How to triumph over the Wolverine Worldwide Super Mega Shoe Sale: Tips from a bargain hunter

With over 10,000 pairs of shoes and savings of up to 80 percent off, the annual Wolverine Worldwide Super Mega Shoe Sale is a bargain hunter’s dream. I would know. Sales are my weakness. At Christmas, my family and I wrap the receipts with our gifts to compete over who found the best deal.

I also work at Heart of West Michigan United Way – where all proceeds of the sale will go (!) – and I’ve been a shopper (and volunteer) at this sale for years.

Here are a few tips for coming out on top: 

1. Arrive early, or don’t.

It’s true that the shelves are fully stocked in the morning, and the most-coveted deals will go fast, but people line up very early. If you want the rush of being one of the first people in the tent, you’ll have to get in line in the wee hours of the morning. I heard that the first people who were there last year started lining up their cars at midnight the night before! There will be more than a thousand people in line by the time the tent opens at 8 AM.

Instead of waiting in line for hours upon hours for a few hot-ticket items, I suggest shopping in the afternoon when the lines are shortest. New merchandise is put out all day. Great deals on the sample sizes will always be available, and there are boxes of other sizes put out each hour.

2. Bring a bag, or three.

Bring your largest reusable shopping bag or bring more than one. You’ll need them. If you forget your own bag, there are discarded boxes around that you can claim, but they get heavy and won’t allow you to move freely between the aisles.

3. Shop common adult sizes and kids’ sizes first (and then again before you leave).

Kids’ sizes, women’s 9, and men’s 10, 11, and 12 all go pretty fast. If you are looking for these sizes, shop for them right when you get in the tent. Since volunteers are bringing out more boxes of shoes all day, double-back and check for new stock in these sizes right before you leave too.

4. Shop both sexes.

I wear a size 8 ½ in women’s, but some of the best shoes that I’ve gotten from the sale were size 7 in men’s. Make sure you check your equivalent size in both sections. There is an approximate 1.5-size difference between men's and women's sizing.

5. Make sure your shoes are a matching pair.

I’ve made this mistake. There are no returns and there is very little chance of finding the matching shoe. The disappointment is real. Make sure both shoes are the same size and the same color or style. Even if they are bound together with a rubber band or a tag, double-check.

6. Some of the best deals are in apparel.

Don’t skip this section of the tent. If you find coats, jackets, jeans, or sweatshirts, those are always great deals. You can also find great stuff for running, cycling, and working outside.

7. Shop a day BEFORE everyone else!

The day-before presale is usually reserved for Wolverine Worldwide employees only, but this year, you can get in too! If you volunteer 12 hours over the next few weeks to helping United Way sort shoes, you’ll gain entry. Learn more.

8. Play nice.

Please remember that this sale is for charity, and the people working it are volunteers. Be nice, and have fun!

Wolverine Worldwide Super Mega Shoe Sale

August 25, 8 a.m. -6 p.m.

9343 Courtland Dr. NE

Rockford, MI 49341

All proceeds benefit Heart of West Michigan United Way!

Learn more.

Jessica Young is the Communications Coordinator at Heart of West Michigan United Way.