Clearance time at Michaels is just sort of wacky. That’s the only conclusion we can draw from the messages we’ve received from readers in recent weeks documenting their experiences trying to buy clearance items from the random piles of stuff in the back of the store. Anne saw some locally-printed “90% off lowest clearance price” signs on store shelves, and thought that sounded great. The deal was not so great once she reached the checkout. She found herself fighting with the manager and cashiers for the prices that the store itself had posted.

I have to disagree with the writer about the “Michaels” way of doing things.

January 31st I was shopping at a Michaels store in [redacted]. There were a number of these amazing “90% off lowest clearance price” signs up around the store without the pesky bottom language! I was ready to shop.

The signs were at the very front for some random items jumbled near the front, and several were posted in the Clearance section towards the back of the store. I took these back of store pictures to make sure I got the discount when I checked out.

When the items I selected from the shelves pictured here did not ring up right, I went back with a manager and a staff member.

At first they thought the sign was saying that the 90% was already taken off- I pointed out that the math did not work with the items still there.

Next thought was that everything I picked up was there by mistake- I pointed out that there were multiples of those items still there.

New idea- it only applied to the items in the 11 inch spread on the shelf just behind the signs. Then they scanned those things- not 90% off.

Finally, the Manager decided they only applied to a single pegboard hook seen in the top right corner- the peach colored package. Nothing I had chosen was going to be 90% off, despite the vague signage.

My items were not high dollar, some ribbon, a $20 plastic case he offered me 50% off of, stickers, and such. I spent way too much time there arguing over a few dollars. I won’t be back to Michaels anytime soon, which is a shame, because I love to buy craft stuff. Luckily the Joanns nearby is doubling their floor space. I like Michaels products better, but this was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

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