End-of-Summer Clearance 2026: What Hits Rock Bottom in August

Retailers are already planning their holiday floor sets in July, which means everything summer-related gets ruthlessly marked down starting in early August — and keeps falling until shelves are bare.

The clearance math is predictable once you know the schedule. Most major retailers run a three-stage markdown on seasonal inventory: 30–50% off in the first two weeks of August, 60–70% off around Labor Day weekend (early September), and 75–90% off by mid-September when fall merchandise physically needs the floor space. If you can stomach waiting through the holiday weekend hype, the real deals come in the two weeks after Labor Day — not during it.

Patio Furniture and Grills: The Deepest Discounts of the Year

Nothing drops harder than outdoor furniture. A Hampton Bay 7-piece dining set that retails for $1,200 at Home Depot can realistically hit $300–$360 by the third week of September. Weber Genesis and Spirit grills that sit at $699–$999 in June routinely clear at $250–$399 by mid-September at both Home Depot and Lowe’s.

The key insight: these discounts beat even the Memorial Day and Labor Day sales, which are mostly marketing. True end-of-season clearance on leftover units — odd colorways, floor models, open-box — goes deeper than any advertised event.

• Home Depot and Lowe’s: markdown cycles run Tuesdays; check the floor twice a week in August
• Walmart: patio clearance hits 50% in early August, often 75% by September 1 on remaining units
• Target: app-only clearance stickers sometimes show 70% before the shelf tag catches up — always scan before you assume
• Buy now, store it: a quality teak or powder-coated aluminum set stored in a garage pays back easily next May

Air Conditioners and Fans: Window Units Get Desperate

Window AC units from LG, Frigidaire, and GE go from full price ($229–$499) to 40% off by mid-August at Walmart, Target, and Home Depot as summer demand evaporates. Portable units — already slower sellers — often hit 50–60% off before September ends.

Best move: buy a backup window unit or a tower fan at 50%+ off in late August and store it. Fans wear out; ACs die mid-heatwave. A $49 tower fan at 60% off in September is insurance against a $130 panic buy next July.

• Target Circle members occasionally get an extra 15% off clearance electronics — stack it
• Box fans (Lasko, Honeywell) at Walmart regularly hit $10–$15 clearance by Labor Day
• Avoid smart/connected AC units on clearance — firmware support tends to end fast on discounted models

Summer Apparel, Swimwear, and Sandals

Retailers hate carrying swimwear into fall. By mid-August, Target and Old Navy are running 50% off swimwear; by Labor Day that’s typically 60–70%. Walmart clearance racks hit $3–$5 for kids’ swimwear and $8–$15 for adults by the end of August.

Best targets: size-run basics in solid colors (black, navy) that don’t date. Avoid novelty prints — there’s a reason they’re the last ones left.

• Sandals at Target (Goodfellow, Universal Thread) regularly clear at $6–$10 in September
• Dick’s Sporting Goods marks Nike and Under Armour swim gear down 40–50% by late August
• Sun hats, rashguards, and cover-ups: practical items that store flat and last years — buy two

Gardening, Lawn Supplies, and Plants

Home Depot and Lowe’s begin marking down annuals and perennials 30–50% in August, with most live plants hitting 70% off by mid-September. Potting soil, mulch, and fertilizer bags see 25–40% clearance discounts as stores shift to fall planting inventory.

Worth stocking up on: bagged mulch (stores fine), slow-release fertilizer (check expiration — most are good 2–4 years), and ceramic or resin planters (80%+ off on clearance at both Home Depot and Lowe’s by late September).

• Avoid clearance plants unless you have indoor overwintering space or a mild climate
• Weed killer, insect spray, and hose attachments (Gilmour, Melnor) typically hit 30–40% off in August
• Raised bed kits from Vego or similar brands at Home Depot: check for 40–50% markdowns on assembled floor displays

Pool Supplies and Accessories

Pool chemicals hit 30–40% off at Walmart and Home Depot starting in early August. Chlorine tablets, shock, and algaecide store for 1–2 seasons — this is the textbook “buy for next year” category. Above-ground pools (Intex, Summer Waves) drop 50–70% by September, though selection gets thin fast.

Stock the chlorine: a bucket of 3-inch tablets that costs $85 in June can clear at $35–$45 in September. Prices reliably reset upward next spring.

• Pool toys, floats, and inflatables: novelty items hit 75–90% — fun for next summer, trivial to store
• Saltwater conversion kits and pump accessories: less clearance competition, but still 30–40% off
• Pool covers: buy end-of-season for next fall — heavy-duty covers barely discount in October

Camping and Outdoor Gear: Pair REI’s Timing

REI runs its Anniversary Sale in May, but end-of-summer clearance runs August through September with 20–40% off camping chairs, coolers, and basic shelter gear. Dick’s Sporting Goods moves aggressively on entry-level gear — tents, sleeping bags, and hydration packs see 40–60% off by mid-September.

Best buys at this stage: Coleman and Igloo coolers (40–50% off at Walmart and Target), camp chairs (Coleman, ALPS Mountaineering at Dick’s), and basic sleeping bags rated to 40°F, which cover three seasons.

• REI Outlet online runs its own clearance rotation in August — separate from the main site
• Headlamps, camp lanterns, and portable chargers: strong value at 30–40% clearance; these are year-round useful
• Skip: technical backpacking gear (doesn’t discount this deeply) and anything requiring a fit in-person

Skip for Now: Back-to-School Tech and Fall Inventory

Back-to-school laptops, tablets, and headphones follow their own promotional cycle that doesn’t track seasonal clearance. You will not find a $600 Chromebook at 70% off in August because it’s “seasonal” — that category sells year-round.

Hard skip: fall and winter items (jackets, boots, space heaters) are at full price right now and won’t discount meaningfully until November. Buying a parka in September saves almost nothing versus waiting for Black Friday.

In-Store Beats Online for the Deepest Cuts

Unadvertised clearance — true floor-level markdowns that never appear on the website — is almost exclusively an in-store phenomenon. The store app is your scanner: use the Home Depot app, the Target app, or the Walmart app to scan any clearance item’s barcode. The app price frequently shows a deeper discount than the shelf tag, because markdowns propagate to the system before employees re-sticker.

Go in on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning, hit the seasonal sections first, and scan everything with a yellow or red tag before putting anything in the cart.

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The smartest summer shopping happens in September for the following June. Next year’s patio furniture, pool chemicals, and fans cost a fraction of their spring price if you buy them when retailers are begging you to take them off the floor. Shop one season ahead, and you’ll never pay full price for summer again.