2013 Summer Clearances

[JoshTX]

One of the Walmart's here has like 15 Quinjet's that are clearanced at $49 but not marked. I am hoping that they will further mark it to about $25 and then I will swoop them up.

Same here. It is one of the only sets on clearance at this particular Walmart (besides some hero factory crap for like 10% off) and they have about 8 of them for 49 bucks. I bought 2 already, but am hoping it will possibly drop again to around 30 at which time I'll buy the rest. Somehow though, I don't think they will do it, and in the meantime the boxes are probably going to get wrecked from being pushed and moved around the aisle to make room for other crap.

[LowestFormOfWit]

This is why you....relocate them. High shelves. Unpopular isles.

 

Learn the Walmart clearance dance steps, my friend!

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

Lol I feel like a little kid again when I hide clearance. I have totally hid it when I wanted to check online and make sure it was a good deal.

 

This is my life.

[LowestFormOfWit]

I've got two more Ninjago Ultra Sonic raiders for $30.00 stashed in a less-than-appropriate location at a local Walmart.

[BricksR4kids]

I scored with my local bartells in wa. Came across 35 - 6862 super vs lex @6.89 each, 40 - 9488 SW battle packs @ 4.49 each, 44 - 9489 SW battle packs @ 4.49. Plus 30 mandalorian battle packs @ 4.80 each. Preclearance sale..no cleanance anywhere else this week.

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

Lol.

 

I just hide them behind all the One Direction stuff and Angry Birds stuff that never sells.

[JoshTX]

This is why you....relocate them. High shelves. Unpopular isles.

 

Learn the Walmart clearance dance steps, my friend!

 

Ha ha. I'll probably be caught in a snapshot photo hiding a Quinjet behind some douches in the feminine products aisle and end up on that site peopleofwalmart.com.

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

BricksR4kids,

 

 

God I want to see the face of the cashier when you checked out.

[emes]

Here are the dates for Target's 2011 Summer Clearance:

• 50% off happened around July 13, 2011
• 75% off (now only 70% off) happened around July 17-19, 2011
• 90% off happened around July 19-21, 2011

from http://www.allthingstarget.com/

 

Unfortunately I couldn't find anything more recent than that. Also I think that the highest markdown that Target has done since 2012 is 70%, so I wouldn't expect 75% and 90% off....

 

Extrapolating to this year, I would expect the Target Summer clearance to start right around July 15th. That would make sense in terms of moving stuff out to get ready for back to school in late July/early August.

[BricksR4kids]

BricksR4kids,

 

 

God I want to see the face of the cashier when you checked out.

Over the course of 5 stores... Multiple stares. I had one lady behind me asked if her son could come live with me.. Awkward moments these last 24 hrs..

[JoshTX]

Here are the dates for Target's 2011 Summer Clearance:

• 50% off happened around July 13, 2011
• 75% off (now only 70% off) happened around July 17-19, 2011
• 90% off happened around July 19-21, 2011

from http://www.allthingstarget.com/

 

Unfortunately I couldn't find anything more recent than that. Also I think that the highest markdown that Target has done since 2012 is 70%, so I wouldn't expect 75% and 90% off....

 

Extrapolating to this year, I would expect the Target Summer clearance to start right around July 15th. That would make sense in terms of moving stuff out to get ready for back to school in late July/early August.

Thanks for the research, emes. If my stores do 50%, I'll be buying any and every set I see at that point because if I don't, someone else will. I guarantee no lego set will make it to 70% off in my market. In fact, theres a good chance it will be wiped out day one if one of the "big fish" are out shopping the day it hits. Vampyre Castles in my area were gone completely from Walmarts within 3 days, and the rest of the MF line was gone within a week.

[emes]

Thanks for the research, emes. If my stores do 50%, I'll be buying any and every set I see at that point because if I don't, someone else will. I guarantee no lego set will make it to 70% off in my market. In fact, theres a good chance it will be wiped out day one if one of the "big fish" are out shopping the day it hits. Vampyre Castles in my area were gone completely from Walmarts within 3 days, and the rest of the MF line was gone within a week.

 

I wouldn't be so sure that they've been snapped up. WalMart pulls stuff back too to put in clearance later or to send to one of their stores that handles more clearance than others. There are a couple of stores in the DFW area that always have dramatically much more clearance than the others.

 

I'm in Ohio/WV at the moment and there is one store in this area that has much more clearance than all of the others. There were about 10 VC's in the clearance there, but none in other places. I didn't buy any because I have enough and because I bought other things that will give a higher return.

 

I can't remember, what city do you live in again? I'm fortunate because the week of 7/15 I'll be in DFW, then in Waco, then in Raleigh, NC, so I'll be able to snap up quite a few deals all over the place. When I'm in Waco I will literally range up and down 35 between Waco and Austin....there are numerous Targets on that strip.

[nolanfan34]

I really hope it's not the week of July 15, I will be out of town. :-/ Looks like I'll be renting a car again.

 

Also, that is a crazy score at Bartells.....have not seen a Mandalorian battle pack in a Bartells for months now.

[JoshTX]

I wouldn't be so sure that they've been snapped up. WalMart pulls stuff back too to put in clearance later or to send to one of their stores that handles more clearance than others. There are a couple of stores in the DFW area that always have dramatically much more clearance than the others.

 

I'm in Ohio/WV at the moment and there is one store in this area that has much more clearance than all of the others. There were about 10 VC's in the clearance there, but none in other places. I didn't buy any because I have enough and because I bought other things that will give a higher return.

 

I can't remember, what city do you live in again? I'm fortunate because the week of 7/15 I'll be in DFW, then in Waco, then in Raleigh, NC, so I'll be able to snap up quite a few deals all over the place. When I'm in Waco I will literally range up and down 35 between Waco and Austin....there are numerous Targets on that strip.

 

That's an intesrsting point I hadn't really considered. I saw them disappear fast after they were marked to $69, and assumed a couple big investors in my area made the rounds. I considered myself lucky to get the three I got. But maybe you are right, maybe they were sent somewhere.

 

Austin is where I live right now. It's a very popular city and is one of the most expensive cities to live in within Texas. I think alot of stores try to maintain an appearance that caters to affluent people, which I would think explains a lack of visible clearance languishing on shelves. I thought Walmart didn't really care, but with Target I almost never see anything on clearance, lego or otherwise, and the Target stores are very very clean and neat around here, I think they try to cater to the wealthier crowd as a "clean" store and I think they try to avoid visible clearance.

[terrymc4677]

Here are the dates for Target's 2011 Summer Clearance:

• 50% off happened around July 13, 2011
• 75% off (now only 70% off) happened around July 17-19, 2011
• 90% off happened around July 19-21, 2011

from http://www.allthingstarget.com/

 

Unfortunately I couldn't find anything more recent than that. Also I think that the highest markdown that Target has done since 2012 is 70%, so I wouldn't expect 75% and 90% off....

 

Extrapolating to this year, I would expect the Target Summer clearance to start right around July 15th. That would make sense in terms of moving stuff out to get ready for back to school in late July/early August.

excellent information. thank you. I will make sure to check my two targets daily during this time frame. luckily, they are both within 10 miles of my driveway.

[emes]

That's an intesrsting point I hadn't really considered. I saw them disappear fast after they were marked to $69, and assumed a couple big investors in my area made the rounds. I considered myself lucky to get the three I got. But maybe you are right, maybe they were sent somewhere.

 

Austin is where I live right now. It's a very popular city and is one of the most expensive cities to live in within Texas. I think alot of stores try to maintain an appearance that caters to affluent people, which I would think explains a lack of visible clearance languishing on shelves. I thought Walmart didn't really care, but with Target I almost never see anything on clearance, lego or otherwise, and the Target stores are very very clean and neat around here, I think they try to cater to the wealthier crowd as a "clean" store and I think they try to avoid visible clearance.

 

I can see that in Austin, especially on the North end of town. I'll be down that way in mid-July and in mid-August, and I almost always make at least 1 run through many of the stores down there.

 

This week, at a store in WV, I found a stash of these honeys (see attached). That's the rare one and it's from 2009...I filled up one of my suitcases with several of those and several "Jinx" (Halle Berry) from the same series. The Octopussy one is a complete waste from a resale perspective.

 

[exciter1]

I wouldn't be so sure that they've been snapped up. WalMart pulls stuff back too to put in clearance later or to send to one of their stores that handles more clearance than others. There are a couple of stores in the DFW area that always have dramatically much more clearance than the others.

 

I'm in Ohio/WV at the moment and there is one store in this area that has much more clearance than all of the others. There were about 10 VC's in the clearance there, but none in other places. I didn't buy any because I have enough and because I bought other things that will give a higher return.

 

I can't remember, what city do you live in again? I'm fortunate because the week of 7/15 I'll be in DFW, then in Waco, then in Raleigh, NC, so I'll be able to snap up quite a few deals all over the place. When I'm in Waco I will literally range up and down 35 between Waco and Austin....there are numerous Targets on that strip.

 

I live in Southern Ohio on the WV border and I make the regional rounds in both states.  Yes, we are rural and I find some great clearance deals at Wal-Mart.  On the flip side, I don't have a Target within 100 miles of me.  I have to make the rounds at Target when in Columbus.  There are a few in WV within reach, but I usually only hit those when traveling.

[Huskers1236]

Thanks for the Target information.  I had no idea about those sale dates.  We have 2 Targets in Lincoln, and both are pretty accessible for me.  I went on the prowl today to some Walmarts and both Targets and there was zero clearance at all.  Sounds like everything has been pulled off the shelves for a later date, though.

[emes]

I live in Southern Ohio on the WV border and I make the regional rounds in both states.  Yes, we are rural and I find some great clearance deals at Wal-Mart.  On the flip side, I don't have a Target within 100 miles of me.  I have to make the rounds at Target when in Columbus.  There are a few in WV within reach, but I usually only hit those when traveling.

 

Yeah, it's odd that Target is nowhere to be found around here. I'm guessing that most of these towns are so small that supporting a Target and a WalMart would be a challenge. You guys do have K-Mart, which is either a holy grail or a complete waste. Those stores are so depressing.

 

The two WalMart's in this area that I've found that are decent are in Mason, WV, and Gallipolis, OH. The one in Athens has an entire clearance "tent" in the parking lot right now, but their only LEGO are some Chima Speedorz marked down to $14! Overall this trip is a bust from a LEGO picking perspective...I guess you're keeping these places cleaned out.

[JoshTX]

I can see that in Austin, especially on the North end of town. I'll be down that way in mid-July and in mid-August, and I almost always make at least 1 run through many of the stores down there.

 

This week, at a store in WV, I found a stash of these honeys (see attached). That's the rare one and it's from 2009...I filled up one of my suitcases with several of those and several "Jinx" (Halle Berry) from the same series. The Octopussy one is a complete waste from a resale perspective.

 

 

I live down on the South side. Let me know if you see anything up there when you are here, but I'll probably stick to raiding the 5 or 6 Walmarts and 3 Targets on my side of town, as its tough for me to get too far North with school, work, and family demands.

[legoman666]

I travel for work a lot. I hit up a bunch oh Meijer's, Walmarts, Targets and K-Marts on a drive from Detroit to Lima to Marion 2 weeks ago. The only stores that had any clearance worthwhile were the Meijer's. I got 3 (out of the maybe 25 they had) Hobbit board games for $8.75/ea. I would bought the rest if they had more decent pieces in them. I also got a Lego Creationary game for $26 (for my wife and I to play), I got 1 orange helicopter Creator set for $26, about 15 of the Series 1/2 Star Wars planet sets for $2.49/ea. I also snagged 1 Ghost Train for $55 (On sale, not clearance) for myself. I also got a few Star Wars poly bags for $1.50/ea.

 

Not a bad haul. I also check my local Kroger Marketplace about every 2 days. A few weeks ago I scored 6 sealed 32ct Series 9 CMF boxes for $1.49 each because the cashier was too busy chatting to pay any attention to what she was doing. I gave 4 to my LUG to draft and kept the other 2.

[JoshTX]

I travel for work a lot. I hit up a bunch oh Meijer's, Walmarts, Targets and K-Marts on a drive from Detroit to Lima to Marion 2 weeks ago. The only stores that had any clearance worthwhile were the Meijer's. I got 3 (out of the maybe 25 they had) Hobbit board games for $8.75/ea. I would bought the rest if they had more decent pieces in them. I also got a Lego Creationary game for $26 (for my wife and I to play), I got 1 orange helicopter Creator set for $26, about 15 of the Series 1/2 Star Wars planet sets for $2.49/ea. I also snagged 1 Ghost Train for $55 (On sale, not clearance) for myself. I also got a few Star Wars poly bags for $1.50/ea.

 

Not a bad haul. I also check my local Kroger Marketplace about every 2 days. A few weeks ago I scored 6 sealed 32ct Series 9 CMF boxes for $1.49 each because the cashier was too busy chatting to pay any attention to what she was doing. I gave 4 to my LUG to draft and kept the other 2.

 

Wait...what?

 

32 count cases of minifigs for 1.49 each? What twilight zone have you stepped into? I think you might have scored the deal of the century. I've seen some people get ridiculous deals, but that's basically thievery!

[exciter1]

Yeah, it's odd that Target is nowhere to be found around here. I'm guessing that most of these towns are so small that supporting a Target and a WalMart would be a challenge. You guys do have K-Mart, which is either a holy grail or a complete waste. Those stores are so depressing.

 

The two WalMart's in this area that I've found that are decent are in Mason, WV, and Gallipolis, OH. The one in Athens has an entire clearance "tent" in the parking lot right now, but their only LEGO are some Chima Speedorz marked down to $14! Overall this trip is a bust from a LEGO picking perspective...I guess you're keeping these places cleaned out.

 

You are right about Mason, WV and Gallipolis, OH.  I just picked up another Vampyre Castle in Gallipolis a few weeks ago.  Mason is where I found a Millenium Falcon on clearance for $79 a few days after Christmas 2012.  Those two are a couple good Wal-Marts to visit periodically.

[LowestFormOfWit]

Ah, the "distracted cashier".

 

Ranked below my personal favorite, the "can't-get-the-clearance-sticker-gun-to-print-the-tens'-place boy".

 

 

Everyone has their role to play in the clearance dance.

[emes]

You are right about Mason, WV and Gallipolis, OH.  I just picked up another Vampyre Castle in Gallipolis a few weeks ago.  Mason is where I found a Millenium Falcon on clearance for $79 a few days after Christmas 2012.  Those two are a couple good Wal-Marts to visit periodically.

 

Gallipolis has a ton of VC's and other MF's right now. Athens really disappointed me. They made a big deal about the "clearance tent" in the parking lot but it's really just full of total crap.