When do toys go on clearance at Target and Walmart?
By Britton Jewell · Last updated
Short answer: twice a year. Both stores clear out toys after the holidays, starting in late December or January, and again in summer, around June or July, to make room for new stock. Neither store publishes the dates, so the timing comes from years of deal-site reports. At Target, toys usually start at 30% off and drop to 50% and then 70%. In our experience, every major action figure line shows up on clearance, but the most popular figures sell out before they get there. For those, the big sale events (Prime Day, Target Circle Deal Days, Walmart Deals and Black Friday) are the better bet.
Who wrote this: Britton Jewell, a collectibles reseller who runs BuyHoldCollect. Target and Walmart don't publish clearance schedules, so the timing and discounts below come from deal sites, cited at each point (checked ). Prices and stock vary by store. More about us.
Target's toy clearance
Target runs a toy clearance in January and another in summer. Hip2Save has reported it at both times for years: toys at 30% to 50% off in January 2014, 70% off in January 2016, a summer clearance in July 2016, and 50% to 70% off in January 2017. The Krazy Coupon Lady's Target clearance guide lists the same two events, late December into January and mid-June into early July.
- Markdowns go in steps. Most items start at 30% off, then drop to 50% and then 70%, depending on how much is left. The percentage is printed on the clearance sticker.
- The drops come over a few weeks. In January, Krazy Coupon Lady reports toys starting at 30% and reaching 70% by about the second week.
- Not every item gets a sticker. Hip2Save's advice is to check prices with the store's price scanner.
- Deal sites disagree on which day of the week toys get marked down, so don't plan around a specific day.
Walmart's toy clearance
Walmart also clears toys twice a year. The Krazy Coupon Lady's Walmart toy clearance guide (updated August 2026) puts it "once in June and again around late December or early January," lasting four to six weeks. It says markdowns start around 25% to 50% off and can reach about 80% off by the end.
- The best deals are in stores. Online prices and stock can differ, so check both.
- Use the barcode scanner in the Walmart app to see an item's current clearance price in your store.
- Walmart.com doesn't adjust your price if it drops after you buy (Walmart's price match policy).
What about Amazon?
Amazon doesn't run a store-wide toy clearance like Target and Walmart. Its prices move all year, and its biggest planned drops come during Prime Day, Prime Big Deal Days and Black Friday (dates in the table below). Two other places to look:
- Amazon Outlet collects overstock and end-of-season deals, with a Toys tab.
- When Amazon has too much of a figure, its own price can fall below retail and stay there. On our price chart guide, a Marvel Legends exclusive that launched at about $49.99 has mostly sold for $21 to $30 on Amazon since 2025.
Since there's no schedule to wait for, set a free price alert in Keepa or CamelCamelCamel at the most you'd pay.
Action figures on clearance
In our experience, you can find every major line on clearance: Marvel Legends, Star Wars The Black Series, WWE and the rest. The catch is which figures. The most popular ones usually sell out at full price, so what's left on the clearance shelf tends to be the figures that sat on the pegs. For why one figure in a wave sells out while another sits, see why some action figures sell out.
- Check the box. Clearance stock may have sat on the shelf for months. For how much a worn box matters, see does a damaged box lower the value?
- Check it's the version you want. Reissues and repaints can look a lot like the original. See will it be restocked or reprinted? for how reissues work.
- Compare before you buy. A 30% markdown on a figure Amazon already sells below retail may not be a deal; see how to check whether a toy deal is real.
Sales are the other way in
Clearance is for what didn't sell. For collectors, the big sale events are the better chance at popular figures, because those figures are still in stock. In our experience, Marvel Legends, Black Series and WWE figures get discounted at Amazon, BBTS, Walmart, Best Buy and other stores during these, and the good prices sell out fast.
| Event | 2026 dates |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Day | June, with Prime Big Deal Days in October (October 6 to 7) |
| Target Circle Deal Days (formerly Circle Week) | June 23 to 26 (Target) and October 6 to 7 |
| Walmart Deals | June 22 to 28 (Walmart) and October 5 to 11 |
| Black Friday | November 27, with sales running through Cyber Monday |
Target and Walmart time their summer and fall events to run against Amazon's. Notice the summer events land in June, right as the summer toy clearance starts, so June can bring both. Before you buy in any of them, see how to check whether a toy deal is real.
Clearance and price matching
Clearance items are excluded from price matching at Target (Target's price match page) and Best Buy (Best Buy's policy). If you bought a toy at full price and it goes on clearance a week later, Target won't adjust it.
Quick answers
When does Target do toy clearance?
Twice a year: right after the holidays, starting in late December or January, and again in summer, around June or July. Target doesn't publish the dates, but deal sites have reported this pattern since at least 2014. Toys usually start at 30% off and drop to 50% and then 70%.
When does Walmart do toy clearance?
Twice a year, according to deal sites: around June and around late December or early January. Discounts reportedly start at 25% to 50% off and can reach about 80% off before the event ends, mostly in stores. Walmart doesn't publish a schedule.
Does Amazon have a toy clearance?
Not like Target and Walmart. Amazon doesn't run a seasonal toy clearance; its prices change all year, with the biggest planned drops during Prime Day, Prime Big Deal Days and Black Friday. Amazon Outlet has a Toys tab for overstock deals, and a free Keepa or CamelCamelCamel price alert will tell you when a figure drops.
Do action figures go on clearance at Target and Walmart?
Yes. In our experience, every major line shows up on clearance, including Marvel Legends, Star Wars The Black Series and WWE. The most popular figures usually sell out before they get marked down, so what's left tends to be the figures that sat on the pegs.
Can you price match a clearance toy at Target?
No. Target's price match policy excludes clearance items. Best Buy excludes them too, and Walmart.com doesn't adjust prices after you buy.
New to terms like peg warmer? See our collector and reseller glossary.
Related: Why do some figures sell out and others peg-warm? · Is that Black Friday toy deal real? · Does a damaged box lower the value? · When does Target charge for preorders?
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Clearance timing and discounts vary by store and year. This page is general information, not financial advice. Timing and markdown steps come from deal-site reports, not Target or Walmart.