Throughout the year, there are many big shopping holidays that are known for offering huge discounts on a variety of items. Retailers use these holiday sales to run great promotions and deals throughout the year. Smart shoppers learn the national retail sales calendar to decide when to make a purchase.
Sometimes, an unexpected accident or break emergency means you need a new appliance or mattress right away. But other times, if you’re seeing your rug start to fray or looking at a tv upgrade, it’s worth it to see whether there’s an upcoming sale on that product that might be worth waiting for later in the year instead of splurging now.
Do holiday sales really save you money?
If you’re wondering whether the savings on a holiday weekend are really worth waiting for, the answer is, sometimes yes and sometimes no.
For example, there are plenty of end-of-season sales that happen with less fanfare, and might vary slightly in dates and sale categories from store to store. These clearance sales might offer bigger savings than the holiday sales earlier in the season. However, end of season clearance often also includes a more limited selection. So if you’re waiting on a specific item, it’s best to make the purchase when it goes on holiday sale, rather than wait to see if it’s still available at end of season clearance.
Sales holidays and what products you can expect sales on in 2022
Here are the top sales holidays during a year and the product categories you can expect to see discounted during that time.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day and mid-January
Date: Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2022 is on January 17.
Linens and Bedding
The tradition of January linens sales goes back to the late 1800s. Look for savings on sheet sets, towels, and comforters. Mattress companies also often offer sales on long weekends, so look for mattresses bundled with sheets sets during MLK weekend.
Winter clothing
Mid-January starts the end of the winter clothing season, so retailers start offering big discounts on their winter clothing supplies. The long weekend on Martin Luther King Jr. Day gives retailers the opportunity to offer blowout savings on coats, sweaters, and other cold-weather wear as the winter season is winding down. This is a great time to get big savings on a jacket for next year.
Presidents' Day and mid-February
Date: In 2022, the Super Bowl is February 13, and Presidents’ Day is February 21.
Kitchen appliances
This long weekend in mid-February is known for big sales in the home category, especially with kitchen appliances.
TVs
While most electronics are at bigger discounts at other times of the year, it’s common for retailers to offer big sales on their new model TVs in the weeks leading up to the Superbowl.
Mattresses
Presidents’ Day is the first of several big mattress sales of the year. Expect big savings from mattress retailers, including slashed prices on current models and bundle deals.
Mother's Day
Date: Mother’s Day in 2022 is May 8.
Jewelry
Jewelry is a popular gift for Mother’s Day, and retailers are quick to compete by offering discounts on their items. You can expect savings on earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, as well as watches and smart-watches going into the holiday.
Perfume, beauty and self-care
This holiday offers big deals on self-care products and packages that can be gifted to moms. You can find discounts from major beauty brands, and on items like fragrances, bath products, and hair and nail care. Look for savings on gift cards for massages and spa packages.
Women’s clothing
May is a transition point from spring to summer wear, and it’s a great time to get discounts on end of spring season items that you can wear through summer, such as dresses, blouses, bags, and sandals.
Memorial Day
Date: Memorial Day in 2022 is on May 30.
Mattresses
Memorial Day is one of the biggest mattress sales days of the year, where you can expect to see more mattress types on sale and at higher discounts. A big part of this reason is that retailers want to clear out their mattress inventory before new models come in June.
Large home appliances
In addition to mattresses, May also represents a new model month for large appliances, such as washers and dryers and refrigerators. Retailers are looking to clear out old ones to make room for the new inventory in June.
Father’s Day
Date: Father’s Day in 2022 is June 19.
Hardware and tools
This holiday means storewide sales from retailers like Home Depot and Lowes on items like power tools and hardware.
Grills
Father’s Day is the first of two big sales times of the year for outdoor grilling equipment, with the second being in late August when the outdoor summer season is ending. Take advantage of Father’s Day discounts on grills to have the months ahead to use your equipment.
Men’s clothing
In the weeks leading up to Father’s Day, expect big sales on men’s apparel and shoes to add to any man’s wardrobe. You may also find deals on watches.
Fourth of July and early July
Date: July 4 is on a Monday in 2022, so sales will start around June 30 and run through the long weekend.
Clothing
Fourth of July sales feature a lot of categories, but offer the biggest savings in apparel. You can get summer clothing at bargain prices while still having ample time to wear them, rather than waiting for the end of season clearance.
Outdoor gear
July is a summer mid-point, so the holiday represents a time to save on outdoor and sporting equipment and apparel designed for camping, fishing, and other outdoor activities.
Amazon Prime Day
Date: Prime Day in 2022 is expected to be announced for mid-July.
Tech
While Prime Day is a more recent addition to the holiday sale calendar, it has become a major sales day that you don’t want to miss if you’re shopping for any electronics. You can see deals on a large variety of products, but Amazon-branded tech like Kindle and Alexa will often be on major sales. Many other retailers offer their own deals on Prime day to compete with Amazon’s sales, so look around for other tech deals as well.
Back to School
Date: Back to School sales in 2022 are expected to run for the first weeks of August. Local retailers may adjust based on nearby school district start dates.
Dorm room essentials
The back to school sales are a great time for college students to furnish or add to a dorm room, from discounts on bedding and decor to dorm-friendly furniture and dish sets.
Clothing
Apparel and shoes in ready-for-fall styles often see big discounts. Many retailers offer big sales around this time as end of season clearance.
School supplies and tech
You can expect to save big on tech like laptops on sale for the new school year. In addition to the discounts, many states offer tax-free days in August to shop for essentials like school supplies, clothing, and tech without the added costs.
Labor Day and early September
Date: Labor Day in 2022 is September 5.
Grills
If you missed the chance to get a new grill during Father’s Day sales, you can score big savings at the end of the season as stores clear out their summer inventory.
Furniture and patio furniture
Labor Day is known for big sales on furniture. Stores are eager to clear out their summer-specific furniture, so patio furniture goes on clearance. In addition, many furniture retailers release new furniture items in February and August - so expect any remaining items to go on super sale as retailers try to clear out current inventory.
Cars
You can find car sales during most long-weekend holidays. Labor Day’s deals are especially sweet, as September is a time that companies will prepare to switch to selling the 2023 models, so they’re likely to offer better incentives on the 2022 models.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Date: In 2022, Black Friday is November 25, and Cyber Monday is November 28.
Electronics
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are known for massive electronics sales. If you’re shopping for holiday gifts or upgrading your own devices, this weekend is the best time to look for discounts on laptops, video game consoles, speakers, TVs, earphones, and more.
Home appliances
The weekend following Thanksgiving offers discounts on a huge variety of products. With appliances large and small, the holiday savings can result in slashed prices on high-cost home appliances that can save you lots. The deals are especially good on large home appliances, from refrigerators to washers and dryers.
New Year’s Eve, New Year's Day, and early January
Date: These sales will go from post-Christmas in December through early 2023.
Beauty items
A lot of items packed into gift packages are being cleared out after the holidays. You can get year-round items that are wrapped. Also, several major beauty brands, including Bath and Body Works, Sephora, and Ulta, will often run big sales in January.
Department and warehouse clearance
You can expect big sales on entire store inventory in warehouses and department stores that are looking to unload their old inventory to make way for the new year models. Look for big bargains on warehouse and department store TV’s, digital cameras, and furniture.
Shop Smart in 2022
If you’re looking to save in 2022, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
- Look at all product costs, including shipping costs, and make sure to read the return policies ahead of time to avoid unexpected return costs.
- Check out the product warranty details, including if a manufacturer warranty is included, and what it covers. Get product protection to add coverage against accidental damage or extend the manufacturer warranty coverage, available with our retail partners or through Mulberry’s warranty browser extension.
- When considering a non-immediate purchase, look to see if there’s an upcoming holiday that will offer discounted prices in that category. You can still save when shopping outside of holiday seasons by using coupon and discount shopping sites to get reduced prices.
We love savings, so be sure to check out our blog and social media pages to get updated on the biggest deals and discounts available for each holiday sale.
