the first sales but it could be just a week later that they will reduce these items again.
“Then, three or four weeks into the sale, stores need to make room for new collections so they’ll start offering more amazing deals such as ‘buy two get one free’.
“They also run special 20 per cent off weekends. There are good deals to be had especially if you’re open to buying summer products in the winter and vice versa. I’ve seen bikinis sold for as little as £1.”
TK Maxx
CLUE: What labels reveal and when prices drop by the hour
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FOR the biggest discounts, head to stores in the last week of January and August, says former TK Maxx retail assistant Danielle Jade, 35, from Preston.
“In the final week of those months, items will be reduced every day and on the final day sometimes every hour, so you can find some amazing deals.”
If you find something you like on one of the main rails, check the discount section as well as you might find exactly the same item cheaper, suggests Danielle.
This is because of the way products are tagged when they come into the store, which means some items get missed when they are being marked down.
Danielle also recommends sticking to designer names as she said other products were not as good value.
“Check the label for whether it says Made for TK Maxx,” she explains. “These are often inferior. Make sure you get the real designer goods which could be brilliant prices. I once bought a bottle of CK One for £4.99.”
You should also look out for the number two at the end of the long code at the top of the label. This means the item was sold at a higher price by another retailer first, which shows you are getting a genuine bargain.
If there’s a one, the item was made by the designer brand specifically for TK Maxx so might not be such a steal. The number seven indicates it was packed away from a previous year, like unsold Christmas stock.
Aldi
CLUE: Shop at closing time for big discounts
RED stickers are “a sure-fire sign of a hefty reduction”, says Lee Cowell, 49, from Maidstone, Kent. The store manager, who’s worked for Aldi for 16 years, says: “Discounts often start at 30 per cent and increase nearer to closing time. Stores mark down perishable products such as bread, meat, fruit and veg by 75 per cent on the last day of their shelf life.”
