Sales in Italy – Winter and Summer 2024

Sales, or as the Italians say, “Sconti,” are precisely when exclusive items from world-famous fashion houses can be purchased at reasonable prices.

Typically, such events are held twice a year – during the winter and summer.

Their schedules largely depend on the city’s geographical location: traditionally, the sales season began in the southern regions, and then the northern ones followed suit. The average discount size today is 15-20%.

Law on Sales in Italy

In 2011, the Italian government enacted a law according to which uniform dates for conducting sales were established throughout the country. Before this point, “Sconti” could start on completely different days – the dates depended on the event’s location, as well as on the store’s status (mass-market, chain store, boutique, etc.).
With the adoption of the new law, an official sales calendar was also established, violation of which schedule leads to certain sanctions – fines. Also, boutiques and other stores can only hold sales and promotions with the authorities’ permission.

The sales period lasts exactly 60 days. However, if the discounted goods are sold out earlier, stores are entitled to end the promotion, returning to their usual mode of operation. As for items that cannot be sold, they are sent to various stock outlets.

Interestingly, at the start of the sales season, the size of discounts varies by 10-20%, but as the hype around the event subsides, the most popular models and sizes disappear, and the discount percentages increase. Thus, by the end of the winter or summer season, items can be purchased with a discount of up to 50%.

When Do Winter Sales Start in 2024

The winter discount season in Italy starts on the first Saturday of January, in 2024 – this is January 6 (in some stores, a day earlier – January 5), its official end is considered the beginning of the Great Christian Lent. Sales at this time are preferable to summer ones, as the discount on goods can reach 70%.
Calendar of the winter sales season 2024:

• L’Aquila (L’Aquila) – from 01.05 for sixty days;
• Potenza (Potenza) – from 01.05 to 03.06;
• Catanzaro (Catanzaro) – from 01.06 for sixty days;
• Napoli (Napoli) – from 01.04 to 03.04;
• Bologna (Bologna) – from 01.04 to 03.04;
• Trieste (Trieste) – from 01.05 to 03.31;
• Roma (Roma) – from 01.04 to 02.19;
• Genova (Genova) – from 01.04 to 02.16;
• Milano (Milano) – from 01.04 for sixty days;
• Ancona (Ancona) – from 01.04 to 03.06;
• Provincia di Campobasso (Campobasso) – from 01.05 to 03.05;
• Piemonte (Piemonte) – from 01.05 to 02.28;
• Bari (Bari) – from 01.06 to 03.02;
• Cagliari (Cagliari) – from 01.05 to 03.06;
• Palermo (Palermo) – from 01.05 to 03.17;
• Firenze (Firenze) – from 01.05 to 03.06;
• Perugia (Perugia) – from 01.05 for sixty days;
• Aosta (Aosta) – from 01.06 to 03.17;
• Venezia (Venezia) – from 01.05 to 03.02.

The dates are determined by local authorities.

Places more favorable for winter shopping are the same as for summer – Rome, Milan, Rimini, Florence.

When heading out for the winter sales season, you should understand the following:

1. Both discounted items and those that can be purchased at full price will be presented in boutiques and stores. However, areas with discounts and new collection items are separated.
2. Average discounts remain within 20-30%, price drops only apply to clothing that fits non-standard sizes.
3. Store payments can be made in cash and by card.
4. Not all items participating in the promotion will be put on sale on the first day. The assortment tends to be slightly replenished over the 60 days of the sales.

Winter Discounts in Rimini

«Sconti» in Rimini is especially popular among Russian shopaholics. This city is home to many stores offering mass-market and prêt-à-porter clothing. You can buy autumn, winter, and mid-season items here from January to March. Typically, domestic fashionistas come to this Italian town for furs, shearlings, and leather jackets, distinguished by top-notch quality and democratic prices.

The policy of conducting sales in local stores shows the following trend: at the beginning of the season, discounts do not exceed 30%, but after three to four weeks, their percentage increases to 45-50. By the end of the event, items in boutiques and shopping centers can be purchased at a discount of up to 80%.

Notably, in Rimini, sales are not only organized by mono-brand boutiques or luxury segment stores but also by wholesale factories belonging to the mid-price range and fur salons.

When Do Summer Sales Start in 2024

The summer Italian sales seasons are trendy among avid shopaholics and fashionistas, as this is when you can purchase exclusive items from world-renowned brands at significantly lower prices than their original cost and relax on the warm, sunny coast.
When planning your shopping tour, you should be aware of “Saldi” – the state sales calendar. It contains information regarding the dates of the beginning and end of the discount season in the country’s leading shopping centers. Notably, the schedule is arranged so a potential shopper can visit almost all of Italy’s major retail outlets.

Schedule of the sales season by cities:

• L’Aquila (L’Aquila) – from 07.03 to 09.08;
• Potenza (Potenza) – from 07.02 to 09.02;
• Catanzaro (Catanzaro) – from 07.03 to 08.31;
• Napoli (Naples) – from 07.03 to 09.04;
• Bologna (Bologna) – from 07.03 for sixty days;
• Trieste (Trieste) – from 07.02 to 09.30;
• Roma (Rome) – from 07.03 for six weeks;
• Genova (Genoa) – from 07.03 for forty-five days;

• Milano (Milan) – from 07.03 for sixty days;
• Ancona (Ancona) – from 07.03 to 09.01;
• Campobasso (Province of Campobasso) – from 07.02 to 09.14;
• Piemonte (Piedmont) – from 07.03 to 09.01;
• Bari (Bari) – from 07.02 to 09.14;
• Cagliari (Cagliari) – from 07.03 to 09.04;
• Palermo (Palermo) – from 07.03 to 09.15;
• Firenze (Florence) – from 07.03 to 09.04;
• Perugia (Perugia) – from 07.03 for sixty days;
• Aosta (Aosta) – from 07.03 to 09.30;
• Venezia (Venice) – from 07.03 to 09.31.

There’s a set of unwritten rules without knowing which comfortable summer shopping in Italy is impossible.

1. On the opening day of the sales season, real tumultuous excitement and uncontrollable chaos will reign in the shopping spots. That’s why the store administration may invite police officers or additional security.
2. To be among the first in line to a boutique, you should take your places from the night, as many people want to buy an original item at a discount.
3. Be prepared that you may not be able to try on the item you like, as all fitting rooms will be occupied, and the queues for them will be longer than the ones that gathered in front of the store itself. Experienced shoppers advise you to buy the product immediately – in the worst case, you can always sell it.

Analyzing the geography of summer sales, as well as the accumulated experience of shoppers and fashion experts, several areas can be identified that are considered most favorable for shopping:

1. The center of Italy (the capital and Rimini (Rimini));
2. The North (Milan);
3. The South (Bari).

In each of the cities that serve as platforms for sales, there are places where shopping will be more productive and diverse. Below are the main shopping centers in Italy, as well as the addresses of their boutiques.
Any fashionista’s sacred duty is to visit Via dei Condotti in Rome. It is here that a record number of boutiques and premium-level stores are concentrated, offering shoes, clothing, and accessories from leading contemporary designers.

In Milan, it is strongly recommended to visit the improvised shopping “quadrilateral” consisting of the following streets: Via Andrea, via Montenapoleone, via Gesu, and Via della Spiga.

If you have chosen Venice as your shopping destination, you should walk around Piazza San Marco and the adjacent streets.

Italian Outlets

Italy is a country that boasts a record number of outlets. An outlet is a large shopping complex that offers products from leading contemporary brands at reduced prices (discounts can reach 70%) throughout the year. Typically, these establishments sell products from 3-5 years old collections.
Today, this term refers to traditional outlet centers and various spacci and stock houses.

Stocks

Stocks are small commercial shops that offer discounted merchandise. You can find items circulating in prestigious boutiques several years ago but failed to sell. The main distinctive feature of such outlets is the record discount percentage. Thus, wardrobe items in stock are purchased at prices 70-80% less than their original cost.

Spacci

Spaccio is an outlet specializing in selling products directly from the manufacturer. The prices in these trading points are not much higher than in stock stores.
The list of goods you can purchase in spacci:

• Items from at least three years old collections.
• Exclusive prototype items from leading fashion houses, created in single copies that may be seen in future collections. The only caveat of these products is that they are all presented in one size – the smallest, as they were initially tailored specifically for runway models.
• Items from new and old collections with minor defects or flaws. Their discount can reach 30%.
• Spacci are located near their production sites, sewing factories.

TOP 5 Outlets in Italy

Outlets can be found in any city or region of Italy, but how do we know which one is preferable? Below are the best Italian outlets for your attention.

Castel Romano

Castel Romano Designer Outlet is located near Rome at Via del Ponte di Piscina Cupa, 64. The outlet is open daily from 10:00 to 21:00.
Here, you can buy last year’s collections from world-famous brands with discounts of up to 70%. Also, the store conducts a series of additional private sales for its regular customers.

The Mall

The Mall Outlet is located in Florence at Via Europa, 8. It operates daily from 10:00 to 19:00.
This outlet belongs to the luxury segment. It offers its customers items from past collections of fashion houses such as Prada, Miu Miu, Fendi, and others.

Fidenza Village Outlet

Fidenza Village Outlet is located in Milan, at Via S. Michele Campagna, 43036 Chiusa Ferranda, Fidenza, PR. It operates daily from 10:00 to 19:00.
It features over a hundred different clothing and footwear brands. Additionally, the outlet has its own official website – fidenzavillage.com, where you can preview the entire available assortment.

The only downside to “Fidenza Village Outlet” is that it is far from Milan’s center.

Prada & Miu Miu Outlet» (Space)

The Prada & Miu Miu Outlet (Space) is located in Florence at Via Levanella Becorpi, Località Levanella, S.S. 69 – 52025 Montevarchi (AR).
The main feature of this store is that it offers its customers exclusively high-quality and exclusive items from Prada and Miu Miu’s production. Notably, here you can purchase discounted goods from last year’s collections and some items from the current seasons at special offers.

Fuzzi Factory Outlet

The Fuzzi Factory Outlet is located in Rimini at 167, Via al Mare, San Giovanni In Marignano RN.
It deserves your attention because it abounds in unusual and extravagant clothing from talented Italian designers. You will not find models like those in this trading complex anywhere else.