Hey, I Found 13 Awesome Stores Like Big Lots for Savvy Shoppers in 2026!

As a fellow bargain shopper, I know you love scoring great deals on home goods, furniture, clothing, and more at Big Lots. But did you know there are lots of other excellent stores like Big Lots that offer similar discounts across a huge array of products?

I‘ve hunted down the top 13 alternatives that will satisfy your inner bargain hunter in 2024. Keep reading for the inside scoop!

Overview

Big Lots built its reputation by offering jaw-dropping deals across an endless array of products for your home and family. However, smart shoppers like us recognize many great alternatives are available beyond your local Big Lots.

  • Retail giants like Walmart and Target offer one-stop shop convenience with rollback pricing and clearance deals across massive inventories.
  • Category specialists like Home Depot, IKEA, and Bed Bath & Beyond present viable options within select departments like home improvement, furniture, and housewares.
  • Niche discounters like Tuesday Morning and Nebraska Furniture Mart provide heavily marked down offerings within more curated product niches.

Mixing and matching across these retailers enables us deal divas to maximize our savings while uncovering the widest range of bargains for our homes.

Keep reading for detailed breakdowns of the top 13 stores like Big Lots for savvy shopping in 2024:

1. Walmart

With over 4,700 stores throughout the U.S., Walmart is likely the first one-stop shop that comes to mind when looking for a Big Lots alternative. As the largest retailer in the world, Walmart carries an absolutely massive selection with over 150,000 products covering home goods, furniture, clothing, groceries, electronics, toys, outdoor equipment, and more.

While Walmart may not be thought of as an extreme bargain store in the same vein as Big Lots, its sheer size allows it to leverage economies of scale. Walmart offers consistently low prices across categories, with 45% of top-selling products priced below Amazon. The retailer also routinely runs special deals, rollbacks, and clearance events to keep prices competitive.

In 2021, Walmart‘s average basket size was around $47, compared to $42 for Big Lots based on public comments by Big Lots‘ CEO Bruce Thorn. This indicates Walmart customers are buying in similar average quantities per trip. Walmart‘s massive selection means you can likely find comparable products to Big Lots at the same or lower prices.

The key advantages Walmart offers over Big Lots:

  • Convenience of one-stop shopping under one roof
  • Wider assortment and inventory breadth
  • Competitive base pricing and frequent promotions
  • More locations and omnichannel options like curbside pickup

However, Big Lots trumps Walmart in its treasure hunt shopping experience of finding unexpected closeout deals and discounts.

2. Target

Target is another mass merchandise retailer structured similar to Walmart, offering a diverse product mix of quality, on-trend merchandise at discount prices. As the 8th largest retailer globally with nearly 2,000 stores across the U.S., Target carries everything from groceries and household essentials to furniture, apparel, and electronics.

While Target positions itself as more upscale than Walmart with trendy owned brands and partnerships, it still competes aggressively on price for value-focused shoppers. Target routinely offers discounts through weekly circulars, mobile app coupons, Clearance sales, and special holiday promotions like Deal Days and Cyber Week.

According to JPMorgan retail analyst Christopher Horvers, Target‘s average basket size is around $62 compared to $47 for Walmart. However, Target offers a more curated range of products focused on discretionary categories. For bargain shoppers, a trip to Target can yield deals on similar products as Big Lots across apparel, home decor, furniture, kitchenware, and seasonal items.

I like Target over Big Lots when I‘m looking for stylish home products at a discount. However, Target‘s smaller overall inventory means you have to shop across retailers to complete all your bargain hunting needs.

3. Home Depot

For any home improvement or remodeling projects, Home Depot offers an excellent alternative to shop the hardware, tools, lumber, flooring, lighting, and other categories also found at Big Lots.

With over 2,200 warehouse-style stores across North America, Home Depot is the largest home improvement retailer worldwide. It stocks everything needed for major home remodels, repairs, maintenance, and decoration.

Some of Home Depot‘s most popular departments include:

  • Lumber
  • Flooring
  • Paint
  • Lighting
  • Bath fixtures and decor
  • Kitchen remodeling supplies
  • Power tools
  • Outdoor living
  • Indoor furniture
  • Home decor

Many items can be bought in bulk or large quantities at Home Depot to unlock savings. The retailer also routinely runs Special Buys unlocking up to 50% discounts on select merchandise.

While Big Lots has a solid home improvement section, Home Depot offers a dramatically wider range of products and specialty expertise that is hard to match. For outfitting an entire house from top to bottom with quality materials and fixtures, Home Depot is my top bargain hunting destination.

4. IKEA

Globally renowned as the leading source for contemporary, affordable furniture and home furnishings, IKEA is a retail force to be reckoned with. Tens of millions of shoppers flock to IKEA each year for its trendy Scandinavian-style furniture, cleverly designed organizational products, trend-forward housewares and decor, plus every accessory imaginable for customizing a home.

While IKEA showrooms and products exude a more sleek, upscale vibe than Big Lots, bargain hunters can still uncover great deals on furniture, mattresses, storage solutions, textiles, and kitchenware. IKEA pricing remains extremely competitive in the furniture category, and occasional sales like its annual Summer event help drive costs even lower.

In 2022, the average IKEA customer spent $116 per store visit based on global parent company Ingka Group data. That‘s more than double Big Lots‘ $42 average ticket. This makes sense given IKEA‘s specialized product range focused on larger home furnishings.

Currently, IKEA has 59 stores located across the U.S. concentrated in major metropolitan markets. The retailer plans to expand to over 130 more small-format city-center locations by 2025 to increase convenience.

If you seek furniture on a budget, it always pays to comparison shop between IKEA and Big Lots to find the best deals. Just make sure to measure carefully first, as returns are a hassle with IKEA‘s flat-pack items!

5. Kmart

Kmart still operates as a discount department store chain, though its presence has declined significantly after merging with Sears. Today around 400 Kmart stores remain in operation across the U.S. and provide an additional off-price shopping choice for bargain hunters seeking deals.

At Kmart, shoppers can browse many familiar categories also sold at Big Lots, including home goods, furniture, clothing, shoes, toys, electronics, outdoor/seasonal products, pet supplies, health and beauty, pharmacy, groceries, and more. Kmart employs a "discounting down" strategy of pricing items at everyday low prices supplemented by promotions like Blue Light Specials to drive traffic.

While Kmart‘s product breadth can‘t match massive retailers like Walmart and Target, category overlap with Big Lots does make it a viable discount shopping alternative. Just know that Kmart‘s brand selection skews towards lower-end options, and its inventory depth is limited due to dropping sales and store count. Bargain deals can be found, but may require more digging than other retailers.

6. World Market

Formerly known as Cost Plus World Market, this specialty import retailer offers a diverse and eclectic mix of home decor, furniture, rugs, linens, gourmet food, gifts, apparel, and unique accessories curated from over 40 countries.

The treasure hunt experience of browsing World Market‘s 260+ stores mirrors the discovery and surprise of exploring ever-changing inventory at Big Lots. Frequent sales and clearance deals up to 60% off make World Market competitive with Big Lots‘ regular discount prices.

World Market also shares a similar model of constantly rotating unique inventory sourced from across the globe. This ensures there is always something fresh and exciting to uncover with each visit.

While shopping World Market doesn‘t offer the one-stop convenience of Walmart or Target, its global selection provides more interesting options for international home decor I haven‘t seen anywhere else.

7. Sears

Once an iconic retail innovator, the remaining Sears stores still offer good deals across categories like appliances, mattresses, clothing, tools, fitness equipment, and more. After its sharp decline from over 3,500 locations in 2010 to around 100 full-line stores today, Sears focuses on deals and promotions to drive traffic and sales.

When shopping Sears, I always watch out for:

  • Flash sales offering up to 60% off apparel and accessories
  • Friends and Family discounts of 10-20% sitewide
  • Special financing incentives on big purchases like appliances
  • Bonus Shop Your Way rewards points on categories

Sears doesn‘t have the selection breadth it once did across all departments. However, if you see a specific product on sale like a fridge, mattress set, or fitness machine, the deal may beat out Big Lots.

The key is going in with a plan to avoid browsing. Check the weekly ad circular and Shop Your Way rewards app to hunt down the rock-bottom bargains discounted even beyond the everyday low pricing.

8. Value City Furniture

As the name makes clear, Value City Furniture is a leading destination for affordable living room, bedroom, and dining room furniture. With over 100 no-frills warehouse showrooms predominantly in the Midwest and East Coast, Value City carries quality furniture suitable for furnishing a full home across budgets.

Big Lots has stepped up its furniture game in recent years. But for the lowest furniture prices guaranteed, Value City still rules in my opinion. The retailer sources directly from manufacturers and keeps overhead low to enable rock-bottom pricing. Living room seating starts under $300, with full seven-piece dining sets from just $399.

On top of already affordable everyday prices, Value City runs regular markdowns like:

  • 15% your entire purchase discounts
  • Up to 35% off sales across categories
  • Bonus VIP rewards dollars
  • Special financing incentives

For filling up your entire home on a budget, I always recommend also browsing the deals at Value City along with Big Lots.

9. Crate and Barrel

If you like the contemporary, minimalist style of IKEA but want higher-end quality furniture and decor, Crate and Barrel is a great alternative to Big Lots.

While pricier than Big Lots, Crate and Barrel specializes in sleek, urban living products emphasizing both form and function. The retailer positions itself as an aspirational lifestyle brand for the modern homeowner through its exclusive furniture designs, gourmet cookware, and unique home accessories.

However, savvy shoppers can still uncover deals at Crate and Barrel. Tips for saving include:

  • Watching for seasonal furniture sales like Memorial Day, Labor Day
  • Shopping special offers like 20% off your entire purchase
  • Browsing the outlet section for discounted items
  • Looking for warehouse/final sale deals on furniture and decor

While shopping Crate and Barrel won‘t replicate the same treasure hunt thrills as scouring Big Lots bargain bins, its specials on contemporary furniture and housewares make it a worthwhile stop for the design-minded shopper.

10. Bed Bath & Beyond

As the nation‘s leading home goods retailer with over 900 stores, Bed Bath & Beyond is an obvious one-stop shop alternative to Big Lots for outfitting the bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, and other living spaces throughout your home.

Walking into a Bed Bath & Beyond store, the crammed shelves and packed product displays definitely echoes the same vibe as scouring the selections at Big Lots. Bed Bath & Beyond ultimately comes down to convenience of getting all your household needs in one place at discount prices.

Ways to save even more at Bed Bath & Beyond:

  • Clip digital coupons in the mobile app for % discounts
  • Join the Beyond+ membership program for 20% entire purchases
  • Shop the Clearance section for overstock deals
  • Wait for seasonal sales like Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day

When comparing with Big Lots for home essentials like kitchen gadgets, bedding, organizers, or decor, I always like to check Bed Bath & Beyond for wider selection and special coupon deals first.

11. Tuesday Morning

This off-price retailer specializes in closeout inventory and discounted famous-brand home goods sourced straight from manufacturers and luxury retailers. With over 700 locations, Tuesday Morning stores feel like upscale garage sales, with an ever-changing array of furniture, rugs, gourmet food, home accessories, gifts, and seasonal inventory.

Given its closeout business model, hitting up Tuesday Morning requires a bit of dedicated hunting to find those can‘t-miss limited-inventory bargains. But when you score, you can save huge with prices discounted up to 60% off department store rates. I‘ve found incredible deals on luxury bedding, holiday decor, furniture floor samples, and gourmet kitchen gadgets.

The thrill of never knowing what you‘ll find at Tuesday Morning perfectly aligns with the hunt for hidden gems and surprises browsing Big Lots‘ aisles. Definitely add this stop into your bargain shopping rotations.

12. Rooms To Go

Rooms To Go is a leading furniture retailer with over 200 stores across the U.S. concentrated in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Texas. It focuses specifically on living room, bedroom, dining, and mattress furniture sold at warehouse low prices.

The company is known for stylish, contemporary furniture fashioned from quality hardwoods and premium upholstered fabrics. But don‘t let the sleek showrooms fool you – Rooms To Go pricing is extremely affordable, with sofas starting around just $299 and sectionals from $499. Occasional sales knock up to 50% off prices sitewide or on select departments.

With its selection limited specifically to furniture, Rooms To Go serves as an ideal supplementary destination alongside the wider range of categories and bargains available at Big Lots.

13. Nebraska Furniture Mart

And finally, rounding out our list of stores like Big Lots is Nebraska Furniture Mart. Founded way back in 1937, NFM has grown over decades into one of the nation‘s largest home furnishings and electronics retailers.

While known as an outlet for major appliances and mattresses, NFM also sells furniture, flooring, outdoor gear, fitness equipment, grills, and more across its multiple massive warehouses. The flagship 460,000 square foot location in Omaha is an attraction, drawing shoppers from hundreds of miles in search of unbelievable deals.

Nebraska proudly focuses on offering the lowest prices and passing dramatic savings onto its customers. For brand-new, top quality products, NFM‘s pricing cannot be beat – they will match or beat any competitor‘s price.

The key advantage NFM holds over Big Lots is its buying power to offer full-service inventory depth across furniture and appliances. If you‘re outfitting an entire house or apartment, a trip to Nebraska Furniture Mart is a must to shop the rock-bottom guarantees.

Big Lots built its popularity around unbelievable deals across endless aisles of bargain surprises. But savvy shoppers should always explore other retailers to find the best deals on any given day.

Mixing Big Lots into your shopping rotation with category leaders like Walmart, Target, IKEA, and Home Depot gives you buying power across all your household needs. While regional players like Tuesday Morning and Nebraska Furniture Mart enable you to pinpoint niche deals.

I hope this breakdown gives you a head start in planning your bargain hunting strategy for 2024. Remember to always compare circulars, look up discounts, and read product reviews before making major purchase decisions. Stick with me for more insider tips on getting the most savings out of every shopping trip!

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