A former Kmart employee has shared her top tips for scoring huge discounts at the department store.
Rita Kaminski,from Sydney, worked at Kmart from 15 to 19, juggling her school work with casual shifts.
And now four years later, the 23-year-old has shared the secrets every customer should know, including the timing of markdowns and why it’s important to always check the barcode on an item before buying it.
Rita Kaminski, who is based in Sydney, worked at Kmart from the age of 15 through to 19, juggling her school work with casual shifts (pictured at Kmart as a staff member)
1. The stock will always drop in price
Rita recommends finding a friend who works at Kmart to keep an eye on the catalogue for you, but if that’s not an option it’s easy to simply check up on the store from time to time.
If there are two toasters that look the same and the last digit of one barcode is eight and the other is nine, the one with the eight should be cheaper.
‘A lot of the stock will always change in price,’ she said.
‘If it’s something that isn’t in the catalogue but it has been in the store for a long time, especially clothes, they can sometimes go on sale for as little as $1.
‘There was a time when every single book was discounted to 20 cents. I bought about 20 books.
‘So if you’re into flipping items make sure you keep checking clothes, books and makeup as well.’
2. Familiarise yourself with the barcode
Rita says it’s important to always check the barcode of a product before buying it – particularly if you’re looking at an upgraded model of the same item.
‘The last digit on the barcode changes after every new season,’ she said.
‘So if there are two toasters that look exactly the same and the last digit of one barcode is eight and the other is nine, the one with the eight should be cheaper.
It’s not often that you check the barcode on a product you’re about to buy, but Rita says it pays to do so – particularly if you’re looking at an upgraded model of the same product
‘It has to be the same model, they just tweak the product and the price I found doesn’t come up straight away on the system.’
FEMAIL has reached out to Kmart Australia for comment.
3. There is extra stock that exists
When Rita worked in the electronics section she said there were plenty of games you could get that weren’t displayed on shelves.
So if you’re looking for a specific game and can’t see it, it is worth asking the employees that work there if it’s out the back.
‘There are thousands of games in storage, so if you’re looking for something in particular, just ask,’ she said.
If you’re looking for advice on products, she recommends visiting the store during the working week between 8am and 5pm because that is when the more knowledgeable full-time employees are rostered on.
As well as having the answers to queries, they may be the best people to go to about discounts.
‘The best bargains are right after Christmas and after Easter,’ Rita said
4. The cheapest time to visit is after a major holiday
‘The best bargains are right after Christmas and after Easter,’ Rita said.
‘On Boxing Day there’s a whole section that drops down to between five cents and $5 but it is usually wiped out on Boxing Day by customers so it’s good to come in early.
‘In between campaign periods like “Back To School” they would mark things down because it’s not as busy but a lot of the times, quite randomly, they will slash the prices of a bulk number of books, clothes or appliances.
‘It’s usually when a newer model/garment has been updated, fixed or isn’t selling.
‘The price will drop down drastically but the item doesn’t really change by much.’
You can follow Rita on YouTube here.