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Home Depot yellow tag price endings: what shoppers report
What the cents on a clearance tag are said to mean, how much to trust it, and what to check before you count on it.
The bottom line
Home Depot has not published what its clearance price endings mean. What you read online comes from shoppers, employees and articles that repeat them. The common report is that a yellow tag means clearance, .06 is a second markdown that lasts about six weeks, and .03 is the last markdown. Sources do not fully agree, and stores may handle $0.01 penny items differently or refuse to sell them. Use the endings as a hint, not a rule.
What the tags and endings mean, as reported
Shoppers and articles say yellow stickers mark clearance items. They also read the last digits of the price as a code. This is what the sources we found say. It is not a Home Depot statement.
Price ends in .00, .98 or .50
Reported meaning: First markdown. If the item does not sell, the price drops again.
Where it comes from: Family Handyman (source 1), citing a TikTok creator. Daily Dot (source 3) says "two zeros" means the item just entered clearance.
Price ends in .06
Reported meaning: Second markdown. Reported to hold for about six weeks before the next drop. One report calls it about 50 percent off.
Where it comes from: Family Handyman (sources 1 and 2); Daily Dot, repeating TikTok creators and other articles (source 3). ABC13 (source 4) also links the 6 to six weeks.
Price ends in .03
Reported meaning: Final markdown and the lowest price, reported to last about three weeks. One report says the item is then moved to clearance or donated.
Where it comes from: Family Handyman (sources 1 and 2); House Digest, citing CBS News (source 5).
Price ends in .02
Reported meaning: Daily Dot lists .02 or .03 as the lowest the item will go. We found no stronger source for .02 alone.
Where it comes from: Daily Dot (source 3).
Price ends in $0.01 (penny item)
Reported meaning: Not meant to be sold. Described as part of an internal write-off process, and a way for employees to find items to pull.
Where it comes from: Daily Dot (source 7), repeating House Digest and employee comments; Chowhound (source 6).
How reliable is this?
- We found no official Home Depot page explaining the colors or endings. Chowhound says it found no official information on penny items either.
- Family Handyman traces its price-ending advice to a TikTok creator and says mislabeling can happen. Daily Dot cites TikTok creators and notes that some viewers questioned the examples.
- Sources differ on details, such as whether two zeros means a first markdown or a final one.
- Chowhound says it cannot say the penny-item rules hold at every store.
Penny items: what is reported
A penny item rings up for $0.01. Daily Dot, repeating House Digest, describes these as part of a write-off process shoppers are not meant to see. Employees quoted there say the penny price helps staff find and remove the items.
Reports on whether you can buy one conflict. A TikTok creator quoted by Daily Dot says people buy them daily. Employees quoted by Daily Dot say items get pulled from carts. Chowhound says management might refuse the sale. If a store declines, that is the store's call.
Traps
Treating a code as a promise
No official Home Depot page backs these codes. Sources also disagree, for example on what two zeros means. Chowhound says it found no official information from Home Depot on penny items.
Waiting for a drop that may not come
Reports say a price ending can hint at the next markdown, but stock can sell out first. If you need the item, a lower price is not guaranteed to be there later.
Expecting a penny item to ring up
Employees quoted by Daily Dot say penny items are pulled from carts. Chowhound says management might refuse the sale and that it cannot say the rules hold at every store.
Old articles
Several of the sources date from 2017 to 2024 and repeat social media posts. Practices may have changed.
Before you check out
- Read the full tag, not just the cents. Check the item and model number match the box.
- Compare the clearance price with the same model's regular price online, or at Lowe's.
- Decide if you need it now. A reported drop is not a guarantee, and stock can run out.
- Ask a store associate how clearance works at that store.
- Keep the receipt and check the store's return policy for clearance items.
How we put this guide together
We don't test or verify these codes in stores. We read the articles listed below on October 9, 2026 and compared what they say, noting where they disagree. The price-ending meanings come from shopper and employee reports, not from Home Depot. We left out claims we could not source, such as exact discount percentages and a date-stamp formula. We earn a commission on some purchases through our links; that never decides what we recommend. Disclosure
Quick answers
Does Home Depot say what the price endings mean?
We could not find an official Home Depot explanation of the endings. The meanings come from shopper and employee posts and from articles that repeat them. Treat them as hints, not rules.
What does a yellow tag mean at Home Depot?
Shoppers and articles say a yellow sticker marks a clearance item. We found no official Home Depot page confirming the color system.
What does a price ending in .06 mean?
Family Handyman, repeating a TikTok creator, reports that .06 is a second markdown and that the item stays at that price for about six weeks. Another report calls it roughly a 50 percent discount. Neither is a Home Depot statement.
What does a price ending in .03 mean?
Reports say .03 is the last markdown, with about three weeks left before the item is moved off the shelf. Daily Dot also lists .02 as a lowest price. Sources are not fully consistent.
Can I buy a Home Depot penny item for $0.01?
Sometimes, but do not count on it. Reports say penny items are not meant to be sold, and employees describe pulling them from carts. One 2026 article says management might refuse the sale and that it cannot say the rules hold at every store.
Do all Home Depot stores follow the same clearance codes?
We could not confirm that. Sources do not agree on every detail, and one article says it cannot say the penny rules hold at every store. Check the tag and ask the store.
Shopping Home Depot deals?
Current Home Depot deals and tool and home-improvement sales.
Sources
- Family Handyman, "If You See This Tag on Your Favorite Home Depot Item, Stock Up" (updated April 19, 2024)
- Family Handyman, "12 Useful Home Depot Shopping Tips" (updated April 8, 2024)
- Daily Dot, "Home Depot price meanings hack" (November 12, 2024)
- ABC13 Houston, "What your price tags are telling you about getting the best deal" (May 22, 2017)
- House Digest, "You Never Knew About These Home Depot Discounts You Can Use At Any Time" (February 21, 2022)
- Chowhound, "How Some Home Depot Shoppers Are Buying Kitchen Sinks For $0.01" (August 24, 2026)
- Daily Dot, "Home Depot penny deals PSA" (March 26, 2024)
- Daily Dot, "Home Depot penny deals" (November 8, 2023)
BlackFriday365 is independent and not affiliated with The Home Depot.