Stepping into Anthropologie immediately whisks me away to a joyful place. The thoughtfully arranged window vignettes. The beautifully dressed mannequins. The unique flowing frocks, retro-inspired jewelry and charming little tchotchkes. It even smells delightful when you enter an Anthropologie shop.
But nothing at Anthro — not even that dreamy signature scent — is inexpensive. (Those constantly burning candles in the stores cost $28 each.) That’s the one downside of Anthropologie. One glance at the price tags, and my blissful bubble promptly pops.
As much as I adore the Anthropologie aesthetic, I refuse to pay full price for their merchandise. So what’s a devoted Anthro fan to do? Over the years I’ve collected a handful of savvy strategies from my own shopping mishaps and from friends who’ve worked there.
Here are my nine favorite tactics to trim your Anthropologie spending so I can wave goodbye to those outrageously high price tags.
1. Join the Club
Signing up for Anthropologie’s loyalty program, ANTHRO, is free. You’ll score a few nice perks like access to a personal stylist, early access to new arrivals and invitations to members-only in-store events.
But the standout benefit is the birthday discount each year. If you enroll at least 30 days before your birthday, you’ll receive a 15%-off code by email. For more on this, see this detailed FAQ about the birthday offer from fan blog Endless Anthropologie.
When you join, you’ll also be added to their mailing list. Brace for Anthropologie email bombardment — they send frequent messages about sales and promotions.
2. Get a Job
If your Anthro obsession runs deep, it might pay to work a few shifts at your neighborhood store. That way you can take advantage of a substantial employee discount. The staff discount also applies at Free People, Terrain, BHLDN and Urban Outfitters. Here’s what Anthro team members receive, straight from their official site:
- 40% off regular-priced apparel, accessories and shoes in stores and online. Apparel and accessory exceptions
- 25% off Urban Outfitters beauty, men’s and women’s watches
- 25% off Anthropologie estate jewelry
- 25% off BHLDN merchandise
- 25% off FP Pet Project
- 25% off all regular-priced home/apartment merchandise, Anthropologie infant/child
- 25% off Terrain regular-priced merchandise in stores and online
- 20% discount at the Terrain café for employees and one guest. Excludes alcoholic beverages and gift certificate purchases.
Discounts typically don’t apply to sale items, with one notable exception: three times per year Anthropologie runs employee appreciation events at every location. During those events, employees may buy both full-price and marked-down sale merchandise at 40% off at Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain, BHLDN and Urban Outfitters stores and websites.
3. Snag an Inventory Shift
Not keen on working at Anthro full-time? You can still score a hefty discount by helping with inventory. Counting every item in the shop can be tedious, but it’s an easy way to earn some cash for a few hours and you’ll get to buy one item at 40% off.
No prior Anthro experience is required. Most stores hire extra temporary help for inventory, so give your local shop a call for details.
4. Keep Your Receipt
Sometimes you must have that dress even at full price. But hang on to your receipt. Anthropologie offers price adjustments within 14 days. If your purchase is later reduced, you can return to the store with your receipt to claim the difference.
Even if your item was already on sale when purchased, keep proof of purchase. Anthropologie may further discount it, and you could still be eligible for additional price adjustments.
5. Never Skip the Sale Room
Shopping the sale aisle is an oldie but goodie, and Anthropologie’s sale room is particularly rewarding.
Often tucked away in the back, it’s frequently packed with treasure. Here’s why: many Anthropologie pieces are sold exclusively online, but all items can be returned to stores. Those online returns often end up in the sale room so the shop doesn’t have to ship them back to the distribution center.
I’ve found heavily reduced $300 shoes, $170 denim and all sorts of other bargains in the sale room that were online returns. It’s also where items discounted for flaws — a missing button or a small pull — turn up at reduced prices.
6. Shop with Discounted Gift Cards
Someone else’s unused gift card can be your windfall. You can purchase discounted gift cards on reputable sites to lower the effective price of your Anthro haul.
I’ve spotted gift cards for 18% off on Raise, 3% off on Gift Card Zen and 3–5% off on Gift Card Granny. You can also check Craigslist — I once saw someone listing a $325 card for $175 — though I’d take extra steps to verify the card before paying cash for such a steep discount.
7. Build a Wish List Online
Create an Anthropologie account to save items to your wish list. If any saved pieces go on sale, Anthropologie will notify you by email. It’s smart to include sold-out pieces too, because sometimes items are restocked.
8. Shop by Brand on eBay
I recently purchased a brand-new Anthropologie dress, tags included, on eBay for $80 — originally priced at $300.
But because Anthropologie items are desirable, some eBay listings can be misleading. A search for “Anthropologie” might turn up items that aren’t actually from the store; sellers often add the name to gain visibility. The better approach is to search by the brand label. Look for brands Anthropologie carries, like Sweet Pea, Language, Velvet and Weston Wear.
Since Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters are under the same parent company, there’s occasional brand confusion. The following brands are NOT Anthro labels: Free People, Lux, Kimchi and Blue, Angie, Matty M, Truly Madly Deeply and ICE, according to an eBay seller who follows the scene closely eelbay9.
“A strong sign the piece IS from Anthropologie is a gray Anthro hangtag, or a photo of the item taken from the actual Anthro website or catalog,” recommends eBayer siouxsie322. “Another hint is if the seller lists the original retail price, e.g. ‘retailed for $118.’”
9. Follow the Fan Blogs
Anthropologie has such a fervent fan base that dedicated blogs exist solely for the store. Follow them to keep up with deals and special offers.
- Effortless Anthropologie: One of the most-followed fan blogs, it also hosts a Facebook group of thousands where readers buy, swap and sell Anthropologie and BHLDN items. Blogger Thea Domber even occasionally partners with Anthropologie for contests, as Racked noted.
- Breakfast at Anthropologie: Sophie frequently highlights sales and curates “best of sale” roundups when items are reduced.
The boho-chic Anthro aesthetic can be pricey. Buzzfeed recently shared a list of laughably extravagant Anthropologie offerings, which hit home — it included a $3,000 armoire.
But if you shop with these insider tricks, you’ll rarely pay full price at Anthropologie again. Unless you absolutely, positively need that one perfect piece. And if so, don’t forget to keep your receipt!
Your Turn: Have any other tips for saving at Anthropologie?
