25 Things To Buy At Ross (And 25 Things You Should Definitely Avoid)

Shopping at Ross Dress for Less is like going on a treasure hunt. But not every treasure is the same. Some are real gems, while others are probably best left hanging on the clearance rack.

Here is what you should get, and what you should avoid getting, when shopping at Ross.

#1 Buy This – Sneakers

Adidas, Nikes, and other major brands can be found here, sometimes for as much as half off the original price. When you consider that some of the sneakers are more than $110 regularly, $60 is a genuine steal.

#1 Avoid This – Irregular items

Ross will mark an item with “irregular” right on their tag if it is. While they get plenty of clothes due to overstock, changes in season, and over-manufacturing; some items end up at Ross because they may have defects.

Avoid these or check them over carefully before purchasing.

#2 Buy This – Discontinued products

Are you trying to find something but missed it by a season in all the usual stores? Check out Ross. You may be in luck.

#2 Avoid This – Anything you have to haggle over

The managers at Ross don’t have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to changing prices. That all comes down from corporate. If you think the price is wrong on an item or it should be less, putting it back is probably the only option.

#3 Buy This – Name Brands

Ross gets its items from major stores. That means you don’t have to settle for unheard of names. You’ll find Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, and more. Know you’re getting quality by sticking to brands you already know and trust.

#3 Avoid This – Second and third markdowns

While it may make sense to wait until an item is marked down, they usually only go down by increments of 10%. It may not be worth it to wait another week or two, especially if the item is likely to be snatched up in the meantime.

#4 Buy This – The bags!

They have plenty of nice name brand bags to choose from, including brands such as Michael Kors. Best of all, they’re all at rock bottom prices.

#4 Avoid This – Most things you can get from T.J.Maxx

In two-thirds of cases, items at T.J.Maxx are actually comparable to or cheaper than what can be found at Ross. Why not go straight to T.J.Maxx, or at least check it out?

#5 Buy This – Markdowns

They do markdowns every Monday, so to get the best items before they’re snatched up, put Mondays at Ross into your calendar.

#5 Avoid This – Home inventory

Ross has a limited amount of home inventory, and it’s all fairly random due to the nature of the store. If you want a wide variety of items that match, you may want to skip Ross when it comes to this.

#6 Buy This – The same exact item with a lower price

Often, the same exact item on a shelf or rack will be priced differently than the ones next to it. This is just due to how the company categorizes shipments, but it can be a little extra savings for you. Look through all of them for the one with the lowest price.

#6 Avoid This – Personal care brands

Personal care brands, such as Dove or Nivea, are best bought at Target or Walmart where they accept coupons and change out stock regularly.

#7 Buy This – Beauty brands

You can save an absolute ton of cash on brands such as Clinique by checking to see if Ross has them before throwing away your money at other stores.

#7 Avoid This – Fragrances

While they cost less than in department stores, the internet still wins the price war when it comes to pricing on perfume. Shop around online first.

#8 Buy This – Apparel

Ross has an incredible amount of clothing. You’ll find plenty of treasures hiding in the rows and rows of racks.

#8 Avoid This – Anything you can get online for cheaper

Don’t just assume something is cheaper because it’s at Ross. Use the Amazon app to compare prices while you’re in the store.

#9 Buy This -Anything that’s 49 cents

The lowest price you will find at Ross is forty-nine cents. If you find a price tag with that number, you’ve essentially won.

#9 Avoid This – Holiday shopping

The prices don’t get any lower during holidays. The store just gets more crowded. To find the best bargains, avoid the holiday chaos and shop when almost no one else is there.

#10 Buy This – Pet clothes and toys

It might be the first thing you think about when you see Ross, but they have a fairly good-sized section dedicated to pets.

#10 Avoid This – Coupons

Ross does not offer discount codes. They also don’t accept coupons of any kind.

#11 Buy This – Baby clothes

Ross has a ton of apparel, and that includes baby clothes as well as accessories. Check them out before buying the same thing for more money somewhere else. Your toddler is just going to grow out of in a few weeks either way.

#11 Avoid This – Socks

The prices aren’t much different than other stores. There is only so far that socks can be discounted.

#12 Buy This – The shoes

It’s not just sneakers. Ross has a wide variety of shoes, and they often include hard to find sizes.

#12 Avoid This – Plus sizes

While they do have plus sizes, you’re going to find yourself really digging through to locate anything decent.

#13 Buy This – Luggage

Luggage can be expensive, but it’s usually more than half off the listed price by the time it gets to Ross. Save a bundle and spend that money while you’re on vacation.

#13 Avoid This – Stains and rips

Check clothing carefully before purchasing. Some of the items may be returns, and there is no guarantee that they won’t have had something happen.

#14 Buy This – Workout clothing

It’s hard to miss out on this deal. The items are usually deeply discounted.

#14 Avoid This – Set of items

Check all sets to make sure they contain everything before you buy. Ross does have a reasonable return policy, but it’s still a pain to have to go back to the store to make the return.

#15 Buy This – Formal dresses

Before shelling out a ton of money for a prom dress, check Ross first. You may be able to pick up an absolute dazzling bargain for a twenty.

#15 Avoid This – Anything you haven’t tried on

With the mix of brands comes a mix of sizing. Make sure something fits before heading for the cash register.

#16 Buy This – Winter coats

These can get expensive when paying full price. Ross usually has racks full of winter clothing, so check it out first.

#16 Avoid This – Mismatched shoe sizes

Always, always, always check both shoes to make sure they are the same size before purchasing them. Sometimes they get mixed up during stocking.

#17 Buy This – Phone cases

If you need a new phone case cheap, consider Ross first. They have a good selection, and there’s usually plenty of variety.

#17 Avoid This – Towels

While it may not seem like a big deal, buying a few towels at Ross means you’ll probably never be able to find matching towels or bathroom accessories later on.

#18 Buy This – Nail polish

Ross almost always has every color of the rainbow, and you’ll recognize most of the brands.

#18 Avoid This – Lingerie

While it may seem like a bargain, it’s harder to return, and there are more things likely to be wrong with it. Avoid this aisle.

#19 Buy This – Cosmetics

You can save a ton on makeup. Make sure to check back frequently if they don’t have what you want on a particular day.

#19 Avoid This – Furniture sets

If an item needs to be returned, chances are they won’t have a replacement. Skip buying large sets at Ross.

#20 Buy This – Everything on the shelves!

While discount clothing has its own rack (or racks), other discount items don’t. You can find them on the regular shelves among everything else. It really is a treasure hunt.

#20 Avoid This – Food

Ross has gotten into selling some food, usually expensive oil and spices at a deep discount. Check the expiration dates closely before making any decisions on these

#21 Buy This – Anything on a Tuesday if you’re over 55

Ross offers a ten percent discount to everyone over the age of fifty-five on Tuesdays. Just bring your ID with you.

#21 Avoid This – Ceramics

Check any plates and cups carefully before making a purchase. Odds are that the items have been through a lot with the shipping, unpacking, repacking, shipping, and unpacking.

#22 Buy This – Jewelry

While the selection may be an eclectic mix, you will find some incredible deals among them. It’d definitely worth checking out.

#22 Avoid This – Sony earbuds

At a dollar less than on Amazon, they’re still a bargain, but they’ve been through a lot more. Electronics don’t always manage to survive the process it takes to become a discount item.

#23 Buy This – Unique furniture

While furniture sets at Ross have their risks, individual items that will add a little extra flair to your house can often be found in the aisles at Ross.

#23 Avoid This – The app

The Ross app is useless. They’re just fated to be an offline-only store.

#24 Buy This – Batteries

They’re usually cheaper than the competition and are major recognizable brands. Who can argue with that?

#24 Avoid This – Coolers

While there are exceptions, Ross doesn’t seem to discount these as much as other items.

#25 Buy This – Cuisinart

Quality Cuisinart skillets are often available at Ross, and at more than half the price that you can find them elsewhere.

#25 Avoid This – Missing out

There are a ton of treasures a Ross just waiting to be found. Take the time to really explore while you’re there.

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