Is your current patio furniture on its last legs? Saving up for a set and hoping it goes on sale? Time for a gorgeous new patio furniture set, but unsure when the best time to buy patio furniture is? The bottom line is that it depends where you are buying.
If you are shopping in a brick and mortar store, generally you want to buy in your patio furniture during sales in the early to mid-fall. But, if you are shopping online, you may find even steeper discounts when you wait into the mid-winter.
You may want to keep that furniture hobbling along until winter in order to get the best deals on the best patio furniture brands!
You want your hard-earned dollar to go the furthest it can, so wise shoppers will always look for deep discounts and sales on big-ticket items like patio furniture sets, cantilever umbrellas, and PVC patio dining sets. Frugality and smart shopping are key to getting the best quality furniture pieces at the best prices.
Be strategic and purchase off season when possible. Of course, offseason is naturally the best time of year to buy patio furniture, but how offseason are we talking? When does patio furniture go on sale?
When Does Patio Furniture Go On Sale?
Patio furniture has a strong seasonal pattern though sales occur throughout the year, at certain times. For general seasonality, patio furniture goes on sale starting in mid-August, and runs typically through October, when the inventory starts to really thin out. But that’s not the only time to shop for outdoor furniture!
Holidays are a great time to purchase as well, and you should absolutely keep an eye out for patio furniture sales on Memorial Day, the 4th of July, President’s Day, and of course, Labor Day.
Fall Outdoor Furniture Deals
Typically after labor day, the patio furniture suppliers start to look toward winter and the new models, so they put patio furniture on sale. Prices drop into the winter when retail stores stop devoting any space to outdoor furniture.
Most of the major publications suggest waiting until the end of the season for patio furniture purchases: in the early fall (mid-September) deals abound. Often these will be last year’s items on closeout, with deep discounts.
The Balance of Price vs. Availability
If you’re shopping in fall, you must balance the price discounts and Patio Furniture For Sale signs with the selection available in retail stores. If you are a flexible shopper this is a great time of year. As the fall season progresses, prices fall further as stores try to rid themselves of the last bits of unsold inventory.
Discounts deepen, but the selection of product dwindles until it’s all gone from the shelves.
Winter Patio Furniture Shopping
You can find some good deals in the fall, but if you plan to purchase patio furniture online, usually the best time to buy is mid-winter! Nobody is thinking about patio furniture during the winter time, and most retail stores are focused on selling electric snow shovels and Christmas trees rather than patio furniture.
It is often almost impossible to even find patio furniture in stores.
If you do your research and shop online, you can often find discounts of up to 70% on outdoor furniture and equipment during the winter!
Amazon, Wayfair, and online stores are the best place to buy patio furniture during these times. Shop around for retailers looking to clear space.
Stores that don’t have to worry about inventory and floor-space concerns are mostly focused on getting any traffic they can during the winter. Consequently, they offer deep discounts to those savvy enough to shop online and take advantage of those sales.
Winter Furniture Delivery Concerns
The main downside to purchasing patio furniture in winter is that when it gets delivered, you’ll need to figure out what to do with it until spring!
If you have a garage, shed, or another storage area, you can just put it away until spring.
If you don’t have such an area, you may need to assemble the furniture (if necessary) in the cold, and then use outdoor furniture covers to protect the furniture through the winter.
The good news is that patio furniture covers are discounted about as much as patio furniture is during the winter time, so picking up your furniture covers deep into the offseason is a great idea as well.
Best Time to Buy Patio Furniture: What the Experts Say
Here is a run-down of what several of the leading publications have to say about the best month to buy patio furniture. Virtually all of these are focused on purchasing patio furniture in stores and have placed their times of year accordingly.
Consumer Reports: August
Consumer Reports Consumer Reports feels that the end of summer model year-end sales are the best time to buy outdoor furniture. Consumer Reports is too early, in our opinion, as labor day hasn’t even hit by August.
Time Magazine: September
Time Magazine suggest waiting just a little bit longer for those rock-bottom prices on outdoor furniture. The selection may be a little bit lower in September than in August, though.
LifeHacker: October
Pushing really late into the season is LifeHacker. They are apparently a bit more patient than we are! Keep in mind if you buy this late into the season, you’ll be receiving the furniture just in time to pack it away, so be sure to get a weatherproof cover with your furniture package, as you will very likely need it soon!
DealNews: September
DealNews finds patio furniture is often up to 40% off in September, and generally there are still a good number of options available.
BusinessInsider: September
BusinessInsider finds September deals to be the most compelling and puts September as the best time to buy outdoor patio furniture.
PayOff.com: Fall Back To School Time
“Buying spring or summer-related furniture — such as patio chairs or grills — is also a smart move during the autumn months”
Finding the Best Deals on Patio Furniture
We suggest shopping at the brick and mortar stores during the fall time frame for deals on patio furniture. If you find the right patio furniture set at the right price, go for it!
The deals are good at this time, and if you find the right set, it is generally wise to buy and not wait.
But if you don’t find the right set, be patient and do your research.
If the perfect set doesn’t come to the right price in the fall, wait until winter and keep an eye on patio furniture suppliers and large sites like Amazon.
Watch for deals, and you can find prices up to 70% off on luxury patio furniture sets. Note that some colors, sets, and setups will be priced differently, so keep your eyes out for deals.
When you see deals in the 60-70% off range, the companies are usually selling at cost, just to get rid of any remaining pieces before new lines arrive in spring, so go for it! You’ll not find deals anywhere near as good as wintertime deals until next season, late into the fall.
Buck the Trend: Shop in Early Spring
Missed the fall closeouts, sleepy winter deals, and still need your patio furniture for summer?
You can try early spring.
You can occasionally find some decent deals on new models by purchasing in early spring. We’re talking February to early March here, not mid-April!
Deals aren’t as rock bottom as they are in winter or fall, but you may find some interesting new models, designs, and setups in late February.
Additionally, most furniture companies will have their furniture in stock and ready to ship in February or early March.
Spring and early summer are the most hectic times for outdoor furniture companies, as everyone is looking to purchase, inventories are low, and many items may be on back order.
Prices are at their highest as demand is at its highest, so try to avoid purchasing in summer! Of course, that’s what most people do, as their outdoor needs are at the top of mind during this time.
Conclusion
Know when it is the best time to buy patio furniture. The bottom line is that frugal shoppers should not be purchasing outdoor furniture during the late spring and summer time if they can possibly avoid it. The deals are poor, and the stores are busy because everyone is focused on purchasing patio furniture during these times.
If you can wait for deals, it’s better to window shop and research online during this time. Be patient and flexible, and wait for the best deals in the fall in stores, and in the winter online.
Once you’re ready to shop, be sure to check out our guide to the best patio furniture brands and find the right set for your needs!
Thank you for your advice! I’m really attempting to be patient . We have recently built a 1200 sq foot porch/ outdoor kitchen. We also are almost finished with our swimming pool so w need a lot of furniture! Any particular stores online you would recommend? I currently have dark brown wicker rattan resin furniture. It holds up best in our humid Louisiana climate !
This is a great time of year to find strong deals online at stores like Amazon and Wayfair. They have some nice selection of similar dark brown wicker furniture you can find to match a set. Congrats on your new outdoor kitchen + pool it sounds amazing!