The Semi-Annual Target Toy Sale (aka the Target Toy Clearance) is hands down one of the best times to stock up on toys. It happens once in late December and again in mid-June. The cool thing about the December sale is that it runs along Target Christmas Clearance, where you’ll save up to 90% on holiday decor.
After Christmas, Target clears out all their leftover holiday inventory to make room for new stuff. The result is rock-bottom Target clearance prices on toys, with up to 50% off (and even some toys at 70% off) in stores for a 4 - 6 week period. This is what we call the Target Toy Clearance, and it’s rare to find better toy deals at Target outside of this twice-a-year sale.
I’m talking about deep discounts on brands like Nerf, Barbie, LOL Surprise, Disney, VTech, Lego, and Fisher-Price.
Here’s everything to know about the Target Toy Sale happening now, including the best deals we’ve spotted and tips for shopping smarter during the big Target event.
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The Target Semi-Annual Toy Sale is a twice-a-year, monthlong toy clearance event.
Two times a year, Target clears out their excess toy inventory with their Semi-Annual Target Toy Sale — also known as the Target Toy Clearance Sale. During this event, you can expect significant discounts of up to 50% on a wide range of toys, including popular brands like Nerf, Barbie, and Lego. A few toys will hit 70% off, but during the last sale in June/July 2024, only a handful of toys reached 70% off.
KCL predicts the next Target Semi-Annual Toy Sale will begin on Thursday, Dec 27.
Target hasn't officially announced the next date for their Semi-Annual Toy Sale, but based on what they've done in recent years, we here at KCL predict that it'll begin Thursday, Dec. 27, 2024. Like most Target clearance events, there's no exact date, but count on the sale happening for 4 - 6 weeks.
As for the next summer sale, KCL predicts the Summer Target Toy Clearance Sale will start on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.
How do we make our prediction?
In 2023, Target held their winter toy sale on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023, through the week of January 7, 2024. We expect to see clearance toys right after Christmas in 2024 as well.
Related: Expert Target Toy Sale Tips to Help You Save (With or Without a Coupon)
Tips for Shopping the Target Toy Clearance Sale
1. Know that discounts and toy selections vary greatly by store location.
During the last winter toy sale at Target, I called 10 stores across the U.S. to ask about their clearance selections. After gathering their responses, one thing was clear — not all Target toy sales are created equal.
Here's how different things were across stores in top U.S. cities:
Atlanta: Clearance was 50% – 70% off, and the shelves were full. The employee we spoke to specifically said, "Come buy it all!"
Salt Lake City: Clearance was located on the back wall, and prices were marked on the tags. There was no additional signage at the store.
Los Angeles: There were no percentage signs hanging in the stores, but toys were individually marked as much as 50% off.
Orlando: Inventory was high, and toys were discounted at 30% off at the time. The discount would go up to 50% off on that Sunday.
Chicago: Discounts were 30% – 50% off at the time. Inventory was high.
New York: Discounts were 30% off at the time. Inventory was high.
Dallas: No store discount signage, and toys were individually marked as much as 50% off.
Austin: Discounts were between 20% – 70%, and shelves were still pretty full.
Seattle: Shelves were still pretty full, and discounts were only at 30%.
Phoenix: Discounts were up to 50% off at the time and were set to increase to as much as 70% off on that Friday or Saturday.
KCL TIP: If you can, stop by multiple Target store locations near you to maximize your selection (and potential savings).
2. Shop in store for the best toy deals, but check online prices as you browse.
I've been studying the Target Toy Sale for years, and one thing I've learned is that the best deals are always in stores.
Your Target app won't show you the current in-store clearance selection (and prices), even if you have your default store selected. So you really have to shop in person to see what's available and score the best deals.
With that said, you will find some online prices that are better than they are in stores. So to cover all your bases, use the barcode scanner in your Target app to look up toy prices as you shop in store. The app will show you the current online price for that item, so you can see which gets you the best deal.
3. Aim to save on top brands — I've found Disney, CoComelon, FAO Schwarz, and more toys for 50% off.
During the Target Toy Sale, you won't just find toys from no-name brands that no one wanted for Christmas. You'll literally score toys that made it onto Target's Top Toy List but for 50% off regular prices.
Related: How to Score Rare Target Edition Toys When They're Almost Never in Stock
4. Use the in-store price scanner to check for even lower clearance prices.
Sometimes, Target clearance prices are even lower than marked. So what you see on the yellow tag may not be the actual price. And all it takes is a quick barcode scan to see what an item really costs.
Bring your clearance toys over to one of the in-store price scanners (located every 10 - 15 aisles) to check their current prices. You may uncover a clearance price that's even lower than you thought.
5. Pay with your Target Circle Card to save an extra 5% on clearance toys.
If you don't pay with your Target Circle Card (sign up online), you're missing out on savings. As you shop the Target Toy Sale, don't forget to use your Circle Card for an extra 5% off clearance prices. It's an easy way to save more than 50% during the sale.
KCL TIP: Add your Circle Card to your Target app for an easy way to pay. When you check out in store, scan your app barcode to pay and save 5% automatically. You won't even have to open your wallet.
6. Spend your free gift cards from Target Black Friday to save even more on toys.
If you shop for as many Target Black Friday deals as we do, you're sure to have free Target gift cards leftover after Christmas.
Target slaps free gift card offers onto some of their best Black Friday deals. These gift cards are valued anywhere from $5 to $75, depending on the item you purchase. The pricier the item, the higher the gift card amount will be.
In 2023, Target had free gift card offers on gaming consoles, TVs, vacuums, and more during Black Friday.
KCL TIP: You can also shop the Target Gift Card Sale in early December to save 10% on the face value of Target gift cards. Spend them during the Target Toy Sale to score bigger savings on the already low prices.
7. You can return clearance toys to Target within 90 days of your purchase.
Clearance toys fall under the standard Target return policy rules, meaning you have 90 days to return them for a full refund (or 120 days if you're a Circle Card holder). The only items you won't be able to return are products that have been salvaged or discontinued.
In most cases, Target will accept returns without a receipt, as long as they can back up your purchase another way. Without a receipt, Target can also look up your purchase through your Target Circle account, credit card number, or order confirmation emails.
8. Follow KCL on social media to see what we find.
Our deal hunters take KCL's social accounts right into the store with them, so you can follow along to see all the Target clearance treasures we scoop up during the toy sale.
We'll post our top picks on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook as we find them!
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