Memorial Day shopping guide: What to buy and skip, and how tariffs are impacting discounts
This year, experts are calling Memorial Day a 'pivotal moment' to save money. Brands are already raising prices due to tariffs, especially as inventory in their U.S. warehouses is shrinking, and more hikes are expected throughout the summer from major retailers like Walmart, says Vipin Porwal, the CEO and a consumer savings expert at Smarty. Sales during this holiday weekend are your best chance to save on products like home and kitchen appliances, summer clothing and everyday essentials — if you don't buy now, you'll likely end up paying more in the next few months.
I've reported on sales at NBC Select for five years, so to help you navigate Memorial Day sales, I put together this shopping guide filled with everything you need to know. I also interviewed experts who gave advice about what to buy and skip, and whether early deals are worthwhile.
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How are tariffs impacting Memorial Day sales?
Before knowing what to buy and skip during Memorial Day sales, it's important to understand how tariffs could impact your shopping. As a reminder, there's currently a 10% tariff on imports from all foreign countries and a 30% tariff on Chinese imports.
While a handful of brands are currently raising prices due to tariffs, they're relatively level across the board, says Porwal. That could drastically change after Memorial Day — dozens of countries, like Japan, Indonesia and those part of the European Union, have until July to reach a trade deal with the U.S., and if they don't, they'll be subject to much higher reciprocal tariffs. At that point, brands that haven't already raised prices will likely have no choice but to, and those that already have may do another round of hikes, experts told me.
'Memorial Day may be the last big event to really take advantage of deep discounting for a while as the trade wars play out this summer, or longer,' says Porwal. And retailers won't just need to adjust their prices given the economic climate — they'll likely pivot their promotional strategies, too, says Stephanie Carls, a shopping expert at RetailMeNot. That could mean weaker deals, less sales and even higher shipping fees.
If you need to make a bigger purchase in the next few months, or have been putting one off for a while, now is your best shot at getting the lowest price possible, regardless of what it is, experts told me.
What to buy during Memorial Day sales
Memorial Day is the halfway point to Black Friday, the biggest sale event of the year (so far), so nearly every retailer runs deals during the upcoming holiday weekend, says Porwal. But not all deals are worthwhile — the product categories below tend to have the deepest discounts. Some sales are already live, so I included examples of products you'll see markdowns on this weekend.
Don't wait to buy a new air conditioner or fan — temperatures are already rising, and so are prices due to tariffs. Memorial Day is your chance to save on these kinds of summer-related goods, including gardening supplies, tools, lawn care equipment and supplies for home improvement projects from stores like Home Depot and Lowe's.
This window air conditioner can cool spaces up to 350 square-feet and it has smart features — you can control it from an app or via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands, letting you adjust its features from wherever you are, as well as set schedules and timers. It also functions as a dehumidifier and fan, and has eco and sleep modes to save energy.
Spring and summer apparel
'Memorial Day is a sweet spot for summer clothing deals,' says Carls. 'Yes, the 'best' time to shop summer threads is toward the end of the season, but if you want to wear this season's styles this season, Memorial Day sales will offer deals on swimsuits, lightweight dresses, shorts, sandals and more.'
The apparel and footwear industry is also likely to be greatly impacted by tariff-related price increases, so upgrading your closet and back-to-school shopping now will help you save money in the long run.
Gap Organic Cotton VintageSoft T-Shirt
Everyone needs a go-to T-shirt — this is one of ours. It comes in 25 colors and patterns, and you can buy it in three fits: regular, tall and petite. The shirt is made from 100% organic cotton. Gap is currently offering an extra 20% off when you buy three or four of these shirts, or an extra 30% off when you buy five or more.
Big ticket home and kitchen products
'Memorial Day weekend is famous for blowout sales on furniture, appliances and mattresses,' says Carls. 'That's a function of the three-day weekend: shoppers prefer a bit more time to weigh these big purchases, and the extra weekend day gives them that.' Expect to see deals on all the 'big stuff,' like mattresses up to 40% off, major appliances like refrigerators and washing machines up to 20 or 30% off, and furniture up to 50% off, says Porwal. Pricing is particularly lucrative at big-box stores, including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Wayfair, Overstock, Mattress Firm and Ashley Furniture.
There's no shortage of Casper fans of NBC Select — many of us sleep on the brand's mattresses, pillows and sheets. The Element is a 10-inch high, medium-firm mattress made from layers of perforated memory foam, which relieve pressure points across your body and keep you cool all night, according to the brand.
Essentials
'It's really hard to predict exactly how long inventories will be flush with essentials at affordable prices, so thinking ahead of your needs, and taking advantage of holiday sales where possible, may end up being your smartest money saving move of this year,' says Porwal. He recommends buying things like cleaning supplies, pet food and toiletries in bulk when you can and taking advantage of bundles if brands offer them.
Brands tend to discount essentials during sales like Memorial Day, and if you see something you frequently use, add it to your cart now before tariffs impact prices. Clorox's disinfecting wipes are a staple in my home to clean up everyday messes and dirt my pets bring in. This value pack comes with three tubs of wipes that kill 99% of viruses and bacteria when used as directed, according to the brand.
Groceries
Food and beverages are some of the top products people shop for during long holiday weekends, says Carls. Many host their first barbecue of the year, or have picnics at the beach or park. You'll save the most on groceries from your local markets, some of which may offer delivery via platforms like Instacart.
Stacy's Simply Naked Pita Chips
If you're having friends and family over during Memorial Day, stock up on snacks while they're on sale. Put out single-serving bags of chips like these for guests to grab, or buy them to bring to work or throw in a kid's lunchbox. You can 24 1.5-ounce bags of Stacey's Simply Naked Pita Chips in this pack.
What to skip during Memorial Day sales
Technology is the main category to skip shopping during Memorial Day sales, says Carls. There will be better deals on devices like laptops, gaming consoles, headphones and smart home gadgets during Amazon Prime Day, which is happening in July, and Black Friday in November. You'll also see strong sales around technology during the back-to-school season leading up to Labor Day.
Keep in mind that waiting on buying tech, however, may be risky since tariffs could strongly impact tech. Right now, the tariff on Chinese goods exempts devices like laptops, smartphones and other gadgets, but that could change at any time. Still, technology deals tend to be very weak during Memorial Day sales.
Expert tips: How to save money while shopping Memorial Day sales
Set a budget: Go into Memorial Day sales with a maximum amount of money you're comfortable spending, says Ashley Feinstein Gerstley, a shopping and savings strategist at Rakuten.
Go in with a plan: Make a list of everything you want to buy ahead of time and get an idea of what they typically cost. 'Not only will this help you spot the best deal, it will help you stay within your budget and prevent impulse buys,' says Gerstley.
Stack savings: Try to shop from retailers that participate in cash back programs, and consider paying with credit cards that you earn points/cash back from, she says. You can combine those rewards with the retailers' actual deals and promo codes, which lets you save more.
Familiarize yourself with return policies: Most retailers don't have special return policies during sales, but double check to make sure. If something is a final sale, a retailer usually explicitly tells you.
Use store-wide discounts: If you're shopping at a department or big-box store, you're likely filing your cart with products across categories. Some offer store-wide discounts, which can often help you save on products that might not be on sale individually elsewhere, says Porwal.
Frequently asked questions
Are early Memorial Day sales worth shopping?
Yes, according to experts I talked to. They're also popular among consumers: 52% plan to start shopping Memorial Day deals earlier this year than last, according to a recent survey by Rakuten and The Harris Poll.
The best deals start the week leading up to the holiday weekend, so once those are live, you can assume you're seeing brands' lowest prices, says Porwal. That said, some retailers add new deals during Memorial Day weekend itself (Saturday to Monday), so check their websites frequently if you can't find what you're looking for.
There are three big advantages to shopping early Memorial Day sales:
The earlier you shop, the more likely you are to get the product you want in the color, size or style you're interested in, says Carls. If you wait, it might sell out, which is especially the case for popular brands and trending products.
You have more time to compare prices across retailers and make sure you're getting the best deal possible, says Carls.
You can use your purchase during the holiday weekend if you buy in-store or online from a retailer with fast shipping, says Porwal.
Are there better Memorial Day sales online or in stores?
Sales are typically comparable online and in stores, says Porwal. Groceries are the main exception — if you're looking to save on food and beverages around Memorial Day, shopping in-store is your best bet. Some brands offer exclusive deals online or in stores, but you can't plan for those, especially since they tend to be limited-time offers.
If you're weighing where to shop, remember that there's a wider selection of deals online since stores hold limited inventory, says Gerstley. It's also easier to compare prices across retailers online, and you better stretch your budget by easily stacking savings. However, you need to factor shipping fees into your budget. Shopping in-person means you can avoid shipping fees, as well as see and touch products before buying them, says Gerstley. Plus, you can start using those products the day you buy them.
When do Memorial Day sales end?
Memorial Day sales peak on the holiday itself, and the majority of them will end that night, says Gerstley. Some may stretch into the following week or even turn into Father's Day promotions, but deals likely won't be as strong, there will be less of a variety and some items will be sold out. That said, prioritize shopping sales during Memorial Day weekend, not afterward.
Are stores open on Memorial Day?
Yes, most stores are open for in-person shopping on Memorial Day, especially big-box retailers, grocery stores and pharmacies. Hours may be shorter due to the holiday, so check your local store's website for any adjustments before you leave home.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Why trust NBC Select?
I'm a reporter at NBC Select who's covered sales and deals for 5 years, including topics like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. To write this article, I interviewed three experts about what you should buy and skip during Memorial Day sales, and rounded up a handful of tips about how to save money while shopping deals.
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