How to shop the Christmas sales

Reduced prices can make us blind to the quality of our purchases and tempt us to buy items we don’t need. Before grabbing the first bargain, read our expert advice to finding gold in the Christmas sales. Find all the best furniture deals selected from over 1,500 retailers.
1. Take an inventory
Take stock of what you’ve got before you start sales hunting. ‘Knowing what you already own prevents being swept away by a clearance deal and buying something that is already in a drawer or closet at home,’ says money saving guru Shelly Elmblad. Pull out items you no longer use and donate them to charity shops. Then concentrate on what you need. After Christmas, extra storage is usually high on the list.
2. Shop out of season
‘Predictable purchases will always carry a seasonal loading, so you will invariably pay through the nose for fires in winter and garden furniture in summer. But if you turn that spending pattern on its head, you’re on the way to bagging some bargains,’ says property and interiors expert Alison Cork.
3. Get real
‘Above all, remember to look at the price, not the reduction,’ insists Trading Standards. If you wouldn’t consider buying something at full price, chances are it isn’t a great deal.
4. Go back for late discounts
Remember that during the sale period shops will often add new clearance stock every few days and drop prices even further towards the end of the sale.

‘Smaller, more affordable items make great buys in online sales, but larger items of furniture should be given more time and consideration,’ says Adam Black, director of bed specialist Feather & Black. ‘Think realistically and don’t immediately go for the cheapest option – if you want a beautiful item of furniture that will last for years to come then you need to buy from a renowned retailer.’

5. Get sale notifications with newsletters

Look online for end of season clearance sales. Many large online shops give advance notice of sales to customers through email before they advertise to the wider audience. Get in the loop for sale notifications by signing up to get these notices emailed to you directly. The early bird catches the worm!

Sign up to the mydeco Sale Scoop newsletter – full of exclusive offers and great discounts every single week. Subscribe now to get all the best bargains delivered straight to your inbox – as recommended by The Daily Telegraph.

Find all the best furniture deals selected from over 1,500 retailers with mydeco.