Is Labor Day A Good Time To Buy Patio Furniture?

By the time Labor Day rolls around, you've probably already swapped swimsuits and beach towels for pumpkin spice and flannel blankets. And your favorite retail stores have done the same, replacing the summer stock with fall essentials. It's enough to make one wonder if that expensive outdoor seating or dining set you were contemplating buying earlier in the year might be on sale. Well, stop wondering, because for many seasoned consumers, Labor Day is the best time of year to purchase major items like patio furniture.

To understand why, it is important to know what's happening to the retail calendar when Labor Day shows up. Retailers cycle through different seasons with varying product focuses. The spring/summer outdoor furniture season begins in the middle of March or April when the weather starts to warm up and everyone is looking to get outside. Once September hits, however, not many people are in the market to buy outdoor furniture anymore, and any remaining stock becomes less and less likely to sell.

But that leftover unsold inventory doesn't just disappear. Retailers still need to get rid of it, which is why you'll see clearance, discount, or end-of-summer sales popping up online and in local stores like Lowe's or Home Depot. You'll likely find generous patio furniture markdowns across the board, with some pieces discounted by more than 70% off. In some cases, you may even be able to take advantage of short-term financing alongside the discounts, allowing you to get what you want without making you pay for everything up front.

If you decide to take advantage of some Labor Day Weekend sales, don't confine your search to the big-box stores. Sure, Home Depot is going to have some Labor Day deals to check out in September, but you don't want to forget about the local furniture shops and chains like Ashley and IKEA. One important thing to note is your options might be limited. Even though there is likely to be some overstock come Labor Day, that doesn't mean the style or set you had your eye on earlier in the summer is still available.

As such, go into any Labor Day patio furniture shopping with tempered expectations. You might not find what you wanted originally, but there's always a chance of tracking down something special. Furniture stores could have unexpected new-in-box items in the warehouse or deeply discounted display models. Depending on the store, you may even be able to negotiate better deals on these pieces, especially if they are damaged or missing pieces, you're buying other new items, or the furniture is discontinued.

Even though cost is a top concern for Labor Day shoppers, you should still prioritize styles that suit your space and look for the best outdoor furniture materials available. Don't settle on low-priced yet overly imperfect items you'll only regret later. Otherwise, just make sure you have space in your garage or shed to store the furniture while fall and winter pass.