Clark Howard

9 ways to save money at buybuy BABY

With Babies R Us locations closing as part of the Toys R Us liquidation, buybuy BABY is about to become a whole lot more important to new moms and dads!

While Walmart, Target and Amazon will pick up some of the slack, new parents who want to be able to kick the tires a little bit on a big purchase before making it will have to turn to buybuy BABY.

It’s one of the few remaining retailers that’s dedicated exclusively to baby gear, clothing and supplies.

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How to save money at buybuy BABY

You may not realize it, but buybuy BABY is owned by the same company that owns Bed Bath & Beyond, Christmas Tree Shops and Cost Plus World Market, among others.

Here’s how you can save money shopping for all of baby’s needs.

1. Check the maternity clothes clearance rack

Each buybuy BABY  has a section with maternity clothes for pregnant moms. The clothes are presented in neat rows with nary an article of clothing out of place.

That’s why your eye will probably go to the racks on the floor with a variety of mismatched clothes. They stand out in the otherwise immaculate presentation.

And this is where you’ll find the real bargains!

Look for the yellow tags with the “was/is” pricing. We found one deal on a teal top marked down from $19.97 to $14.97.

There’s a toddlers’ clearance rack, too!

2. Get a discount on a floor display model

At some stores, you have to haggle to get a discount on a floor model.

Not at buybuy BABY.

We found an infant car seat and base that was originally priced at $349.99. It had been marked down to $279.99 and was clearly marked as “display” on the tag so there was no question about why it was being discounted.

In a similar vein, you can score a deal on items that are the last remaining one from their original shipment:

3. Don’t forget about price matching

Like a lot of retailers, buybuy BABY lets you comparison shop on your smartphone and they’ll match a better price on the same merchandise.

Don’t overlook this simple, yet effective, way to score a deal!

4. Look for one-off sale items

Some items will be marked as “This one only!” and feature a steep discount.

This stroller was marked down from $399.99 to $319.99. When it didn’t sell at that price, the cost was lowered again to $255.99.

One caveat: Be sure to inspect the items carefully to understand why they were marked down.

If it’s just cosmetic damage and you can live with it, that’s fine. But if the damage is more extensive, you’ll probably want to avoid these markdowns.

When in doubt, ask an associate.

5. Unboxed or open box items can offer a real deal

Items that get damaged in transit may wind up out on the floor at a discount.

This stroller was originally priced at $299.99, but had been marked down to $269.99.

The label clearly indicated that is was new, not used, and only lacked the box it originally came in.

6. Look for half-price BOGO offers

While they were few and far between when we visited, offers of “buy one, get one 50% off” can occasionally be found at buybuy BABY.

We saw this deal on Halo sleepsacks and sleepsack swaddles for newborns.

7. Learn the discount color codes

Every store has a clearance section, but buybuy BABY takes it one step further with different color tags to indicate different levels of discount within the clearance section.

Orange means 75% off

Red means 50% off

Green means 25% off

8. Sign up for the email and mailing list for coupons

Both digital and paper coupons are available to subscribers. The two can be easily integrated at the My Offer tab on the retailer’s website.

9. buybuy BABY accepts coupons from competitors

Don’t leave that final Babies R Us circular at home!

If it has a coupon, bring it over and buybuy BABY will honor it on the same merchandise.

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