JSLALALAND

BEFORE YOU LAND

The LA shopping calendar

In LA, buy the same thing a month early and it can cost 20% more. It's not where you buy, it's when. The whole year's sales, markets, outlets and what to watch for bringing stuff back to Taiwan, in one shopping calendar.

Translated from Jasmine’s original Chinese. The illustrated slides are on the interactive reader.

Key points

Full text

  1. Before you go ① | Prices don't include tax

    City of LA sales tax is 10.25% as of October 2026; West Hollywood and Pasadena are 11%, and Santa Monica and Commerce, home of the Citadel, are 11.25%. See $100, and think $110.

  2. Before you go ② | The US has no tax refunds

    Unlike Japan or Europe, the US has no tourist tax refund, and California has no tax-free shopping week either; the price at checkout is the final price.

  3. Before you go ③ | Sign up for memberships first

    Sephora Beauty Insider is free; spend $350 a year to reach VIB and $1,000 for Rouge; Nordstrom cardholders get early access to the Anniversary Sale; Costco has a monthly member coupon book.

  4. January | After-Christmas clearance

    Big winter clothing markdowns: coats, sweaters and boots are at their cheapest all year. LA winters aren't cold, but for winter clothes to take back to Taiwan, January in LA is the best deal.

  5. February | Presidents' Day weekend

    In 2027 it's 2/15, with the biggest discounts on furniture, mattresses and appliances; before Valentine's Day there are also lots of perfume and skincare gift sets.

  6. March | Ulta 21 Days of Beauty

    The big twice-a-year beauty sale; the spring one is usually in March. A different brand every day, and each brand usually gets just one day. 'Miss that day and you wait six months.'

  7. April | Sephora's spring sale

    It depends on your tier: Rouge 20% off, VIB 15% off, free members 10% off, and the house brand is 30% off for everyone. Sephora left Taiwan in 2023, so what you buy in LA actually makes a great gift to bring home.

  8. April–May | Alo's Aloversary

    The once-a-year spring anniversary sale, nicknamed 'Alo's Black Friday,' usually late April to early May, about five days; members get 30% off sitewide that stacks on sale prices, and clearance goes down to 70% off.

  9. May | Memorial Day, the Half-Yearly Sale

    In 2027 it's 5/31, the first long weekend of summer, often with discounts on outdoor furniture, summer clothes and appliances; Nordstrom's Half-Yearly summer sale is often May to early June.

  10. June–July | July 4th, Prime Day, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

    The observed Independence Day holiday in 2027 is 7/5; Prime Day is usually June or July. What's special about the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is that new fall and winter pieces go on sale first. 'In LA, you start buying coats in July.'

  11. August–September | Back-to-school, Ulta fall, Labor Day

    Ulta's fall sale is usually late August to September; Labor Day 2027 is 9/6, with summer clothes and swimwear on clearance and mattresses and appliances discounted, starting two or three days before the long weekend. Trader Joe's pumpkin season arrives in September.

  12. October | Prime Big Deal Days, the Black Friday warm-up

    Amazon's fall member deals are usually in early October, about two days; lots of stores start teasing Black Friday, and after Halloween, decorations and candy are marked way down.

  13. November | Alo's 11.11, Sephora fall, Black Friday

    Alo does a first round around 11/11, and on Black Friday 2025 members got 30% off sitewide; Black Friday is 11/27 and Cyber Monday 11/30, and lots of deals start a week early, so no need to line up at midnight.

  14. 12/1 | Giving Tuesday isn't a sale day

    It's a day of giving, and many brands donate part of that day's revenue. If you want to support brands or causes you care about, pick this day.

  15. December | Gift season

    The first half of the month is gift sets and Christmas-edition packaging; most stores close on 12/25, and clearance starts after Christmas and runs right into January.

  16. Good deals any time | Secondhand and markets

    Rose Bowl Flea Market is the second Sunday of every month, $15 from 9 a.m.; Melrose Trading Post is every Sunday, $6 cash; 260 Sample Sale in Beverly Hills often runs designer sales.

  17. Outlets near LA

    Citadel is closest (15–25 minutes); Camarillo is about an hour and pairs with Santa Barbara; Ontario Mills and The Outlets at Orange are about 45–60 minutes; Desert Hills is on the way to Palm Springs.

  18. Bringing it back to Taiwan

    General goods up to NT$35,000 are duty-free; over that, go through the red lane; skincare liquids over 100 ml go in checked bags; capsule and tablet supplements are limited to 12 bottles per type, 36 bottles total.

  19. One last line

    In Taipei, you wait for the department store anniversary sales; in LA, you wait for Sephora and Black Friday. 'Good shoppers are the ones who know when to buy.'

Places in this story

In this series

Read it with the slides →

An original JSLALALAND field guide by Jasmine Chang (@jslalaland).