ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

Home Depot shopper says there’s a sneaky way to find 'penny deals' — but some remain skeptical

The creator explains that cracking product codes is the key to understanding the value of items.
UPDATED OCT 23, 2024
People shop at a Home Depot store. Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Spencer Platt
People shop at a Home Depot store. Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Spencer Platt

Getting the right deal at Home Depot can seem like a big challenge. While the never-ending sections, clearance sales, and confusing product codes seem daunting to beginners, savvy shoppers know how to score special discounts. This veteran shopper, @toolswithsoalz316 on TikTok, has broken down the process to find the best deals for everyone. In his viral video, the creator explains how to spot bad 'penny deals'. 

Screenshots from the video | TikTok | @toolswithsoalz316
Screenshots from the video explaining deals | (Image source: TikTok | @toolswithsoalz316)

In the video, which now has over 1.7 million views, Soalz explains that cracking product codes is the key to understanding the value of items. The creator says that shoppers are not going to simply find good deals at the clearance sale unless they know what the codes mean. 

He first explains that the product codes that end with 00 indicate that the product has got the final markdown before they are sent back to the manufacturer. While they are at the last step, Soalz says they are usually not pennied out. 

Screenshots from the video | TikTok | @toolswithsoalz316
Screenshots from the video about penny deals | (Image source: TikTok | @toolswithsoalz316)

The next codes he explains are the ones that end with 06. He says the number indicates that six weeks after the first markdown, the product will further go down to 03, after which they will be disposed of or sent to another store. Thus, these may not offer penny deals as well. Lastly, he says that the product codes that end with 97 or 07 are the ones that are at regular prices. 

Coming to the products that are pennied out, Soalz says the codes to look for are the ones that end with 018. He says if shoppers put the code in their app and the price doesn't show up, there is a good chance that it could be a penny deal. The next code to look out for is 252, which if also doesn't show up on the app, can be a penny deal, he says. 

Screenshots from the video | TikTok | @toolswithsoalz316
Snaps from the video going viral | (Image source: TikTok | @toolswithsoalz316)

Next Soalz explains that poorly run stores are most likely to offer penny deals. He says if a store has items out of place, mislabeled, or in sections where they don't belong, it indicates that the store may be understaffed or poorly run. These stores are likely to keep old and damaged products around, which are typically pennied out.  

He then explains that there are four departments/sections that are most likely to have penny deals. These are plumbing, electrical, paint, and lawn & gardening. These sections are mostly understaffed or run by old-timers who keep old products around. 

Soalz says that in the four mentioned sections, there could be products with faded packaging or boxes with water damage and weathering. These are most likely to go for huge markdowns but he says that the only way to find out is to ask somebody. The creator claims that associates can offer discounts of up to $50 on old/damaged products and supervisors may bump it up to $100. 

Screenshots from the video | TikTok | @toolswithsoalz316
Screenshots of the man talking about specific products | (Image source: TikTok | @toolswithsoalz316)

Several users bombarded the comments with their queries. WHhle some said they found good deals, others claimed that the information shared was inaccurate. "I will have to say… you got about 15% of this right," wrote user, @blakef25

Screenshot from the comments | TikTok | @pysinner
Screenshot from the comments section | (Image source: TikTok | @pysinner)

Furthermore, a Home Depot worker also claimed that there are no penny deals at the store. "As someone who works at HD most of the time penny items just go straight to the compactor, sad how wasteful retailers are," suggested user @kylejacobgandee. "It's not true, I found a ladder for a penny and they didn't want to sell it to me," added another user @oscarbalandran

Screenshot from the comments | TikTok | @my_emplre_of_dlrt
Screenshot of a comment on the video | (Image source: TikTok | @my_emplre_of_dlrt)

However, the creator remained persistent about the shared information and replied to those who asked for more details about the app and deals. 

For more such informative and entertaining videos, follow @toolswithsoalz316 on TikTok.

This article originally appeared 1 month ago.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
There was a lot of anxiety in the air at one point, but things worked out.
3 hours ago
The host of the show expected a fantastic voice but was left utterly disappointed.
7 hours ago
Viewers argued that the game show was turning into a teenage "K-Pop community." 
8 hours ago
The entrepreneur impressed the sharks with her immaculate pitch and outstanding numbers.
1 day ago
Fans were frustrated at the hopeless results in consecutive episodes of the show.
1 day ago
Greiner's hate for bugs and the numbers of The Bug Bite Thing compelled her to make an offer.
1 day ago
Some fans were not too let down as the player didn't figure out the puzzle anyway.
1 day ago
Corey Harrison was scared to death of how his father would react if he found out what went down.
1 day ago
Fans were not happy with the result as there had not been a Bonus Round winner in ages.
2 days ago
Contestants' reactions are often charming for viewers who are already impressed by their performance.
2 days ago
The guest was emotional as he spoke about his grandparents, who owned the items before him.
2 days ago
Groans of disappointment echoed throughout the studio as the game came to its end.
2 days ago
The guest high hopes of earning a five-figure sum but his lack of proof cost him dearly.
3 days ago
The cleaners must have had the best time after this entrepreneur left the stage.
3 days ago
The shark did his best not to shed a few tears as he shared a beautiful moment with his wife and kid.
3 days ago
The host started pointing fingers at the astrophysicist and promised retribution when the time came.
4 days ago
Harrison wasn't too impressed with the piece of rusted metal right from the start.
4 days ago
The embarrassing and chaotic part of the episode was not aired in the final cut.
4 days ago
The guest was quick to give a valuation once it was confirmed that they work.
4 days ago
The woman got a lot of support from fans, and something unexpected happened.
4 days ago