Welcome back to the Retail Arbitrage Series. This post marks the final blog in the series. Writing this has been a great experience for me too, I’ve learned a lot through researching and digging deeper into the different stores and their strategies. Hopefully, you’ve picked up the same insights and built a clear picture of how to structure your RA trips.
For this last post, I wanted to create something that you can keep coming back to all year round. A tool you can reference whenever you’re planning your sourcing trips. This is a yearly planner that outlines which RA stores to focus on at different times of the year, what to look out for, and why.
Copy the table below and use it as your go to sourcing calendar for RA!
RA Yearly Planner
| Time of Year | Key Events / Themes | Best Stores to Hit | What to Source / Why |
| January | New Year, New Me / Post-Christmas | Boots, Superdrug, Savers, Tesco, Sainsbury’s | Health supplements, fitness products, skincare, gift sets on clearance, reduced electronics after Christmas. |
| February | Valentine’s Day | Boots, Superdrug, Savers, Card Factory | Perfumes, aftershaves, beauty bundles, gift sets, seasonal gifts, cards. |
| March | Mother’s Day / Early Spring | Boots, Superdrug, Sainsbury’s, Tesco | Gift sets, cosmetics, skincare, fragrances, cards, seasonal flowers/gifting items. |
| April | Easter | Tesco, Sainsbury’s, B&M, Home Bargains | Easter-themed toys, confectionery (check shelf life), seasonal gift packs. |
| May – June | Father’s Day / Start of Summer | B&Q, Screwfix, Toolstation, Halfords | DIY tools, BBQs, garden products, power tools, Bosch/Kärcher items, car accessories. |
| July – August | Summer Holidays / Back to School | WH Smith, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, B&M | Stationery, calculators, backpacks, kids’ books, outdoor toys, paddling pools, fans. |
| September | End of Summer / Seasonal Clearance | B&Q, Dunelm, Lidl, Aldi | Garden clearance, heaters, kitchenware, bedding, seasonal décor, discounted appliances. |
| October | Pre-Q4 / Halloween | Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, B&M, Home Bargains | Toys (early buyers), costumes, confectionery, beauty offers, household seasonal goods. |
| November | Black Friday / Pre-Christmas Rush | Currys, Argos, Smyths, Entertainer | Electronics (laptops, tablets, consoles), toys, Lego, Crayola, Playmobil, Barbie. |
| December | Christmas / Q4 Peak | Smyths, Entertainer, B&M, Boots | Toys (Lego, Barbie, Pokémon, Hot Wheels), gift sets, fragrances, seasonal health & beauty. |
Final Thoughts
And that wraps up the Retail Arbitrage Series. This yearly planner is designed to be your quick reference guide throughout the year. Whenever you’re planning RA trips or deciding where to focus, come back to this blog post and use the table above to spark ideas.
The key with RA is always timing and consistency. By hitting the right stores at the right time of year, you’ll maximise your chances of finding profitable leads and stacking up sales. Combine this planner with the individual store guides we’ve covered, and you’ve got a solid strategy for tackling RA in 2025 and beyond.
Conclusion
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