How do you get the best deals at stores that are closing?

The way to get the deepest discount is to wait as long as you can before they close. However, while the discounts will be deep, the selection will be thin and there’s the risk that what you want may be out of stock. My advice would be to call the store to find out when they are closing and shop there a couple of weeks before. You can also look for deals online. If it’s a chain that is closing hundreds of stores, there will be sales online too.

 

Are there ways to save even more?

Definitely. Take a look at deal sites for additional savings. One that I really like is CouponCabin.com. Here are a couple of examples of the deals they have:

  • At JCrew, which recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and will surely close stores, you can save 15% off any purchase when you join the JCrew mailing list plus earn 4.5% cash back on your purchase
  • At JCPenney, which is closing close to 240 stores, you can save up to 75% off select clearance items, plus earn 4.5% cash back with code AFFSHOP1.

 

I would also suggest installing the CouponCabin Sidekick browser extension, which will alert you to available savings as you browse online.

 

What do you do if you have returns?

Ideally, return items to your local store before it closes. Because of COVID, there may be options to return online, or, as I’ve experienced, the retailer may issue you a credit and tell you to keep the item. But get your return done asap – if you wait too long, you might be out of luck.

 

What if you have a gift card?

If you have a gift card for a store that is shuttering stores or has filed for Chapter 11, use that gift card asap. There will likely be sales, but to save even more, another strategy is to buy a discounted gift card from a site, like GiftCardGranny.com, and then shop with it. For instance, Modell’s gift cards are 15% off right now, which means that you’ll automatically save 15% on top of any sales Modell’s is already having.

 

What if you have a gift card from a fitness center that is going under?

If you know that they are going out of business, contact them right away to find out what you can do with your gift cards. Many states do not have protections in place for this sort of thing, but hopefully, they will do the right thing. They might encourage you to purchase retail items that they carry, like fitness apparel or protein powders. If that’s not of interest, ask for a refund.

If you are not satisfied with their response, you can try to reach out to the Bureau of Consumer Protection to see if you have any recourse.