The highly anticipated annual clearance event, better known as the “49-Cent Sale,” is finally about to roll out for Ross Dress for Less, the off-price retail chain. From clothing and shoes to home décor, customers will be able to find everything they want starting at $0.49. It’s expected to start on January 27, 2025, with early clearance markdowns this month.
How the 49-Cent sale works
The 49-Cent Sale is an unofficial but highly anticipated clearance sale that happens at Ross Dress for Less. Each January, the store dramatically cuts prices to make room for new merchandise by getting rid of old inventory. Shoppers will see items in many different departments reduced as low as $0.49, with the deepest discounts usually coming toward the end of the month.
Key dates and expectations
Though Ross makes no official announcements about when the dates of the 49-Cent Sale take place, through the years some pattern has been gathered by industry experts and avid shoppers.
According to The Krazy Coupon Lady, the clearance markdowns will officially start on Monday, January 27, 2025, though some of the sale items will show up in earlier days of the month. In fact, the deepest price cuts, including those items for $0.49, are expected to be in stores starting with this date.
Markdowns fall on Mondays, and it may take several days to tag the clearance items. For this reason, shoppers will find varying deals throughout the week, while the deeper discounts show up toward the end of the month.
What shoppers can expect
The 49-Cent Sale gives a ton of merchandise deeply discounted. Shoppers in years past report seeing:
- Apparel: Baby socks, sweaters, jeans, and activewear from Nike and Calvin Klein, all priced between $0.49 and $2.99.
- Accessories: Handbags, wallets, and fashion jewelry, with designer items like Kate Spade, mostly less than $15.
- Home décor: Items such as mirrors, decorative plates, and other household accessories, as low as $0.49.
Customers need to see every department because the clearance items are not in one location but are scattered. The Peppermint Patties are looking for hot pink “Reduced” tags which indicate an item is on clearance.
How to shop the 49-Cent sale
To have the most successful 49-Cent Sale, keep the following in mind:
- The thing to do is to shop early in the week: Markdowns usually occur on Mondays, so going to the store early in the week will pretty much guarantee that one can find the best deals before items sell out.
- Thoroughly browse all sections: Items on clearance could be anywhere in the store, so it’s worth it to browse all departments, such as clothing, beauty products, shoes, and home goods.
- Look for hot pink tags: Everything with hot pink “Reduced” tags falls under the clearance event, and most of them can go down to $0.49.
- Anticipate crowds: It is such a good sale that there may be a record crowd to flood; therefore, strategy in the method of moving around the store should be done.
- Check for senior discounts: Some Ross outlets give a 10% discount on Tuesdays to people aged 55 years and older, increasing the savings besides the sale event.
