How Canadian sale events actually work
Every retailer offers weekly deals, but a few host actual events—named sales that are larger and often more significant than regular weeks, occurring on a predictable schedule. These events are worth knowing about separately from individual deals because they indicate when to hold off on purchases rather than just what’s currently on sale.
Here’s a rundown of recurring events worth knowing and how they typically behave:
Canadian Tire: Big Red Sale
Canadian Tire holds a “Big Red Sale” several times a year, usually aligned with a season, such as a Spring or Summer Big Red Sale. Each sale lasts about a week and offers discounts across tools, outdoor gear, seasonal items, and home goods. It’s promoted through both flyers and online campaigns. The name remains consistent despite slight variations in timing each year, making it easy to recognize when a new sale begins, even if the exact dates aren’t known.
Worth knowing: Since the Big Red Sale is seasonal, the categories on sale change accordingly. Spring/Summer editions focus on outdoor and garden items, while later sales tend to cover more general home goods. If you’re waiting for a specific item, it’s advisable to check which season’s sale is closest before assuming any Big Red Sale will cover it.
Indigo: Our Big Sale
Indigo’s recurring event is called “Our Big Sale.” It typically offers up to 50% off (sometimes higher on specific categories) and covers books, lifestyle and gift items, kids’ products, and more. The sale is available both online and in-store and occurs multiple times a year rather than on a single fixed date. It’s distinct from Indigo’s ongoing clearance section, which operates continuously rather than as a separate event.
Worth knowing: Indigo also runs frequent smaller promotions (percentage-off codes and category-specific sales) outside of Our Big Sale. However, the named event is the one to watch for if you’re seeking a broader discount rather than a specific category.
Best Buy: Several, and they stack through the year
Best Buy Canada hosts more named events than most retailers, spaced throughout the calendar.
Black Friday, the big one in late November, is preceded by an “early Black Friday” run-up in the weeks leading up to it. In July, Black Friday echoes the November event, though it’s smaller in scale. Cyber Monday, the Monday after Black Friday, focuses on online shopping. Boxing Day and Boxing Week, in late December, often offer the best deals of the year for electronics. Periodic “Friends & Family” discounts provide broader-than-usual savings, with timing varying. Labour Day Sale occurs in early September.
A few things to keep in mind: Best Buy’s team has publicly stated that new deals are added weekly, even outside of named events. Therefore, “no event running” doesn’t mean “no deals”—it just means the sale isn’t as deep as during one of the above events.
A general pattern emerges
The name of the event is more stable than the date (retailers reuse a branded event but adjust the timing slightly each year). Named events cluster around a few common calendar anchors shared by most Canadian retailers: back-to-school, Black Friday/Cyber Monday, Boxing Day, and a spring/summer seasonal push. If you’re timing a purchase around one of these anchors rather than a specific brand’s named sale, you’re usually on the right track.
We’ll keep this page updated as we discover new or renamed events. Every Sale we post includes links back here, so you can see how it fits into the pattern rather than just its current discount level.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash