Top 8 Best Times of the Year to Hunt for Discounts You Should Know

Cyber Monday is often mentioned alongside Black Friday because these two days are so close to each other. Cyber Monday falls on the first Monday after Thanksgiving. The day was first proposed by the National Retail Federation (NRF) in 2005. It was suggested as an annual online shopping event due to a significant increase in online sales observed on the Monday following Thanksgiving.

While Black Friday is known for massive in-store discounts, Cyber Monday is the biggest online sales day. Both Black Friday and Cyber Monday are perfect for bargain hunters looking to grab discounts.

Cyber Monday is a can't-miss event for those who love shopping. Online stores in the U.S. offer huge discounts, and that's why services that help buy products from the U.S. have grown rapidly in recent years.

According to Forbes, Singles' Day is the largest online shopping event in China and the world, celebrated on November 11. In Chinese, it's called Guang Gun Jie (Singles' Day), and in English, it's referred to as Singles’ Day. Over the past decade, Alibaba Group, founded by billionaire Jack Ma, has been organizing this quirky holiday for single people as an alternative to Valentine's Day. In addition to popular international brands like Zara, H&M, Topshop, Mango, Chinese e-commerce platforms also offer massive discounts with affordable prices and styles that suit Vietnamese consumers. Discounts typically range from 30% to 70%, making this a fantastic opportunity to hunt for great deals.

Labor Day – celebrated on the first Monday of September every year, Labor Day in the United States is one of the country's major holidays. It honors the social and economic contributions of the working class to the nation's growth. During this time, American fashion brands typically launch promotional sales to encourage shopping as the nation collectively takes a break. In other countries, such as those observing International Workers' Day on May 1st (similar to Vietnam's Labor Day), certain brands may also hold smaller sales to offer special deals to the public.

Flash Sale is often seen as a discount event where products are offered at unbeatable prices for a very limited time, accompanied by heavy advertising to create excitement and anticipation. If the sale reaches its peak popularity, you may find yourself racing to grab the product before it sells out.

Flash Sales typically last just one day or only a few hours, and though they are usually announced in advance, they tend to happen unexpectedly, especially during off-peak seasons. This makes it a prime opportunity for fashion enthusiasts to score stylish items at a fraction of the price that will last well beyond the season.

The dates for Flash Sales are not fixed, as they depend largely on the individual brands rather than a specific event. To catch the best deals, you’ll need to be alert and prepared early. Sales usually happen at the beginning of June, July, or December.

Online Friday is a special online shopping event held on the first Friday of December in Vietnam. This day was created to give consumers the opportunity to enjoy discounts without the hassle of crowded stores. On this day, people can sit at home and shop online for a wide range of products at discounted prices, making it incredibly convenient.

Unlike the traditional Black Friday, which primarily involves in-store shopping, Online Friday is specifically focused on online shopping, offering discounts for purchases made through the internet.

The Vietnamese government approved Online Friday as an annual event, and it is officially organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, with the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy coordinating efforts with businesses to make it a success. In 2018, Vietnam's largest online shopping event took place on December 7th, with the theme “Super Discounts and Genuine Quality” lasting for 24 hours.

Mid Season Sale is one of the biggest discount events for fashion brands, occurring globally. It typically happens twice a year: the first round usually takes place between June and August, and the second round runs from December to February. The purpose is to clear out last season’s stock to make way for new collections. This is why it’s common to see discounts as high as 70% during these sales.

In 2018, brands like ZARA, CK, Vascara, Adidas, Nike, and H&M offered significant discounts ranging from 30% to 70% during their Mid Season sales. It was quite common to see long lines at cash registers in stores and shopping malls during this time.

Final Clearance is a massive discount event that takes place right after the Mid Season Sale ends. The goal of this sale is to clear out inventory once again, making space for the new season's stock. Discounts typically range from 30% to 70% off the already reduced prices from the Mid Season Sale. This means you could snag items at rock-bottom prices—sometimes as low as 10% of the original price.

The clearance discounts are usually very deep, and once items are marked for clearance, they tend to sell out quickly. For example, certain brands might offer discounts of up to 90% during this event.

Black Friday, also known as "Black Friday", occurs on the Friday following Thanksgiving (a major holiday celebrated in the U.S. and Canada). Since Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November, Black Friday typically happens between November 23rd and 29th.

On Black Friday, most major retailers open early, often around 4 AM or earlier, offering massive discounts on tens of thousands of products. Discounts can range from 30% to 40%, or even higher, on popular items such as electronics, appliances, furniture, and fashion. Some employers even allow their staff to take the day off like a holiday, so they can shop.

Due to this, Black Friday is infamous for chaotic shopping scenes, with people scrambling and even fighting over heavily discounted items. It’s the one day of the year when even the calmest shoppers can transform into fierce bargain hunters, eager to grab the best deals.