What is the Difference Between Sale and Clearance?

🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚

The main differences between a sale and clearance are:

  1. Time and inventory: Sale items are often limited-time offers and may have limited inventory, while clearance items are usually in effect indefinitely until the items are sold or pulled from the market.
  2. Purpose: Sales are typically used to attract customers to the store, whereas clearances are meant to help sell unwanted inventory, often consisting of seasonal or outdated items.
  3. Refundability: During a sale, customers can usually return items, while clearance items are often marked as "final sale" and are not eligible for a refund.
  4. Price adjustments: Retailers may offer price adjustments on sale items, but clearance items are not usually eligible for price adjustments.
  5. Promotions and discounts: Both sale and clearance items may be excluded from promotional offers and coupon codes.

In summary, sales are temporary discounts on items that are popular, while clearance items have permanent discounts and are often seasonal or outdated. Clearance items are usually non-refundable and are sold "as is".

Comparative Table: Sale vs Clearance

The difference between a sale and clearance can be summarized in the following table:

Feature Sale Clearance
Time Limited time only Indefinitely, until the items are sold or completely pulled from inventory
Purpose Attract customers to the store Help sell unwanted inventory and make room for new products
Price Products may be priced lower than regular prices, but the price may return to normal after the sale Items are priced lower than regular prices and the price tends to decrease over time before the store decides to pull it from the inventory
Products Sales typically occur on widely popular items Clearances are used to get rid of outdated, unpopular, or seasonal products
Return Policy During a sale, a consumer can return an item During a clearance event, items are nonrefundable

In summary, sales are promotional strategies used by businesses to attract more customers and typically occur on popular items. Clearances, on the other hand, are meant to help sell unwanted inventory and make room for new products. Clearance items are typically available at a significant discount and are often nonrefundable.