I’ve reported on sales at NBC Select for five years, so to help you navigate Memorial Day sales, I put together this shopping guide filled with everything you need to know.
How are tariffs impacting Memorial Day sales?
Before knowing what to buy and skip during Memorial Day sales, it’s important to understand how tariffs could impact your shopping.
What to skip during Memorial Day sales Technology is the main category to skip shopping during Memorial Day sales, says Carls.
Expert tips: How to save money while shopping Memorial Day sales Set a budget: Go into Memorial Day sales with a maximum amount of money you’re comfortable spending, says Ashley Feinstein Gerstley, a shopping and savings strategist at Rakuten.
To save money this year, experts are referring to Memorial Day as a “pivotal moment.”. Because of tariffs, brands are already increasing their prices, particularly when their U.S. inventory increases. S. . “Warehouses are getting smaller, and there will likely be more hikes from big retailers like Walmart throughout the summer,” says Vipin Porwal, CEO and consumer savings specialist at Smarty. This holiday weekend’s sales offer you the best opportunity to save money on summer apparel, kitchen and household appliances, and other necessities; if you don’t buy now, you’ll probably have to pay more in the coming months.
I’ve been covering sales at NBC Select for five years, so I’ve put together this shopping guide with all the information you need to handle Memorial Day sales. I also spoke with professionals who offered guidance on what to buy and what to avoid, as well as whether it’s worth it to take advantage of early discounts.
What effect are tariffs having on Memorial Day sales?
Before deciding what to buy and what to avoid during Memorial Day sales, it’s critical to comprehend how tariffs may affect your purchases. For your information, the current tariff is 10% on imports from all other nations and 30% on imports from China.
With the trade wars continuing into the summer or beyond, Memorial Day might be the last significant occasion to truly benefit from steep discounts for some time.
Although a few brands are currently raising their prices as a result of tariffs, Porwal claims that prices are generally the same. With dozens of nations, including those in the European Union, Japan, and Indonesia, having until July to negotiate a trade agreement with the United States, that could change significantly after Memorial Day. A. They will face far higher reciprocal tariffs if they don’t. Brands that haven’t raised their prices yet will probably be forced to do so at that point, and those that have may raise their prices once more, according to experts.
“As the trade wars continue this summer or longer, Memorial Day might be the last significant occasion to truly benefit from deep discounting for a while,” Porwal says. And given the state of the economy, retailers will probably need to change not only their prices but also their promotional tactics, according to Stephanie Carls, a shopping expert at RetailMeNot. This could result in less sales, worse bargains, and even greater shipping costs.
Regardless of the purchase, experts told me that now is your best chance to get the best deal if you have been putting it off for a while or need to make a larger one in the coming months.
Purchases to make during the Memorial Day sales.
Nearly every retailer offers discounts over the coming holiday weekend, as Memorial Day marks the halfway point to Black Friday, the biggest sale event of the year (so far), according to Porwal. The product categories listed below typically offer the biggest discounts, but not all offers are valuable. I’ve included examples of products that will be marked down this weekend because some of the sales are already active.
seasonal outdoor and home goods.
Don’t put off purchasing a new fan or air conditioner because tariffs are driving up prices and temperatures. During Memorial Day, you can get discounts on summertime items such as lawn care equipment, gardening supplies, tools, and materials for home renovation projects from retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s.
TCL Smart Window Air Conditioner with Fan and Dehumidifier, 8000 BTU.
With its smart features, which include the ability to be controlled via an app or voice commands from Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, you can set timers and schedules and control the air conditioner from anywhere. It can cool areas up to 350 square feet. In addition, it has eco and sleep modes to conserve energy and works as a fan and dehumidifier.
clothing for the spring and summer.
Carls says that Memorial Day is a great time to find summer clothing sales. Indeed, the “best” time to buy summer clothing is near the end of the season, but if you want to wear this season’s styles now, there will be sales on swimwear, light dresses, shorts, sandals, and more during Memorial Day. “.”.
Back-to-school shopping and wardrobe upgrades now will save you money later because tariff-related price increases are also likely to have a significant impact on the apparel and footwear industry.
Vintage Soft Gap Organic Cotton T-Shirt.
This is one of our go-to T-shirts, which everyone needs. You can purchase it in three sizes: regular, tall, and petite, and it comes in twenty-five colors and patterns. The cotton used to make the shirt is entirely organic. When you purchase three or four of these shirts, Gap is currently giving you an additional 20% off, and when you purchase five or more, you can get an additional 30% off.
expensive kitchen and household goods.
Carls claims that the Memorial Day weekend is well-known for its incredible deals on mattresses, appliances, and furniture. This is a result of the three-day weekend: consumers want a little more time to consider these large purchases, and the extra day allows them to do so. Porwal predicts that there will be discounts on all the “big stuff,” such as mattresses up to 40% off, large appliances like refrigerators and washing machines up to 20% or 30% off, and furniture up to 50% off. At big-box retailers like Ashley Furniture, Walmart, Target, Wayfair, Overstock, Amazon, and Mattress Firm, pricing is especially profitable.
Mattress Casper Sleep Element.
Numerous NBC Select Casper fans sleep on the company’s mattresses, pillows, and sheets. The brand claims that the Element mattress, which is 10 inches high and medium-firm, is composed of layers of perforated memory foam that relieve pressure points throughout your body and keep you cool all night.
necessary.
“The best way to save money this year may be to plan ahead and take advantage of holiday sales since it’s difficult to predict how long inventories will be stocked with necessities at reasonable prices,” says Porwal. He advises taking advantage of brand bundles when possible and purchasing items like cleaning supplies, pet food, and toiletries in bulk when possible.
A value pack of Clorox disinfecting wipes.
Essentials are often discounted by brands during holidays like Memorial Day, so if you see something you use often, put it in your cart before tariffs affect the price. I keep Clorox’s disinfecting wipes on hand to clean up the dirt and messes my pets bring in from daily life. According to the brand, this value pack includes three tubs of wipes that, when used as instructed, eradicate 99 percent of bacteria and viruses.
groceries.
According to Carls, during long holiday weekends, people most frequently shop for food and drink. Many people have picnics at the park or beach, or throw their first barbecue of the year. The best deals will be found at your neighborhood markets, some of which may provide delivery through services like Instacart.
Simply Naked Pita Chips by Stacy.
Stock up on snacks while they’re on sale if you’re hosting friends and family on Memorial Day. Serve single-serving bags of chips like these to visitors, or purchase them to pack in a child’s lunchbox or take to work. This package contains 24 1-point 5-ounce bags of Stacey’s Simply Naked Pita Chips.
Avoid these items when shopping on Memorial Day.
Carls claims that the most popular category to avoid during Memorial Day sales is technology. During Black Friday in November and Amazon Prime Day in July, there will be better discounts on electronics like laptops, gaming consoles, headphones, and smart home devices. During the back-to-school period preceding Labor Day, you will also observe robust sales of technology.
Waiting to purchase technology, however, could be dangerous because tariffs could have a significant effect on it. Devices like laptops, smartphones, and other gadgets are currently exempt from the tariff on Chinese goods, but that could change at any moment. Still, Memorial Day sales are usually a very poor time to buy technology.
Expert advice: How to shop the Memorial Day sales and save money.
Budget: According to Ashley Feinstein Gerstley, a shopping and savings strategist at Rakuten, enter the Memorial Day sales knowing the most you can afford to spend.
Have a plan: List all the things you wish to purchase in advance and find out how much they usually cost. “This will help you avoid impulsive purchases and stay within your budget in addition to helping you find the best deal,” says Gerstley.
Stack savings: She advises using credit cards that earn points or cash back for payments and attempting to purchase from companies that take part in cash back schemes. To increase your savings, you can combine those rewards with the real discounts and coupons offered by the retailers.
Learn about the return policies. Although most stores don’t have special return policies during sales, you should double check. Stores typically notify you directly if an item is a final sale.
Utilize store-wide discounts: When you shop at a department or big-box store, you probably have items from many different categories in your cart. According to Porwal, some stores provide store-wide discounts, which can frequently help you save money on items that might not be available elsewhere on an individual basis.
Meet our professionals.
Experts with specific knowledge and authority derived from pertinent training and/or experience collaborate with us at NBC Select. Additionally, we guarantee that all professional counsel and suggestions are given impartially and free from unreported financial conflicts of interest.
The CEO of Smarty and an authority on consumer savings is Vipin Porwal.
One of RetailMeNot’s shopping experts is Stephanie Carls.
Rakuten’s shopping and savings strategist is Ashley Feinstein Gerstley.
Why should I trust NBC Select?
As a reporter for NBC Select, I have five years of experience covering sales and promotions, including Cyber Monday, Black Friday, and Amazon Prime Day. In order to compile a few suggestions on how to save money when shopping during Memorial Day sales, I spoke with three experts about what to buy and what to avoid.
