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The Cheapest Days to Buy Certain Items

Saturday, July 21, 2007 | 08:30 AM

Great article in Smart Money that fits in well with recent Retail Day: how and why certain pricing strategies occur.

Here's a quick excerpt:

Airplane Tickets

When to Buy: Wednesday morning.
Why: "Most airfare sales are thrown out there on the weekend," says travel expert Peter Greenberg, a.k.a. The Travel Detective¹. Other airlines then jump into the game, discounting their own fares and prompting further changes by the first airline. The fares reach their lowest prices late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Books

When to Buy: Thursday.
Why: Price compare between major chains Borders and Barnes & Noble. The former releases its weekly sales and coupons on every Thursday; the latter, every Tuesday.

Cars

When to Buy: Monday.
Why: "Car dealers live for the weekend, which is when they make most of their sales," says Phil Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com². "On Mondays, the low foot traffic makes it seem like the weekend will never come." That dealer desperation, paired with fewer consumers on the lot, give you more negotiating power.

Clothing

When to Buy: Thursday evening.
Why: That's the day when stores stock their shelves for the weekend, and when many retailers — including Ann Taylor, Banana Republic and Express — start their weekend promotions, says Kathryn Finney, author of "How to Be a Budget Fashionista." You'll find great prices and the best selection. "It's an effort to get people to shop in the middle of the week," she says.

Cool stuff . . . The rest of the article is an interesting read

Sources:
The Cheapest Days to Buy Certain Items
Kelli B. Grant |Kelli B. Grant
Smart Money July 2, 2007
http://www.smartmoney.com/dealoftheday/index.cfm?story=20070702