Carefully arranged outdoor space has become an important way to improve the quality of life, a set of high-quality outdoor furniture can make the patio, deck glow unique charm. With a wide range of brands and products available, when should you start shopping in order to meet your needs and save money at the same time? Combined with the National Retail Federation (NRF), Statista and other authoritative organizations, as well as industry experts, we sorted out the following key time points.
The change of seasons: the golden window of clearance discounts
- Time window:September to November each year (in the United States, for example)
- Discounts:50%-70% OFF
With the change of seasons, the outdoor furniture market will see significant price fluctuations. In the U.S., September through November is the time of year when outdoor furniture is most heavily discounted, according to Statista. When fall arrives, merchants often offer discounts of up to 50% – 70% in order to clear out inventory and make room for winter merchandise.
Wayfair, for example, in September 2024, its outdoor rattan sofa set price straight down 65%, metal table and chairs as low as 30% off, some states are also stacked with “seasonal environmental subsidies” (such as California on the recycling of old furniture users to provide an additional 10% discount).
Experts point out that this time to buy not only can enjoy low prices, but also in advance for the next spring and summer outdoor activities ready. Related data can be found in Statista’s official website report: https://www.statista.com/ .
Major holiday sales: the year-round shopping spree time
Holidays are the peak time for consumers to shop, and outdoor furniture is no exception. Research by the National Retail Federation (NRF) shows that during the holidays, major merchants will launch a series of promotional activities to attract customers. Labor Day promotions are particularly strong, with many merchants offering additional discounts and giveaways. For example, The Home Depot https://www.homedepot.com/ is offering a general price reduction of 30 percent on outdoor furniture items and free outdoor decorative accessories on select items for Labor Day 2022. Consumers looking to capitalize on the savings can follow holiday trends on NRF’s website: https://nrf.com/ .
- Memorial Day：NRF’s 2024 report shows that outdoor furniture sales accounted for 23 percent of the year’s sales during Memorial Day (the last Monday in May) in the U.S. Retailers such as The Home Depot offered a “Buy Furniture, Get Gardening Tools Free” campaign, combining discounts of up to 40 percent with a “Buy Furniture, Get Gardening Tools Free” offer. Retailers such as The Home Depot offer “Buy Furniture, Get Gardening Tools Free” campaigns, combining discounts of up to 40%.
- Labor Day ：(the first Monday in September) is the end of the summer climax, Target’s outdoor lounge chair sets are often paired with barbecue grill discounts, the average unit price increased by 35%.
- Black Friday global linkage：Amazon data show that the search volume of outdoor furniture during Black Friday 2023 increased by 67% year-on-year, and sales of folding tables and chairs, outdoor sofa beds and other portable categories surged. IKEA in the European market, the United States Ashley Furniture have launched online exclusive discounts, the price of some items as low as 2% off the original price, and to provide “warranty upgrades across the year” service.
The new iteration cycle: the old clearance “time difference tactics”
outdoor furniture industry follows the “annual iteration” law, 1-2 months before the release of new models is the best period of the old bottom. Furniture industry analyst Sarah Johnson pointed out that the brand in order to maintain the premium price of the new product, will be implemented on the old models of the “ladder-style price reduction”:
- Stage 1 (60 days before release): 10%-15% price reduction in advance, with “trade-in” activities (e.g., $200 cash credit).
- Phase 2 (30 days prior to release): 30%-50% straight down on inventory, with the price of the 2023 aluminum outdoor dining table plummeting from $899 to $499 prior to Crate & Barrel’s Spring 2024 launch.
- ailgate processing period: after the launch of new products, the remaining inventory into the outlet or online discount zone, Wayfair’s “Clearance” channel has appeared on the basis of 30% off and then stacked 50% off the “fracture price”.
Consumers can learn about new product releases through brand websites, trade magazines and other channels, so as to seize the opportunity to buy.
The economic cycle and unforeseen events: variables that can not be ignored
In addition to fixed time nodes, special events and economic environment will also affect the price of outdoor furniture. For example, during the economic downturn, merchants may increase discounts in order to promote sales; and during the epidemic, due to the increased demand for outdoor living space, some merchants have also launched a limited time offer. Therefore, paying attention to macroeconomic dynamics and social events can also help to discover a good time to buy outdoor furniture.
To summarize, the best time to buy outdoor furniture mainly focuses on the change of seasons, major holidays, and the eve of new product releases, while special events and changes in the economic environment are also worthy of attention. By reasonably planning the purchase time, consumers can not only save money, but also buy the desired outdoor furniture to create the ideal outdoor leisure space.
In addition, we’ve compiled a list of online resources to make it easy for you to learn what each expert recommends.
- Frugal Living.About.com – August
Erin Huffstetler of About.com suggests that August is the best time to buy patio furniture.
- Lozo Experts – August through September
Some experts say August is the best time to buy patio furniture, while others say September.
- Business Insider– September
Outdoor seating is usually on sale after Labor Day. Other experts suggest May is a good time to buy outdoor furniture before Memorial Day.
Yahoo Shopping – “Now is a good time to get started. You might save 20 to 30 percent. But if you really want the lowest prices, wait until August, when prices drop 50 to 70 percent.”
- USA Today – September
After Labor Day, it’s “out with the old, in with the new” season for summer essentials. Prices on patio furniture, outdoor accessories and pool supplies will bottom out in late September. The farther away you get from summer, the more eager stores are to clear out summer merchandise to make room for winter gear, which means lots of clearance and discounts. If you’re thinking about updating your outdoor essentials, try to put off purchases until the end of September.
- Deal News– September
Deck Furniture Promotions are hot. When it comes to patio furniture, the sale season on Labor Day and beyond is finally a great time to buy.The number of sales on outdoor furniture and the number of deals on seasonal outdoor items is set to increase dramatically in September.
- Lifehacker – October
“Now that the outdoor season is well and truly over, before it’s all ends, you’ll find the best prices on patio furniture.”
I hope this article can bring you some ideas for buying furniture, and feel free to contact us if you are interested in our products!