The best way to describe the sister stores of TJX – TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Sierra, Homesense and HomeGoods – is "the thrift stores of retail." With new shipments arriving daily at shockingly low prices, each find brings the same rewarding feeling of a great secondhand deal.
Despite the difference in name, Marshalls and TJ Maxx essentially sell the same products and brands, which can vary from day to day. As sister stores, each retailer also operates under the same general system and schedule. Thus, these tips can also apply to the East State Street Marshalls.
Here are some tips and tricks from a long-term TJ Maxx associate whose paycheck is never safe from the many treasures of the stores:
Buy it before it’s gone
Each day, TJ Maxx gets, on average, one new truckload of shipments. This can be a blessing and a curse.
The shipments, containing a random assortment of products, can vary drastically each time, resulting in a varying selection and a limited shelf-life for the highly sought-after products. Oftentimes, shipments of a clothing item include a very limited quantity, sometimes no more than three to five in each size, to make room for more products the next day.
A lot of frequent customers have learned the hard way that an item on their wish list may not be there the next day.
Deals to look out for
TJ Maxx specializes in selling luxury or pricey brands at a fraction of the cost.
If you’re tired of spending a fortune on makeup products, for example, TJ Maxx almost always has a selection of reputable brands such as Too Faced, including their Better than Sex mascara, Clinique, MAC – including its iconic lipstick collection – and Glossier.
If you do venture into the makeup section, make sure the product is actually inside the packaging. Missing merchandise is a common problem in the beauty department. Also, make sure the seals are intact and eyeshadow palettes have a clear plastic covering over them.
Another popular department is pet supplies, including a large selection of low-priced toys, leashes, treats, beds of all sizes and even clothes. Some favorites in this department are Squishmallow squeak toys of all variations, scratching posts for cats and food and water bowls.
Lastly, although HomeGoods provides the largest selection of furniture and decoration by far, TJ Maxx and Marshalls frequently offer a lot as well, usually at a cheaper cost. If you need wall decor, bedding, candles, lamps or even larger furniture, consider purchasing it from a TJX store before a full-price retailer.
Seasonal savings
Since TJX stores are low-priced year-round, there aren’t necessarily "sales." However, the best times to find good deals at any TJX store are typically the beginning of the year, as the store clears the shelves of the leftover products of the holiday season. July is also a great time to look for these “sales."
While the exact times vary each year depending on the store, clearance items, identifiable by a yellow price tag, frequent the shelves and racks for about a month with some items being priced for less than a dollar.
Compare the price tags
Since the inventory of any one store is ever-changing, all markdowns are tediously done one by one, leaving room for error. Additionally, item prices decrease the longer they’re in the store.
So, before impulsively buying a product, check to make sure there aren’t cheaper versions of it still available from previous shipments. Although TJ Maxx doesn’t price match unless the item is meant to be marked down, finding a cheaper version of the same shirt may mean one was missed during markdowns; however, if that’s not the case and the cheaper shirt is your size, you’re still in luck.
