:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-2248292048-88b77557d78243d7a243e768357fc0a7.jpg "It’s Not Too Late to Finish Your Holiday Shopping—Or to Score Some Deals")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/GettyImages-2248292048-88b77557d78243d7a243e768357fc0a7.jpg)
Key Takeaways
- Many brands will run sales for a bit longer than they did last year, but may not offer as generous of markdowns, e-commerce experts said.
- Some stores, including Target and Lowe’s, are looking to attract those still shopping with reassurances about having time to consider discounts and purchases.
Don’t stress, last-minute holiday shoppers: Sales are still in season.
A swath of goods, including sports gear and books, are likely to remain discounted through Christmas, e-commerce experts said, as retailers and merchants try to attract consumers who have grown more price-sensitive while dealing with tariffs and rising costs. Many are offering less generous price reductions than last year, said Andrew Waber, marketing senior lead for e-commerce advice and services company PMG, but maintaining markdowns for a longer period.
“If you’re thinking, ‘Oh man, last year during those last seven days there weren’t a ton of deals,’ it’s probably going to be a better environment than that,” Waber said. “Brands are going to be incentivized to leave [deals] on longer.”
The average size of discounts offered on Amazon (AMZN) in the days leading up to Thanksgiving and through Cyber Monday declined somewhat from 2024 to 2025, though rarely by more than about 5%, PMG said. The share of marked down items also fell, though less significantly, according to PMG’s analysis.
Why This News Matters to Consumers
If you’re looking to save, it’s worth looking beyond a price range search to see whether brands are offering discount codes. Some major retailers will match the price of a competitor if you see that a counterpart is selling it for less. You may also be able to take advantage of clearance sales if you don’t need an item before Christmas.
Some stores aren’t being shy about assuring customers they can take their time. Target (TGT) announced a “holiday countdown sale” from Dec. 21 to 24, and suggested stuffing stockings with Tiny Vinyls, four inch-wide records that contain a song or two. Lowe’s (LOW) is dropping new deals weekly in December and, in some locations, handing out nondescript boxes that can be used to stash gifts and ward off snooping children.
Merchants are also seeking to reassure shoppers that they have time to order and still get deliveries in time for Christmas. The cutoff date at Five Below (FIVE) is Wednesday, Dec. 17; its early Thursday, Dec. 18, at Williams-Sonoma (WSM); and during the evening on Sunday, Dec. 21, at Macy’s (M). American Eagle (AEO) lists cut-off times for six types of shipping and delivery options.
In the days leading up to Christmas, up to 20% of items will be available at the lowest price seen so far this year, estimates Signifyd, which provides fraud protection and other e-commerce services. The average reduction will likely be around 20%, said Phelim Killough, senior data analyst at Signifyd.
So far, the most heavily discounted categories include toys, books, games and supplies for hobbies, including sports and camping, as well as apparel, luxury goods and beauty and cosmetic products, Killough said. He expects they’ll remain relatively well discounted in the coming days.
Checking for discount codes offered by individual retailers and merchants is worthwhile, Killough said. Some brands temporarily pivot to base price reductions around Black Friday and Cyber Monday because they want to get their goods before unaware consumers, who are sorting results by price range, he said.
“There still are bargains,” Killough said. “It’s just about doing your research.”
