Labor Day sales typically mark the last chance for shoppers to score end-of-season clearance deals on summer merchandise and discounts on plenty of home-related products before households hunker down for the long winter stretch.
With this in mind, retailers historically have trotted out juicy bargains on summer clothing in addition to mattresses, kitchen appliances, furniture and electronics over the three-day weekend.
But this year, industry watchers expect there’ll be plenty of shoppers who will approach this major shopping weekend with a different mindset, fueled by concern about how tariffs will impact store prices for all kinds of merchandise later in the year.
Also, shoppers who’ve preferred to skip Labor Day sales entirely in hopes of scoring even better bargains in a few weeks during the year-end shopping bonanza might bag those purchases now to hedge against any price increases in the months ahead.
“Tariffs have made shoppers more proactive,” Stephanie Carls, savings and retail insights expert with online coupon provider, RetailMeNot, said in an interview with Bagable.com. “Instead of waiting around for the ‘perfect’ deal, bargain hunters are acting when they see a good price because there’s real concern that costs could climb later.”
The smart move in 2025, said Carls, is to grab deals when you find them, rather than gamble on what might come later.
Labor Day is still a go-to savings event, she said, especially for home, appliances and mattresses, but tariffs are squeezing retailers’ margins.
“Some bigger retailers are eating more of the cost to stay competitive, while others are trimming back how deep they can discount,” she said. “That means the sales are there, just not at the same ‘wow’ levels shoppers may remember from years past.”
Carls said she usually advises shoppers to wait, if they can, until Black Friday or later for the best deals on clothing, toys and tech products. “But with tariffs raising costs in these exact categories, waiting doesn’t guarantee better prices,” she said.
“Our data show shoppers are already concerned those costs will climb through the rest of the year, and retailers may not have the same room to cut prices as deeply later,” she said. “If you see a strong Labor Day deal on something you need, it’s smart to grab it now.”
“This is one of those rare years when waiting could actually cost you more - especially with the uncertainty around tariffs, the potential for rising prices and as we wait to see how things unfold,” Carls said.
Carls recommends shoppers keep a sharp eye for deals on a handful of specific product categories:
Grills: After Labor Day, backyard barbecues wind down and so do sales of grills. To regain customer interest, retailers discount grills as much as 50%, said Carls. “In the past, we’ve seen some of the best Labor Day grill deals at retailers like Ace Hardware, Home Depot HD 0.00%↑ , Lowe’s LOW 0.00%↑ and Walmart WMT 0.00%↑” .
Patio furniture: As with grills, the demand for outdoor furniture and accessories wanes after Labor Day, said Carls. Look for deep discounts on outdoor dining and leisure furniture, lights, rugs and umbrellas.
Home furnishing & decor: In addition to furniture, mattresses and appliances, dealhunters can score bargains on fall decors, including this year’s spooky viral Halloween must-haves.
Outdoor gear: Look out for deals on coolers, fishing, camping and boating equipment, kayaks, warm-weather hiking clothes, boots, outdoor games and sneakers.
“Outdoor retailers will be gearing people up for hunting season and the winter. So Labor Day is a great time to stock up on the warmer-weather stuff,” Carls said.