BJ’s Wholesale Clearance Guide

BJ’s Wholesale Clearance Guide

asically never shopped the same way again.

I recently discovered that BJ’s has its own system for markdowns, codes, and secret-ish patterns. Once I started tracking prices and testing strategies, I realized you can stack deals in a way that makes even warehouse-competitor fans do a double take.

This is the BJ’s Wholesale clearance guide I wish I had before I wasted money paying almost full price for years.

Why BJ’s Clearance Is Different (And Weirdly Good)

In my experience, BJ’s sits in a sweet spot between Costco and Sam’s Club: fewer totally insane deals, but more frequent discounts and easier-to-use coupons.

Here’s what makes their clearance game interesting:

• Digital & paper coupons stack with clearance more often than you’d expect
• BJ’s runs regular Instant Savings promos that quietly overlap with markdowns
• Their private label (Wellsley Farms, Berkley Jensen) gets aggressively cleared when packaging changes

According to BJ’s own investor materials, the chain has put a big emphasis on value and couponing over the last few years, especially post‑2020 as inflation squeezed shoppers.

I’ll be honest: you won’t hit “90% off luxury handbags” levels of clearance here. But I routinely hit 50–70% off on household staples, pantry items, and sometimes electronics, if I’m patient.

Decode the BJ’s Clearance Tags Like an Insider

When I tested out different clubs near me, the biggest unlock was learning how to actually read their shelf tags.

1. Look for the Price Ending

Price endings aren’t random. They’re quiet signals.

In multiple visits and talking with staff, here’s the pattern I’ve consistently seen:

• .99 – Regular price (no markdown yet)
• .90 or .98 – Promotional price or limited-time discount
• .89, .88, .87 – Deeper markdown / clearance territory

Not every store follows this perfectly, but when I spotted .89 or .88 endings, they usually didn’t restock that exact SKU.

Personal example:

I grabbed a Berkley Jensen 12-pack of microfiber cloths for $4.88, down from $9.99. A week later, that exact version was gone and replaced with a new package design at full price. Classic clearance turn.

2. Learn the “Last Chance” Visual Cues

BJ’s doesn’t plaster giant “CLEARANCE!!” signs everywhere like some stores. You have to be a little nosy.

In my experience, these are clues it’s a true clearance item:

• Smaller, printed shelf tag that looks freshly replaced
• A line or highlight near the unit price or description
• Limited sizes/flavors left and obvious gaps on the shelf
• Mixed items shoved on an endcap that doesn’t match the aisle signage

When I see a lonely flavor of granola bars left at a weird price like $7.87, my clearance radar starts screaming.

Best Places to Find Clearance Inside BJ’s

If you only wander the main aisles, you’ll miss half the good stuff. I started doing “clearance laps” and noticed patterns.

1. Endcaps & Side Aisles

The gold lives here.

I’ve found:

• Organic snacks at half price when they rotate seasonal items
• Kids’ multivitamins for under $5 when packaging changed

I once scored a $29.99 pack of highlighters and pens for $9.88 because the back‑to‑school promo had ended and they just needed the endcap cleared.

2. Seasonal & Outdoor Section

After every major holiday, this area turns into a quiet treasure hunt.

When I tested shopping the week after Labor Day, I grabbed:

• A Berkley Jensen 3‑piece patio cushion set at 60% off
• Citronella candles for under $5

Holiday decor (especially Christmas and Halloween) gets slashed hard once the next season shows up. Patience pays here.

3. Apparel & Soft Goods

This section is chaos, but it’s where I consistently hit 70% off.

I’ve seen:

• Name‑brand joggers for under $8
• Pajama sets for about half of their original BJ’s price

You’ll dig a bit, but if you’re okay with last season’s colors, it’s worth it.

4. Electronics & Small Appliances (Careful but Rewarding)

This is risk‑reward territory.

I found a clearance air fryer once for $49.98 (originally $99.99), but it was the floor model. I tested the basket, checked the display, and asked a manager to plug it in. Still works over a year later.

If there’s a yellow or odd‑looking tag in the electronics area, I always:

1. Check if it’s a discontinued model online
2. Compare price on my phone (Amazon, Walmart, etc.)
3. Confirm return policy (BJ’s is generally pretty reasonable, but electronics windows can be shorter)

How to Stack Deals on BJ’s Clearance (Without Being That Person)

Here’s where the real magic happens. Clearance alone is good. Clearance + coupons + rewards is addictive.

1. Use the BJ’s App Like a Pro

When I tested coupon stacking, I realized I’d been missing half the discounts by not scanning items in the app.

What I do now:

• Scan every clearance barcode in the BJ’s app before checkout
• Load digital manufacturer coupons and BJ’s club coupons
• Watch for Instant Savings that auto‑apply without clipping anything

Sometimes the app doesn’t label something as clearance, but the shelf tag does. You still get the lower shelf price plus digital coupons on top. That’s how I walked out with name‑brand laundry detergent for about 40% less than the grocery store sale price that same week.

2. Combine Store, Manufacturer & Rewards

In my experience, BJ’s is more lenient than many retailers about stacking:

• BJ’s store coupons (from the app or booklet)
• Manufacturer coupons (clipped or digital)
• BJ’s Rewards if you’re on the Perks membership

One week, I bought clearance cereal that was already 30–40% off, then stacked:

• A BJ’s store coupon
• A digital manufacturer coupon
• My BJ’s Perks Rewards balance

Final cost per box: lower than what I usually pay even with regular grocery store couponing.

3. Know When NOT to Buy Clearance

Here’s where the honest part comes in: not all clearance is a win.

I pass when:

• Expiration dates are within 30–60 days and it’s a huge bulk item my family won’t realistically finish
• Electronics are missing cables, manuals, or have obvious damage
• Pricing still isn’t better than a regular sale at another store

I also learned the hard way that buying massive bulk snacks on clearance before a vacation is a trap—half of it went stale while we were away. A deal that ends up in the trash is not a deal.

Timing: When BJ’s Clearance Is Hottest

I started keeping a simple phone note of what I saw on clearance and when. Over a few months, patterns started to show up.

Rough timing that’s worked for me:

• Early January – Holiday food, decor, winter gear
• Late February–March – Fitness gear, organizing products
• Post‑Memorial Day & post‑Labor Day – Patio, grills, outdoor furniture
• After Back‑to‑School – Lunchboxes, school supplies, some apparel

Local managers do have discretion, so your club might move faster or slower, but the seasonal rhythm is real.

I’ve chatted casually with a few employees while browsing, and they’ve confirmed that clearance is often tied to new planograms (floor layouts) and vendor agreements. When new shipments are due, older versions get pushed out fast.

Membership Levels: Do You Need the Fancy Card?

I’ve tested both the standard membership and the BJ’s Perks Rewards membership.

Standard membership works fine if you:

• Just want occasional clearance finds
• Don’t shop more than once or twice a month

The Perks Rewards membership (the one that earns 2% back) can make sense if you:

• Buy gas at BJ’s regularly
• Are stocking up for a large household
• Actually track your rewards and use them before they expire

I did the math over 12 months. For my family, the extra membership fee paid off only because I:

• Routinely bought clearance + coupon items
• Used BJ’s gas
• Cashed out rewards strategically on big hauls

If you only go in for the occasional clearance binge, stick to the base membership.

Pros & Cons of Chasing BJ’s Clearance

In my experience, here’s the real trade‑off.

Pros:

• Deep savings on essentials, especially with stacked coupons
• Surprising deals on seasonal, apparel, and small appliances
• Generally fair return policy if something doesn’t work out

Cons:

• Selection is inconsistent; you can’t fully “plan” your list around clearance
• Some markdowns are only modest vs. regular sale prices elsewhere
• Clearance areas can be cluttered and time‑consuming to dig through

If you love a clean, hyper‑efficient in‑and‑out shopping trip, hardcore clearance hunting might drive you a little nuts. But if you enjoy the treasure hunt aspect and don’t mind being flexible, BJ’s can seriously chop your monthly costs.

My Simple BJ’s Clearance Routine

To keep it practical, here’s exactly what I do most trips now:

1. Check the app for current coupons and Instant Savings
2. Walk the perimeter first – endcaps, seasonal, and electronics
3. Scan anything with a weird price ending or lonely shelf presence
4. Compare prices on my phone for big‑ticket finds
5. Check expiration dates and ask myself: will we actually use this?
6. Redeem rewards on large mixed carts where I’ve got a lot of clearance + coupons already working for me

That’s it. No spreadsheets, no extreme coupon binder, just a bit of pattern recognition and 5–10 extra minutes per visit.

And when I walk out with a cart full of name‑brand stuff for store‑brand prices, I don’t miss that time at all.

Sources

• BJ’s Wholesale Club – Official Site – Membership details, coupons, policies
• BJ’s Wholesale Club Investor Relations – Strategy, financials, and value positioning
• Consumer Reports – Warehouse Clubs: Are They Worth It? – Analysis of club-store savings and trade-offs
• Forbes – How To Save Money On Groceries – Broader context on shopping strategies and bulk buying
• U.S. Department of Agriculture – Food Product Dating – Guidance on expiration dates and food safety