Today, almost every nook and cranny in major cities are littered with malls. For some reason, people pay a certain reverence to them as if they were pillars of consumerism. Indeed, people with a penchant for shopping can be spotted in any of these cathedrals for consumption, but even more so during the major sales. After all, almost everyone wants to score a great deal. More often than not, there are things we want that are not necessarily the price we want.

Unless you’re an extreme couponer, it’s almost impossible to save on things you want to buy. However, unbeknownst to most shopping patrons, there are several tips and tricks stores do not want you to know. These secrets range from reading Sale tags to appropriately navigating a store and luckily for you, some of these even contain subtle secrets to giving you the best deals. Read on so that you would now be privy to some of the best-kept secrets of retailers.

5 Shopping Secrets You Never Knew

1. Avoid Outlet Stores When Looking for High-End Fashion

More often than not, shoppers look to outlet stores as a cheaper alternative for designer products like purses or outfits. These outlet stores often market their products as surplus or not meeting the designer’s quality standards. Unfortunately, the products found are usually never part of a designer’s line in the first place. Discount brands make these products specifically for outlets. Price tags may show you how much you are saving, but they’re completely made up.

2. The Clearance Section Looks Messy For a Reason

You often see the clearance section with a myriad of items—from the clothes falling off the hangers to the items haphazardly placed all over the place. You may think the store employees would organize this site once in a while, but they actually ignore this section intentionally. This is to make shoppers feel as if they have searched and found a real deal in sifting through this particular section. So, when you find yourself digging through piles of items in the clearance section, stop and ask yourself if you are just cashing deals or if you really need the item.

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3. If You Want to Get The Best Deals, Shop Mid-Week

While most malls would start their sales on the weekend, some of them start way earlier. To appropriately prepare for the weekend, they usually start on Wednesday or Thursday. While you might usually spend your weekend shopping to wrap up the week, try starting early so that you would be the first to grab the deals. If you wait too long or until the weekend, most of the best deals are no longer available.

4. “Shrinkflation” is Real

Many consumers complain about inflation and high prices. So instead of raising prices, companies have come up with a way to deceptively sell what would seem like the same product at the same price. However, the reality is companies repackage these items and give shoppers slightly less of the item than usual while charging the same price. Most products are subject to these, so keep your eyes peeled for those kinds of sales.

5. Price Matching

Many and most stores would match their competitor’s prices regardless of whether they are online or not. To make their items even more enticing, some offer an addition discount on top of the price match. So before you do any shopping, try to do your research first and resist the impulse to buy something straight away. Scan websites and flyers and ask for a price match to know if you are getting the best deal.