Okay, let me tell you how I finally figured out this whole bulls eye deals thing. Seriously, it felt like this secret club at first, everyone talking about it online but no clear starting point. I wasted way too much time clicking around aimlessly before I got my act together. Here’s exactly what I did, step by step, mess-ups included.
Where I Started (Clueless)
Honestly? I had no clue. I’d see folks on forums bragging about snagging a drill set for pennies or something, calling it a “bulls eye deal”. I thought it was just extreme clearance. My first mistake was assuming these deals were everywhere and easy to find. Spoiler: they are NOT. I spent a whole Saturday hitting three different red bullseye stores near me, wandering aisles looking for yellow clearance stickers like an idiot. Found plenty of regular clearance stuff, sure, but nothing that felt like a mega-steal or matched the weird descriptions I’d read online about specific markdowns.
Getting My Bearings Online
After the pointless store trip, I got real. I needed intel. I didn’t search for complex guides; I literally typed stuff like “how do bulls eye deals work simple” and “where are bulls eye deals in store”. Dumb questions, I know. But it worked! A few key things clicked:
- It’s NOT called “bulls eye deals” in the store. Facepalm moment. Those names are nicknames people online use.
- The magic number is 70%+. Forget 30-50% off. I needed clearance hitting 70% off original price or higher. That was the golden zone.
- Location matters. It wasn’t always in one spot. Sometimes endcaps, sometimes randomly tucked away.
My First Real Attempt (Still Messy)
Armed with that basic knowledge, I went back. This time, I:
- Asked an employee. Sounds obvious, right? But before I felt stupid. I just asked, “Hey, where do you usually put items hitting 70% off or higher clearance?” The guy pointed me straight to a specific endcap near seasonal stuff and a messy bin by electronics. Simple!
- Checked EVERY yellow sticker. I mean it. Didn’t care what the item was. Cookware aisle? Checked. Toys? Checked. Office supplies? Checked. My goal was to understand the patterns of the prices ending in specific numbers folks mentioned online. Like, .06 or .03 meaning something?
- Scanned the clearance sections methodically. Top to bottom, end to end. Not just glancing.
And guess what? I found stuff! Not a jackpot, but a few things genuinely 70%+ off. Found a picture frame kit marked down to $3.18 (original $14) with a price ending in .18. Saw a random dog bed down to $4.03 (original $20? maybe?) ending in .03. It was proof the deals were there, just hiding.
Building My Routine
Finding those first couple items felt great, but I knew consistency was key. This is what worked for me:
- Target Weekdays. Weekend crowds? Forget it. Tuesday or Wednesday mornings became my thing. Stores were less picked over.
- Focus on Transition Areas. Seasonal clearance became my hunting ground (like patio stuff in fall, holiday stuff in January). Also, places where stuff got dumped – those “Last Chance” or “As Marked” bins.
- Scan Price Endings RELIGIOUSLY. I stopped caring about the item first. If the sticker price ended in .04, .05, .06, .03, .02? That meant deep discount. THEN I’d look at what it was.
- Embrace the Randomness. It’s a treasure hunt! One day it’s 50 packs of greeting cards for $1.50 each, the next it’s weird plumbing fixtures for pennies. You never know.
- Set Alerts & Use Apps (Selectively!). I don’t rely only on store apps for these deals (stock is unreliable!). BUT, I do use them to track the clearance price drops on specific items I maybe saw earlier that week that weren’t cheap enough yet. Watching an item go from 50% to 70% feels like victory.
Mistakes I Still Make (You Probably Will Too)
It’s not perfect! I get over-excited and grab something just because it’s super cheap… but I have zero need for it. Also, stock vanishes FAST. Saw an amazing patio set price? Gone the next morning. Learned not to hesitate if I really want it. And sometimes, you walk out empty-handed. That’s part of the “game.”
So, Did I Score?
Heck yeah, once I stopped wandering and started hunting. My best find so far? Brand-name patio string lights. Original around $80? Marked down over weeks, finally snagged them for $15.96. Price ended in .06. Felt like a total win. It took patience, going at the right times, and being willing to dig.
Bottom line: Bulls eye deals are real, but finding them takes a bit of legwork and understanding the system. Start simple: find clearance areas, look for 70%+ off marked by those specific price endings, and hit the store when they’re less busy. Forget the jargon online and just start looking. Good luck, happy hunting!
