Home Depot penny items: how penny shopping works
Updated 2026-09-30
A Home Depot "penny item" is a product that rings up at $0.01 at the register. It isn't a sale — it's an item the store has been told to pull from the floor, usually after it has gone through every clearance markdown. If it's still on the shelf when you scan it, the register may charge a penny.
Why items go to a penny
Home Depot clears discontinued and seasonal products in stages. When an item reaches the end of its clearance cycle, the system marks it for removal and the price drops to $0.01 so it can't be sold at a normal price by mistake. Staff are supposed to pull those items for return, donation or disposal — but not every unit gets pulled, which is where penny shoppers come in.
Because the penny price exists for removal rather than sale, penny items are almost never tagged on the shelf and don't show at $0.01 on homedepot.com. You find them by scanning.
Clearance price endings shoppers watch
Home Depot doesn't publish its markdown codes, but penny shoppers commonly report that the cents on a yellow clearance tag hint at where an item is in its cycle:
- Prices ending in .06 — an earlier clearance markdown, with more reductions likely to come.
- Prices ending in .03 — commonly treated as the final markdown before an item is pulled.
- Prices ending in .01 at the register — a penny item.
- These patterns vary by store and department and aren't guaranteed. Treat them as hints, not rules.
How to find penny items
- Scan clearance items with the Home Depot app's in-store mode. Items marked for removal may show as unavailable or with no price rather than $0.01, so an odd result on a clearance item is worth a closer look.
- Look at end caps, back shelves and bays that are being reset — penny items cluster where old products are waiting to be pulled.
- Follow items that sat at a .03 price: those are the ones most likely to drop next.
- Use a tracker that watches clearance at many stores at once so you know which of your local stores are worth the drive.
Store policy and etiquette
Officially, Home Depot does not sell penny items, and a cashier or manager can decline the sale. Ask politely, don't hide items, don't pester staff for penny lists, and accept a no. Stores that feel gamed tend to tighten up for everyone.
How DealHawk helps
DealHawk tracks Home Depot clearance at the stores near you and flags items that look like they've hit the end of their markdown cycle — clearance items still showing on-hand inventory but no longer sellable online. You get a shortlist of likely penny and deep-clearance items per store instead of walking every aisle.
See live Home Depot deals · Home Depot price drops & history
Frequently asked questions
What is a Home Depot penny item?
It's a product that rings up at $0.01 because Home Depot has marked it for removal from the sales floor, usually after its final clearance markdown. It isn't advertised and isn't tagged at a penny on the shelf.
Does Home Depot have to sell me a penny item?
No. Penny items are meant to be pulled, not sold, so a cashier or manager can refuse the sale. Many stores do sell them when they turn up at the register, but it's at the store's discretion.
Is there a Home Depot penny list?
Home Depot doesn't publish one. Shopper communities share items they've found, but penny items differ by store, so a national list is only a starting point. Checking the clearance at your own stores is more reliable.
What does a price ending in .03 mean at Home Depot?
Penny shoppers commonly report that a clearance price ending in .03 is the final markdown before the item is pulled. Home Depot doesn't confirm this and it isn't consistent everywhere.