Find out in this post what are the best times to shop in the United States, including holidays, commemorative dates and more!
There is no doubt that the United States is a shopping paradise.
Even with the rise in the dollar, it is possible to find products at half the price of those in Latin America. Brands like Apple and Samsung, for example, are already much cheaper in the USA.
But, did you know that on some specific dates, it is possible to find different promotions, which will make your purchases even cheaper?
In this post, I separated the best times to shop in the United States, with tips on holidays, commemorative dates, changes in seasons and much more.
Best times to shop in the United States
I will divide the post into three categories: holidays, commemorative and brand-specific dates, and seasonal changes!
Holidays
It may seem strange, but holidays are when some of the biggest promotions in the USA take place. The most popular ones for shopping are:
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day: January 20
- Memorial Day: Last Monday in May
- Independence Day: July 4
- Labor Day: First Monday in September
- Thanksgiving: Last Thursday of November
During the Memorial Day, which marks the official start of the summer season, many stores offer significant discounts on items like appliances, patio furniture, summer clothing, and mattresses. It's a great opportunity to save on BBQ utensils, travel and outdoor sports equipment.
O Labor Day, celebrated in early September, is often called “last weekend of summer” and it is another of the best times to shop in the United States. Stores offer discounts on various types of products, including electronics, fall clothing, sports equipment and back-to-school supplies. You can also start to find decorations for the end of the year holidays, and sports equipment for the season.
O 4th of July, ou Independence Day in the United States, is one of the biggest sales dates in the country. Yes, you will find several items as well americanized with the US flag on promotions, but it's also a great opportunity to save on clothes, accessories and even electronics and home items.
That same day you can also take advantage of discounts on summer items while stores prepare for the arrival of autumn, perfect since our summer hasn't even started yet.
Commemorative Dates
These dates are not exactly holidays, but they are still big events in the country and can help you save a lot. They are:
- Mothers Day: Second sunday of May
- Father's Day: Third Sunday in June
- Amazon Prime Day: July
- Black Friday: Friday after Thanksgiving
- Cyber Monday: Monday after Black Friday
Dates such as Mother's Day and Father's Day are marked by a variety of promotions and special offers. Stores take advantage of the occasion to offer discounts on various types of products, from flowers and personalized gifts on Mother's Day, to sports equipment and tools on Father's Day.
Amazon Prime Day does not have a fixed date, but is usually in the middle of July. This is an exclusive promotions event for members of the Amazon Prime service. During this time, Amazon is offering incredible discounts across the entire store, including electronics, home products, fashion, toys, and more. Remembering that you can subscribe to Prime during your trip and then cancel. Most of the time, you don't even pay anything because you have a 30-day free trial.
Black Friday, which takes place on the Friday after Thanksgiving, is known as the best time to shop in the United States. – so much so that it has even been imported by other countries. The stores offer massive discounts, and you can save a lot on electronics, appliances, clothes, toys and home items. I'm already starting to write down the prices of things in September to see if it's really cheaper during BF!
Finally, Cyber Monday, which are online promotions that take place on the Monday following Black Friday. Nowadays it's practically the same discounts as Black Friday, but some categories even have cool promotions, like travel.
Season changes
Between autumn and winter, and between spring and summer, it is not common to find many season-changing promotions. Now, from summer to autumn, and from winter to spring, when stores are completely changing the style of clothes they sell, discounts are excellent.
During this time you won't find discounts in many categories, but they are huge especially in grocery stores. clothes, accessories and footwear.
How do fees work in the United States?
When planning your trip, in addition to choosing one of the best times to shop in the United States, it is also important to create a shopping list and search for prices while at home. This is because not all products are worth buying out there.
You will notice that several items, such as perfumes, sneakers, sunglasses and certain brands have a very similar price compared to those in your country. Furthermore, the prices displayed on the websites are not the price you will pay for the products, as taxes on purchases must still be included, which are only applied at the checkout or online checkout.
The value of taxes in the main destinations visited by Latin American tourists are:
- New York (city): 8,875% (includes a 4% state tax and a 4,875% city tax)
- Los Angeles, California: 9.5% (includes 7.25% state tax and 2.25% local tax)
- Orlando, Florida: 6.5% (includes 6% state tax and 0.5% local tax)
- Miami, Florida: 7% (includes 6% state tax and 1% local tax)
In other words, if you are going on a tour of Miami, Orlando and New York, for example, it is worth leaving to shop in Orlando, as it will be cheaper.
What is worth buying in the United States?
The truth is that there are so many stores, so many brands and so many options of products to buy, that it's normal to feel a little lost during your trip. Therefore, the shopping list is super important, because this way you ensure that you are really getting a good deal.
Here are some items worth buying in the US:
- iPhone
- Apple products in general
- Electronics in general
- Cosmetics (makeup, skin creams, hair creams, perfumes)
- Supplements
- Vitamins
- Brand Clothing (The North Face, Guess, Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Abercrombie, Hollister, Levi's, GAP, Calvin Klein, etc.)
- Accessories (Coach, Kate Spade, Michael Kors)
- Sneakers and Workout Clothes (only in outlets or stock outlets)
- Funko POP
- Baby layette
Conclusion
The USA is already a shopping paradise, but traveling during one of the best times to shop in the United States, you can save even more and return with a suitcase full!
And you, have you traveled to the USA during one of these times? Did you manage to take advantage of the promotions? Tell me in the comments!