Decorating your home can be so much fun, but it can also be pretty hard on your bank account. Furniture and home decor aren’t always cheap and while discount stores are available, the sleek modern furniture at West Elm keeps calling out to you. Their style is popular for a reason, it’s poppin’ and you can find some great style pieces to make your house a home. Their price tag matches their elegance, however, so outfitting your whole domicile can be cost-prohibitive.
You can try stretching out your home design projects to focus on one area or one room at a time, buying your favorite pieces as you go. If you think a beautiful store like West Elm is outside your budget though, think again. Here are some great tips to help you shop there without breaking the bank.
1. To Earn Rewards Sign Up For “The Key”
Here’s your first lesson about West Elm, they are one of eight companies under the Williams Sonoma Inc. brand. They have a joint loyalty program called “The Key” that you can use to unlock discounts and rewards at all of their stories which are; Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, Rejuvenation, Mark & Graham, West Elm, Williams Sonoma, and Williams Sonoma Home. In all there are 625 store locations spread out in 60 countries, so you’re sure to find yourself using this program a lot if you love home decorating.
Using “The Key” you’ll get the following perks:
- 3% back in Reward Dollars when you shop any of their stores
- Email offers and surprises throughout the year
- Invitations to exclusive events
- Early access to major sales
- Free gift packaging in-store
2. Use Reward Dollars Effectively To Lower Your Cost
Shopping earns you reward dollars and here is everything you need to know to take full advantage of the program.
- Earn Reward Dollars by shopping at Williams-Sonoma brands (both in a store and online) and providing your Key card or your phone number.
- Your Reward Dollars will be emailed to you within 30 days after you earn $15 or more in credit. This email will also contain a reward code for you to use next time you shop (for online use).
- Redeem your Reward Dollars in-store, online, or over the phone when you checkout by providing the code you received in your email. Be aware that these rewards do expire to keep track of your expiration dates and don’t let any rewards go to waste.
3. Find Discount Codes For Online Shopping At Koopy
You can use a discount code finder like Koopy.com to give you a significant discount at checkout. In fact, before you checkout at any online store, you should investigate if there are any discount codes floating around cyberspace that are active and ready for use. It’s a thrill to get an added discount you weren’t expecting when you find a code online you didn’t know about.
4. Join The Mailing List For An Immediate Discount And More Rewards
Most stores offer you some incentive to join their mailing list. West Elm will give you an immediate 15% discount when you give them your email address. When you go to this page for the first time, you should get a pop up asking you to join the mailing list. The mailing list will keep you informed of all the upcoming deals and sales events that you don’t want to miss.
5. Save Money On Shipping
Some of the products that West Elm sells are big and bulky and others are small and lightweight. You can often get free shipping with a discount coupon. For example, one of their latest coupon codes offered included a 20% discount and free shipping. Just be careful, sometimes rugs and super heavy items are excluded from free shipping offers.
If you are lucky enough to have a location near you, you can order online and arrange to pick the item up at your local store rather than having it shipped. Here you can read more about the in-store pickup program that West Elm offers.
6. Know When To Shop
A little planning can go a long way when you know about when the next big sale will be. While West Elm routinely has pop-up sales and discounts of 20-25% off in-store and online, they also have pretty predictable holiday sales throughout the year. Here are some of the holiday sales you can anticipate:
End-of-season sales: After a holiday is the best time to shop for next year’s decor. Shop the day after a major holiday to get deep discounts on holiday merchandise.
Long weekend sales: Long weekends such as President’s Day and Labor Day are great opportunities to get deals on furniture. Don’t forget to check your email for advance notice and early access to these deals.
Black Friday & Cyber Monday: Like all traditional stores, you’ll find some of the best sales of the year on these coveted dates. It kind of goes without saying, but check the website and your email for notices.
January sales: This is traditionally “White Sale Season” for the bedding-and-bath industry. West Elm sells bedding so check out this sale and get some updated sheets.
Seasonal Sales: West Elm will typically have their outdoor decor on sale during the summer and warm fuzzy things in the fall. So plan your shopping around these discounts.
7. Learn To Read The Price Tags
Did you know that some stores put subtle clues right in the price tag that let you know when a sale price is final? At West Elm, if you see a price ending in .97 or .99 then it’s already been discounted and is at its final price. This is your signal to buy now because you won’t get a better price. You can often use discount codes on top of these prices for additional savings.
8. Have You Heard Of The West Elm Furniture Flea?
The furniture flea is an area of the store where they keep clearance items, display models, and open-box or returned items that are not for sale at a discount. It’s a cute way to display the deepest discounts that the store provides.
9. How To Save Big With Gift Cards
If you have gift cards from any of the 8 stores under the Williams Sonoma Inc. brand then you’re in luck, they can all be used at West Elm. Not only that, but there is a trick to using gift cards more efficiently. You can buy discounted gift cards online for extra savings. At websites like Cardpool you can get discounted cards and even exchange cards you got as gifts for stores you don’t shop at.
10. The West Elm Credit Card
When you apply for a West Elm credit card you’ll get a $50 gift once you are approved in the form of reward dollars that you can use to purchase anything in the store. You’ll also get a $25 reward for your birthday. For every $250 you spend, you’ll get another $25 in reward credit. You can also get 12 months of special financing on purchases over $750. If you plan to shop West Elm often or to make high-dollar purchases like bedroom sets or couches then this could be a useful card for you to have.
11. You Might Be Qualified For A Trade Discount
Students, teachers, and people in the design trade can all qualify for a standing discount. You can learn more about the trade program here. It pays to keep track of what stores offer discounts to people in your profession or who support the work you do. This is their way of saying thank you for what you do or for shopping with them often.
12. Get a Retroactive Discount
Did you recently make a purchase then notice a few days later that same item sent on sale? That can be a huge bummer, but don’t fret. West Elm happens to be one of those amazing stores that honor their recent shoppers by giving them retroactive savings. You just have to keep up to date on their prices and then ask for the savings when it pops up. Simply visit customer service to get a small refund and it will be just as if you bought it on sale. This is another great reason to sign up for the mailing list because that’s often how people spot these retro deals.
West Elm Saving Tips FAQs
What is West Elm?
West Elm is a modern furniture and home decor store under the Williams Sonoma Inc. brand. West Elm is known for its trendy and sleek modern home furnishings that are also eco-friendly. But West Elm’s sustainable furnishings are not always cheap. Luckily, we have 12 ways to save at West Elm right here.
When does West Elm have sales?
West Elm sales are easy to predict. You can expect sales:
– The days following a holiday (these are end-of-season sales)
– On long holiday weekends (such as President’s Day and Labor Day)
– In-store on Black Friday
– Online on Cyber Monday
– In January (for “White Sale Season”)
– Each season (especially during summer and fall)
In addition to these routine holiday sales, West Elm frequently offers pop-up sales between 20%-25%. To be in the know of every sale and discount at West Elm, be sure to sign up for the email list.
Where can I use my West Elm credit card to save money?
With a West Elm Key Rewards Credit Card, you can earn rewards and redeem exclusive benefits across all seven of the Williams Sonoma Inc. brands, including:
– Williams Sonoma
– Williams Sonoma Home
– Pottery Barn
– Pottery Barn Kids
– Pottery Barn Teen
– Mark & Graham
– And, of course, West Elm
You can earn up to 5% cashback at these stores and 4% cashback when you use your West Elm credit card at grocery stores and restaurants, including delivery services (but excluding fast food stores).
Everywhere else, your West Elm credit card will earn you 1% cashback. And, you’re eligible to receive an additional 5% (that’s 10% total) cashback at Williams Sonoma Inc. brands within the first 30 days of having your new West Elm credit card (as long as you’re a new cardholder).
How do I use West Elm rewards dollars?
If you’re a member of The Key, you earn 2% cashback on all Williams Sonoma Inc. brand purchases.
Rewards from your purchases are updated to your online account within 48 hours of either purchase or shipment, but this is just for your reference.
To redeem West Elm rewards dollars, you need to wait until West Elm sends you a reward code to your email inbox. Once sent, you can view your review code through the online Key Rewards dashboard on any Williams Sonoma Inc. brand website.
Williams Sonoma Inc. will send you a Key Rewards code 30 days after you earn $10 or more in Silver rewards (the free program where you earn 2% back) or $20 in Gold rewards (for West Elm credit cardholders).
How can I save more money at West Elm?
Saving money at West Elm is easy with our 12 little-known tips and tricks. To make the most out of every trip to West Elm, remember to:
– Check Koopy.com for coupons
– Join the mailing list for an instant coupon and additional offers
– Avoid delivery fees by opting for in-store pickup or using a coupon
– Shop during sales events
– Shop clearance items through the furniture flea
– Purchase discounted gift cards
– Sign up for The Key, West Elm’s free rewards program
– Apply for a West Elm credit card
– Sign up for the trade program if you’re a student, teacher, or designer
– Take advantage of sales retroactively
Now You’re Ready To Shop At West Elm
Now that you know all the tricks of the trade when it comes to shopping at West Elm, you are ready to go forth and decorate your home in trendy mid-century modern style. You’ll be able to save money on furniture, rugs, artwork, bedding, and accent pieces that will make you the envy of all your guests. Your home will be the talk of the town once you fill it with the awesome decor items you found on sale.
