salehunter.net There is a specific thrill associated with walking into a Big Lots. It isn’t like walking into a standard big-box retailer where the inventory is predictable and the aisles are sterile. It’s a treasure hunt. It’s the place where you go to find a Broyhill sofa for half the price of a furniture store, or a bottle of fancy olive oil that ended up in the closeout aisle for three dollars. But for the savvy shopper, the sticker price at Big Lots is merely a suggestion. The real magic happens when you layer that closeout pricing with a strategic Big Lots coupon.
While many shoppers assume that closeout stores don’t offer coupons because the prices are already “rock bottom,” Big Lots is a massive exception to the rule. They actually have one of the most aggressive and rewarding coupon ecosystems in the retail landscape. If you are paying full price here, you are leaving money on the table. This isn’t just about saving fifty cents on shampoo; we are talking about shaving hundreds of dollars off living room sets or outfitting an entire patio for a fraction of the cost. Let’s dive deep into how you can manipulate the system, time your shopping trips, and ensure you always have a barcode ready to scan at the register.
The Core of the Strategy: Big Rewards
Before we even look for a promo code on a coupon site, we have to talk about the “Big Rewards” program. This is not one of those loyalty programs where you spend a thousand dollars to get a free candy bar. This is the engine that drives their coupon distribution. If you are shopping at Big Lots without a rewards account, you are effectively shopping blind.
The moment you sign up, the algorithm usually triggers a welcome offer. Historically, this has been a 15% off coupon for your next purchase. That is an immediate return on investment for the thirty seconds it takes to type in your email address. But the real value comes from the retention strategy. Big Lots knows that their inventory fluctuates—they rely on you coming back to see “what’s new.” To ensure you do, they send frequent “Big Rewards” offers.
The “Friends and Family” Phenomenon
If there is a Super Bowl of Big Lots shopping, it is the “Friends and Family” event. This happens a few times a year and it is the single best time to make large purchases. During these events, Big Lots typically releases a 20% off coupon valid on your entire purchase.
Here is where the insider knowledge comes into play: Big Rewards members usually get “early access” to this deal. While the general public might get 20% off on a Sunday, rewards members often get access on Saturday, or even Friday evening. Why does this matter? Inventory. Remember, Big Lots is a closeout retailer. They might only have three of that specific gray sectional sofas in stock. If you wait for the public coupon day, the best items might be sitting in someone else’s living room. Being a member gets you the discount and the selection.
The Birthday Surprise
It sounds cliché, but the birthday coupon is reliable. It acts as a great annual reminder to check out the store. While the specific offer can vary by year and region, seeing a distinct barcode in your inbox during your birthday month is standard. It’s often a dollar-off amount (like $5 off $15) or a percentage discount. It’s essentially free money if you were planning to buy household essentials like toilet paper or laundry detergent anyway.
Deciphering the Coupon Types
Not all discounts are created equal. Understanding the math behind the offer is crucial to maximizing your savings. At Big Lots, you will generally encounter two main types of coupons, and knowing which one to use can change your shopping list.
- The Percentage-Off Coupon (e.g., 20% off): These are your heavy hitters for furniture, mattresses, and gazebo sets. If you are buying a $500 item, a 20% coupon saves you $100. This is significantly more valuable than a generic “$10 off” coupon. Save these specifically for high-ticket items.
- The Dollar-Off Coupon (e.g., $10 off $50): These are best for “pantry runs” or decor updates. If your basket total is $52, and you use a $10 off $50, you are effectively getting a nearly 20% discount. However, if your basket is $200, that $10 off is a mere 5% savings. The math dictates that you should keep your transaction total as close to the threshold ($50) as possible to maximize the percentage saved. If you have $100 worth of stuff, and you have two coupons (and a willing cashier or a second trip), splitting the transaction might be the smarter play.
Digital vs. Print: The Modern Hybrid
Big Lots has done a decent job of bridging the gap between old-school clipping and digital wallets. You don’t necessarily need to print anything out anymore, though some purists still do.
The App Advantage: The Big Lots app is the easiest way to manage this. Your “Big Rewards” card is digital, and your active offers are usually loaded right there. When you get to the register, you don’t want to be fumbling through your email trash folder trying to find a barcode while a line forms behind you. The app centralizes this.
Online Promo Codes: If you are shopping biglots.com, the strategy shifts slightly. You will see a box for “Promos / Coupons” at checkout. Common codes often follow simple naming conventions like SAVE20, BIGDEAL, or HOME15 during promotional periods. Unlike in-store, where a manager might override a coupon issue, the website is binary—it works or it doesn’t. Always search for a free shipping code to stack with your discount, although Big Lots often has a high threshold for free shipping due to the size of their items.
The “Receipt Survey” Hack
This is a tactic that flies under the radar for 90% of shoppers. When you make a purchase—even just a bag of chips—look at the bottom of your receipt. Often, there is an invitation to complete a customer satisfaction survey. In exchange for your feedback, you are typically rewarded with a coupon for your next purchase.
This creates a self-sustaining cycle of savings. You buy a small item, do the survey, get a coupon. You return to buy the big item you actually wanted, using the survey coupon. You effectively generated your own discount just by being patient.
Navigating Exclusions: The Fine Print
Nothing hurts more than rolling a cart full of goods to the register, presenting a coupon, and hearing the dreaded “beep-beep” of rejection. You have to read the fine print. While Big Lots is generally generous, there are standard exclusions.
Milk and Dairy: In many states, it is illegal to discount milk below state minimums, so coupons often exclude dairy products.
Gift Cards: You obviously cannot use a 20% off coupon to buy a $100 gift card for $80. That would be an infinite money glitch.
Leasing Services: If you are using their “Progressive Leasing” option to pay for furniture over time, coupons might not apply in the same way, or the leasing terms might override the discount.
Charitable Items: Sometimes specific donation items (like stuffed animals for charity drives) are excluded.
However, unlike some competitors who exclude all major electronics or specific prestige brands, Big Lots coupons are remarkably open. That Serta mattress? Usually fair game. The Broyhill sectional? Almost always eligible. This openness is what makes their coupons so powerful.
Furniture: The Big Win
Let’s focus on where the money is. Most people don’t need a coupon to buy a box of cereal. They need it for the $800 patio set. Big Lots has cornered a specific market niche: affordable furniture that looks expensive. They carry legitimate brands, often leftovers from other department stores or specific budget lines from major manufacturers.
The Strategy:
1. Scout First: Go to the store and find the furniture you want. Sit on it. Measure it. Take a picture of the tag (SKU number).
2. Wait for the Cycle: If it’s not an emergency, do not buy it on a Tuesday at full price. Wait for the weekend email. Big Rewards emails usually drop on Fridays or Saturdays.
3. Check Stock Online: Use that SKU number to check if other local stores have it in stock. If your local store sells out before the coupon drops, you want a backup plan.
4. The “Price Hold”: This varies by manager, but sometimes if you are friendly, you can ask them to hold an item for you until the end of the day. If you know a coupon is active or becoming active, this secures your inventory.
The Clearance Stack
This is a controversial topic in the couponing world: Can you use a coupon on clearance items? At Big Lots, the answer is often yes.
Clearance items are marked with orange stickers. These prices are already reduced. If you have a “20% off your entire purchase” coupon, it typically applies to the transaction total, which includes those orange-sticker items. This is how you get items for pennies on the dollar. However, be careful with “percent off specific item” coupons vs. “percent off total purchase.” The latter is your golden ticket for clearance stacking.
Seasonal Rhythms and “The Switch”
Big Lots is incredibly seasonal. They aggressively flip their “seasonal aisle” from Christmas to Spring to Summer to Halloween. The best coupon opportunities exist in the transition weeks.
For example, right after July 4th, patio furniture needs to go to make room for Back-to-School and Halloween decor. The prices drop. If you can combine a late-season clearance price with a Rewards coupon, you are buying patio furniture for next year at 30-40% of its original value. The same applies to Christmas decor in January. The savvy couponer buys winter gear in January and summer gear in August.
The Online “Pick Up In Store” Loophole
Sometimes, the online promo codes are different from the in-store coupons. Or, perhaps you found a code like SALE25 that is online-only. But you don’t want to pay the massive freight shipping cost for a sofa.
Utilize the “Buy Online, Pick Up In Store” (BOPIS) feature. You apply the digital coupon code in your browser, securing the discount, but you select store pickup to eliminate shipping costs. This also guarantees the item is yours. There is no anxiety about driving to the store hoping it’s still there. You have already paid for it (at a discount) and they are holding it for you in the back.
Comparing the Savings: Is it Worth It?
It is fair to ask: “Is a Big Lots coupon actually a deal, or are they just inflating prices?”
In the age of smartphones, price comparison is instant. Generally, Big Lots pantry items (food, cleaning supplies) are priced competitively with Walmart or Dollar General. A coupon makes them cheaper. However, the furniture is where the comparison gets interesting. A similar sectional at a high-end furniture gallery might be $2,000. At Big Lots, it’s $900. With a 20% coupon, it becomes $720. The quality might be slightly lower tier (different fabric grade, perhaps), but for a budget-conscious family, the value proposition of $720 vs $2,000 is undeniable.
Furthermore, compared to Amazon or Wayfair, seeing the item in person is a financial advantage. Returns on online furniture are a nightmare and often involve “restocking fees” or return shipping costs. Buying at Big Lots with a coupon eliminates that risk.
Troubleshooting: When the Coupon Doesn’t Work
Technology fails. Sometimes the scanner won’t read your phone screen. Here are a few human tips for the checkout line:
- Brightness Up: Turn your phone brightness to 100%. The handheld scanners struggle with dim screens.
- The Screenshot: Don’t rely on the app loading while you are in the store (cement walls often block cell signals). Take a screenshot of the barcode before you walk in.
- The Phone Number Lookup: If you forgot your coupon, the cashier can look up your Rewards account using your phone number. Often, available offers are attached to your account profile and they can apply them directly from their register screen without you needing to scan anything. Always ask: “Do I have any offers on my account?”
The Ethical Couponer
Finally, a word on etiquette. Big Lots employees are often working with skeleton crews. If you have a complicated transaction involving multiple transactions to maximize “$10 off $50” coupons, read the room. If there is a line of five people behind you, maybe just do one transaction or let others go first. Being a “Karen” about a coupon expiration date is rarely worth the $5 savings. In fact, being kind to the cashier is often the best coupon of all—they have the power to manually enter discounts or overlook a coupon that expired yesterday if you are pleasant to deal with.
Conclusion
The Big Lots coupon isn’t just a piece of paper; it’s a tool for lifestyle upgrades on a budget. Whether you are a college student furnishing a first apartment, a parent stretching a paycheck, or just someone who loves the thrill of a deal, the combination of closeout pricing and strategic couponing is powerful. By signing up for Big Rewards, waiting for the Friends and Family events, and understanding the math of percentage vs. dollar-off deals, you can ensure that you never pay the sticker price. Next time you see that orange and white sign, don’t just walk in—walk in prepared.
