Each store marks down its own stock
A store clears what it has too much of, so two Home Depots near each other can have very different clearance on the same item. The price online can also differ from the price in a store. Always go by the price at the store you plan to visit.
Reading the tag
Clearance items usually carry a yellow tag. Shoppers widely report that the last digits of a clearance price hint at how far along the markdown is: a price ending in .06 is often said to be an early markdown that can drop again, a price ending in .03 the last and lowest step, and an item at $0.01 is one the store means to take off the floor (see penny items). Home Depot does not publish these rules and stores do not always follow them, so treat them as rules of thumb, not promises.
Where to look
Check the clearance endcaps, the seasonal aisle once a season ends, and the garden center late in the year. Tools, lighting and hardware are where shoppers often report the deepest drops. Items can sit in odd places, so a quick walk through the aisles you care about is worth it.
Before you make a trip
A clearance price is a snapshot. Look at when it was last seen, have the item details ready if you call the store, and check the return terms before you buy. More in why clearance prices differ between stores.
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