I have come a long way since I first walked into DSW 9 years ago. Over the years, I have learned how to take advantage of all the savings this amazing store offers. At first glance, the prices at DSW are reasonable for designer brands compared to other retailers. Once you learn the ropes, you will see that they are not good enough to pay full price. My most memorable deal was only paying $3 for a pair of shoes. I also have never paid more than $50 for brands like Marc Fisher and Steve Madden. In this post, I am sharing how I save the most money when shopping at DSW.
- Sign up for DSW emails. You will receive a $10 reward as a welcome gift to use on anything in-store or online. Your coupon will arrive in about 3 days. Have multiple emails? Sign up with them to get more rewards!
- Become a DSW VIP member, it’s free! This membership is gold! It allows you to earn points that turn into reward certificates, which can be used on your purchases. You will accrue 1 point for every dollar spent. Once you reach 100 points, you will receive a $5 reward. As well, there are a few opportunities throughout the year to earn bonus points that help you earn rewards faster.
There are three VIP tiers: VIP, Gold, and Elite. The more you spend, the better your rewards/offers. Every year as a member, you will receive either a $10 reward or a gift as an annual perk. - Free Shipping at DSW.com. Spend $35 and receive free standard shipping. VIP members get free shipping on every order, no minimum.
- Donate shoes to get points. Once a week, you can donate new or gently used shoes in-store for 50 reward points. Two donations get you a reward! You will need to be a VIP member to receive points.
- Birthday reward. Another perk of being a VIP is that you receive a $5 reward for your birthday. VIP Elite’s get $10. Make sure the birthday fields are complete on your VIP profile, so you don’t lose out.
- Free in-store returns. If you need to return an online purchase, head to a DSW store. This will save you $8.50. VIP Gold & Elite can return online for free.
- In-store pick-up. Buy online and select to pick up your order in-store. Each time you do this, VIP’s get 10 points. Non-members, choose this option to avoid paying shipping costs for orders under $35.
- Coupons. A sale at DSW means using coupons to save. As a VIP member, you will receive coupons in the mail if you have your address filled in on your profile. These will have a barcode for in-store use and promo codes for online use. Another way to retrieve coupons is to check DSW.com or the free app. The promo codes are directly at the top. You can use up to 3 coupons per transaction online or in-store. Bonus point offers like double points days will usually be in coupon form. Any automatic coupons applied to an online order such as free shipping will not affect coupons.
- Shop for clearance. The most bang for your buck. This section is typically in the back of the store. Boxes are marked with colored stickers that indicate a specific percentage off. The color stickers vary, so check the coding sign on the clearance racks. For example, purple could be 20% off and red 30% off. You will still want to stroll the aisles for clearance and look for clearance/percentage off signs sitting by the display shoes. For online clearance, the prices will be marked down in red.
- 10% off. A perk when shopping with DSW is free gifts, which are frequent over the year. Get 10% off an online purchase when a free gift is sold out. If you are unable to add a gift code or gift to your order because it is sold out, don’t fret. Chat with customer service about it and they will either issue a one-time 10% off code OR adjust your total due after you pay. P.S. Even if you return your purchase, the free item is yours to keep.
An extra tip to make shopping easier, download the app. It is a convenient way to shop and house all your rewards. I hope you enjoyed this post, and it helps you save big! Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think about these tips in the comment section. I would also like to know the most you have saved at DSW.
Photo by Celeste McKinley Photography
***Disclosure: All thoughts/opinions are my own. Tips are based on my own experiences. Affiliate links are used in this post. If you purchase through these links/photos, I may receive a small commission. By doing so, you make CentsibleBlonde.com possible! THANK YOU for coming by! XOXO, BRITTNEY
Great post. Honestly, I am a casual DSW shopper & VIP member. However, I will definitely look into some of the tips you listed that I am not already doing.