A few retailers, such as Amazon and Holt Renfrew, won’t release information about discounts in advance. But you easily do an online search, or look at deal-focused sites like Red Flag Deals , for details on last year’s sales — a good indicator of the types of promotions to expect and the brands that will participate, although the specific mark-downs and selection will differ. My strategy is to price-out and wish-list any must-have items in advance, so I’ll recognize quickly on the big day if a deal is truly a steal or barely a sale.