When is the Best Time to Buy Patio Furniture?

Frugal shoppers are scouring the net for the best deals on patio furniture asking, "When is the best time to buy patio furniture." There are a few suggestions for this. Some say the best time to buy outdoor furniture is in May, right before the summer begins. Others suggest August-September to be the best time to purchase furniture for your porch and outdoor deck.

In my honest opinion, September is the best time to snag the best deals on patio furniture, taking all factors into consideration. But don't take my word for it. Rather than have you search a bazillion different sites, I've curated a list of various sources around the web so that you can see what each expert had to say.

Editor's Note: Some of our readers have pointed out that this guide is biased toward "best time" equating more or less to "best value"; they rightly suggest that buying patio furniture post-peak season, while netting you savings, also drastically reduces the options available to you. So if you are looking for "options" and "selection" more than "bang for your buck", the expert advice below may not apply to you; in short, the best time to buy patio furniture for the most selection and available inventory is in March to early April; while the best time to buy for a good deal is August or September, depending on which expert you talk to.

FAQs: Best Time to Buy Patio Furniture

September—right after Labor Day. Retailers clear out inventory and prices “hit rock bottom” later in September. Fewer shoppers and store liquidation targets create steep markdowns, sometimes approaching cost, to make room for next season’s models.

Yes—Labor Day sales and late-summer clearances shine. Experts split between August and September. The difference depends on inventory, weather, and calendar quirks. Expect growing discounts after Labor Day, with many sales and broader deal activity through September.

March to early April for choice; February to order early. For options and in-stock variety, shop before peak season. Ordering in February provides cushion for custom cushions and shipping, helping you receive sets before summer crowds create backorders.

October can be cheap, but stock thins fast. Prices remain low as outdoor season wraps, but waiting into winter risks limited selection. Many stores won’t restock until spring (roughly April–June), so sizes and sets may be scarce.

Retailers must liquidate and shopper demand falls. Stores slash prices to clear space for winter goods and recoup costs before ordering new models. With fewer buyers searching, discounts deepen—sometimes 50%+ during late-season clearances.

Not ideal—expect backorders and delays. Many shoppers try to “beat the crowd” in May, but that’s exactly when demand spikes. Retailers sell out and backorders grow, so deliveries can slip by weeks. Shop earlier if you need pieces for summer.

Yes—commercial timelines can differ. This guide focuses on residential shoppers. Hotels, resorts, campuses, and restaurants often have different cycles and requirements, so the optimal buying window may shift accordingly.

This is your launching pad, so continue below to uncover the best seasons for buying patio furniture.

What the Experts Have to Say:

Alexandra Mondalek from Time.com/Money - August

“Now is the time to buy home furnishings and patio goods.”

Frugal Living.About.com - August

Erin Huffstetler from About.com suggests August to be the best time to buy patio furniture.

Lozo Expert - August-September

"Some experts say that August is the best time to buy patio furniture and others say September. To be honest--they're both right! It depends on a few factors that will change from year to year:"

The store (and how much inventory they may have left)
The weather (nicer weather may mean they'll try to wait to have more people buy at full price)
The calendar (Thanksgiving is a key holiday, so when it falls earlier in the year things go on sale earlier)

Business Insider - September

"Outdoor seating typically goes on sale after Labor Day passes. Other experts suggest May as a good time to find patio furniture, before Memorial Day arrives."
Yahoo Shopping - “Now is a decent time to buy. You might save 20% to 30%. But if you really want rock-bottom prices, wait until August when you see the prices drop by 50% to 70%.”

USA Today - September

"After Labor Day, it's out with the old and in with the new when it comes to summer's must-haves. Prices on patio furniture, outdoor accessories and pool supplies will hit rock bottom later in September. The further away from summer, we get, the more desperate stores are to unload summer goods and make room for winter gear, which equals lots of clearances and discounts. If you're thinking of updating your outdoor-living essentials, try to push your purchases as deep into September as possible."

Deal News - September

"Patio Furniture Deals Are Sitting Pretty. Speaking of patio furniture, it's finally a great month to buy these items during Labor Day Sales and beyond. September will see an increase in the sheer number of outdoor furniture sales and deals on seasonal outdoor items."

Lifehacker - October

"Now that the outdoor season's really wrapping up, you'll find the best prices on patio furniture before it all goes away."

How to Find the Best Deals on Patio Furniture

Working with several furnishing companies, I've learned something about the business and will shed some light on the issue. September is the best time to buy patio furniture because retailers are trying to get rid of old models and are more likely to have it in stock. Waiting to October isn't bad but if you wait until deeper into Winter, you might get into some issues with inventory because they're not going to be restocking until just before the start of the hot season (April-June).

In September, they need to clear their inventory before next season. Lowering the price is the best way to do so. Their goal is to recoup their money so they can purchase updated models. Sometimes when you see 50%, you really are getting 50% off because they're usually selling it at cost in an attempt to liquidate the product.

There is also much less demand for patio furniture when September rolls around. Few people are searching for patio furniture, so prices drop! You can see that from this google trends chart from 2018.

Tips for Ordering Outdoor Furniture in May

While I wouldn't necessarily say that May or early Spring is a bad time to buy outdoor furniture, I would say that it could cause some complications with logistics. This is one of the reasons I suggest buyers purchase patio furniture before Summer. For one, this is right before the most hectic season of the year. You may think that you're beating the crowd by ordering in May but the truth is, everybody is thinking like this. What ends up happening is that many retailers run out of stock and have to place your order on backorder.

This means you could get your patio furniture 2 months later than expected. Not something you want to hear, especially when you only have 3 months of summer to enjoy. If you want to order between Winter and Summer, I'd suggest to start shopping in February. Sales are still slow and you can ensure that you receive your furniture on time with a little cushion time for small delays such as custom cushions. It's also worth spending time thinking about the patio furniture purchase you're planning on making. There are a huge amount of options and a lot of things to consider. We put together a quick guide to help you navigate the patio furniture purchasing process.

Grab some of the Hottest Deals on our Patio Furniture Sale page!

You can refer to the suggested articles below for more tips and information. I also put together a list of the best patio furniture brands that I HIGHLY SUGGEST taking a look at. There aren't too many big brands (of quality) out there so it helps to do your homework.

This guide is largely written with the normal, residential consumer in mind. If you represent a commercial interest, the "best time" may actually be different for you. We suggest you check out our commercial patio furniture buyer's guide for more info on how best to shop for hotel, resort, campus, and restaurant patio furniture.