T.J. Maxx serves up brand-name and designer products at a discounted price, so no matter what, you're always guaranteed to save some money on a shopping trip. But a true Maxxinista knows that there are tricks to maximize deals and deliver even bigger discounts. In fact, an insider has confirmed that you can save more depending on when you visit the store. Read on to find out what an ex-T.J. Maxx employee says is the best time to go shopping.
RELATED: 9 Warnings to T.J. Maxx Shoppers From Employees.
T.J. Maxx doesn't do markdowns on a specific day.
At some point, you may have been told to shop at T.J. Maxx early on Wednesdays because they typically do new markdowns the night before or that morning. But a former T.J. Maxx employee named Taylor took to YouTube to set the record straight about this rumor.
In a video posted to her channel @simplytaylorb, Taylor explained that she was "part of the markdown team" during her time with the company. "So I know all about the markdowns and secrets about that," she said.
In terms of Wednesday being the best day of the week for shopping, Taylor said, "I don't really know if that's true." Markdowns at her store happened once a week, but it wasn't always on the same day. Instead, "it happened when they were able to do it," she explained.
Current T.J. Maxx employees shared similar sentiments in a Reddit thread: "I can't really tell you what days [markdowns] are because they aren't really planned."
To that point, former T.J. Maxx employee @maddyy.y99 shared in a TikTok video that smaller items like men's and women's accessories and makeup are usually restocked in the morning, while women's clothing gets restocked in the afternoon or evening. "This varies from store to store, but most of the time this is true," she said.
RELATED: 10 Items You Should Never Buy at T.J. Maxx.
But there is a specific time of the year you should be shopping.
There might not be a specific day that's best to get deals at T.J. Maxx, but that doesn't mean there isn't a specific month.
"The best time to shop at T.J. Maxx is January," Taylor told viewers in her video, noting that it's because it's right after the holidays. "There's markdowns in January every single day."
"This is a strategic move by the company because they know that not as many people want to shop after Christmas because they just spent loads of money for the past month on presents," she explained.
To get the best deals at T.J. Maxx, it's important to understand what the price tags mean. As Best Life previously explained:
- White price tags with no stickers are the regular price
- Blue stickers mean it's part of a set (for example, a two-piece PJ set)
- Purple stickers indicate an item is part of the Runway Collection, which features very high-end designer pieces
- Red stickers indicate a clearance item that will be marked down again in the future
- Yellow stickers are supposed to serve as a "final markdown ticket," meaning that's the lowest price a customer will see for that item.
But during the company's popular markdown times, Taylor says that even yellow-ticketed products can get marked down, which has earned these shopping events the nickname "Yellow Tag Sale." They also happen at TJX Companies' other stores, Marshalls and HomeGoods.
"This round of markdowns happens twice a year—once in January and once in July," she explained. "I vividly remember going into my store, and products were just getting wiped out because as I was scanning them down, down, down, things just kept going. There was a $700 dress that I bought for $7. I've seen people walk out with 50+ items, and they maybe spent $17. Watch the yellow ticket and definitely go shopping in January."
