A former Kmart employee has revealed her tips and trips for scoring huge discounts on popular products.
Rita Kaminski, from Sydney, worked at Kmart from the ages of 15 to 19 posted a video to YouTube explaining her secrets, including the timing of markdowns and why it’s important to always check the barcode on an item before buying it.
The now 23-year-old recommends finding a friend who works at the retail store to keep an eye on the stock for you, or if that’s not possible, you can check in regularly yourself.
‘A lot of the stock will always change in price,’ she said.
‘If it’s something that isn’t in the catalogue but it has been in the store for a long time, especially clothes, they can sometimes go on sale for as little as $1.
‘There was a time when every single book was discounted to 20 cents. I bought about 20 books.
‘So if you’re into flipping items make sure you keep checking clothes, books and makeup as well.’
The savvy shopper also says that you should always check the barcode of a product before buying it – particularly if you’re looking at an upgraded model of the same item.
‘The last digit on the barcode changes after every new season,’ she said.
‘So if there are two toasters that look exactly the same and the last digit of one barcode is eight and the other is nine, the one with the eight should be cheaper.
‘It has to be the same model, they just tweak the product and the price I found doesn’t come up straight away on the system.’
She also reveals that there is usually plenty of stock available that you couldn’t get on the display shelves.
‘There are thousands of games in storage, so if you’re looking for something in particular, just ask,’ she said.
If you’re looking for advice on products, she recommends visiting the store during the working week between 8am and 5pm because that is when the more knowledgeable full-time employees are rostered on.
And as for the cheapest time to visit Kmart? That would be after a major holiday.
‘The best bargains are right after Christmas and after Easter,’ Rita said.
‘On Boxing Day there’s a whole section that drops down to between five cents and $5 but it is usually wiped out on Boxing Day by customers so it’s good to come in early.
‘In between campaign periods like “Back To School” they would mark things down because it’s not as busy but a lot of the times, quite randomly, they will slash the prices of a bulk number of books, clothes or appliances.
‘It’s usually when a newer model/garment has been updated, fixed or isn’t selling.
‘The price will drop down drastically but the item doesn’t really change by much.’
This article originally appeared on WHO
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