Big Lots does not have a set schedule for restocking their baseball card inventory. As a discount retailer, their shipments and deliveries of new seasonal and hobby products can vary depending on many factors. There are some general trends employees and customers have noticed about when to typically find new baseball cards on the shelves.
The busiest times for new baseball card shipments at Big Lots tend to be during the late winter and early spring months leading up to the start of the new MLB season in April. In January and February, Big Lots will start receiving and stocking their first shipments of the upcoming year’s newest baseball card releases from the top manufacturers like Topps, Panini, Leaf, and Upper Deck. These initial restocks focus on the new set cards for the upcoming season as well as value packs, blasters, and hanger boxes featuring the most recent rookie cards and stars from the previous year.
Many Big Lots locations also like to restock their baseball card aisle in late February and early March with special promotional items to coincide with holiday shopping periods. For example, around Valentine’s Day you may find special packs and boxes themed around love and relationships on the diamond. Close to St. Patrick’s Day in mid-March, Look for bargain deals on “Luck of the Irish” type baseball cards and memorabilia. Stocking these holiday-themed baseball products during these periods helps drive additional foot traffic and sales for Big Lots.
The largest and most prominent restocks at Big Lots usually occur in late March and throughout the month of April leading directly up to Opening Day. This is when the retailer receives massive shipments containing their fullest baseball card inventories of the year. During these times, nearly every foot of shelving behind the baseball card endcaps will be packed with value and hobby boxes spanning the entire season ahead from MLB’s top trading card producers. Careful shoppers can find especially good deals on sealed cases of Topps Series 1 and Panini Contenders baseball if Big Lots has overstock to clear out.
Beyond the initial preseason fillings in January through April, Big Lots baseball card restocks become less frequent but more sporadic throughout the summer months of the MLB schedule. Additional pallets may arrive every 4-6 weeks on average containing the latest releases as series and sets are rolled out continuously by card companies over the season. The specific restock dates cannot be precisely predicted and may differ broadly between various individual Big Lots store locations across regions.
Big Lots typically has their most significant postseason baseball card restocks again in late September through mid-October as retailers like Walmart, Target and hobby shops begin clearing out remaining inventory to make space for holiday seasonal items and non-sports cards. Careful shoppers can find incredible bargain prices on any leftover sealed cases, boxes and packs from the entire previous season still in stock if Big Lots needs to offload older product to vendors before the year ends.
The late fall and early winter months of November through December represent a slower period for new baseball card shipments at Big Lots. The retailer shifts focus to stocking up on all available discounted sports memorabilia, apparel and other gifts suitable for holiday presents instead of emphasizing current-year baseball cards once the season has concluded. Any restocks during this timeframe are usually limited to remaining stock of older discount products from the prior season.
While no permanent schedule exists, Big Lots typically receives the bulk of their baseball card shipments inventory during the late winter months leading into the MLB season opening and then sporadically every 4-6 weeks or so throughout the summer depending on new releases. Their largest and most stocked restocks tend to be in late March through mid-April and again in late September through mid-October annually as sellers clear out remaining items for the year. Savings-minded shoppers seeking a complete bargain can find incredible deals if browsing Big Lots during these general restock timeframes.
