If you want to get the best deal on a digital piano, you should shop around. Of course, you should compare different piano models and brands. However, it might be worth looking at different times of the year to take advantage of any promotions that can save you money.
When deciding when to buy a digital piano, it’s important to consider current or upcoming sales. Black Friday and seasonal promotions can mean lower prices as can stock clearouts by retailers. Also, when a brand releases a newer model with more specs, other versions can be sold off at a discount.
Whether you’re looking for a new or used digital piano, you should find the right time to buy one. Then, you can save a little money but still get the best model for you. But you also need to know when the best time is for you to buy a digital piano.
Finding the Best Time to Buy a Piano
When you buy a digital piano, not only do you want the best model for you, but you also want the best deal. Digital pianos aren’t nearly as expensive as acoustic versions, but they can still vary significantly in price. Luckily, you can follow the digital pianos market, and find sales or other deals throughout the year.
The piano market changes each month, and it can vary based on where you live. One music store might have a different market than another one. The used digital piano market is different from the new market. All those things can make finding the best time to buy a digital piano more complicated, but they can also increase your chances of finding a good deal.
You don’t need to be a bargain hunter or a sales professional to find the best time of year to buy your keyboard. However, you may need some patience and research skills to learn more and wait for the right time to buy.
Seasonal Sales
One of the best things to look for when deciding if you should buy a digital piano now or later is whether there are any seasonal sales due. Of course, exact sales dates and terms will depend on where you plan to buy. However, many music and electronics stores offer deals for specific holidays or events.
The holidays are a great time to shop for bargains. If you find a local electronics store carries the digital piano you want, you can follow that store for their holiday sales information.
You can also find great holiday deals at music stores since some stores may want to get rid of their current inventory. A new year can bring a ton of new stock into stores, so they may be willing to lower prices to make room for new pianos.
Other holidays may also be good times to shop for digital pianos. If your local music store has a Presidents Day or Memorial Day sale, that can be an excellent chance to find a deal. However, you may still want to compare the different holidays to see if one offers better sales than another.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals
Tons of stores and companies both on and offline offer sales during the holidays and they all start around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If you’re willing to hit the stores in person, you can go in the day after Thanksgiving to try out different digital pianos and look for sales. But if you can’t get out on Black Friday or would prefer to look online, give Cyber Monday a try.
Ideally, you would get a chance to test out digital pianos before you buy them. However, you can view a more extensive selection when shopping online. If you buy from a store with a return policy, you can return the instrument if you don’t like it.
Still, buying either in person or online during the Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales can be a great option. Also, some sales will extend past the day or weekend. You may still be able to get a Black Friday deal on Saturday or Sunday. Some Cyber Monday deals go on for a few days after the week starts.
Luckily, most digital piano brands have some sort of holiday sale. Even if you’re not into fighting the crowds on Black Friday, you can still take advantage of the time of year. You can look around at a few digital pianos, and you may be able to find the perfect instrument at an ideal price.
Other Holidays
While the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a popular time for sales on any product or service, there are still other dates for holiday promotions. Plenty of electronics stores offer sales for holidays like Presidents Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. The deals will probably be different, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad.
- Memorial Day and Labor Day are especially good holidays to consider. The transitions from spring to summer and summer to fall can be an excellent time for you to grab a bargain.
- Similarly, look for sales around the Fourth of July. Many music stores have less business in the summer, so you might find a deal, whether it’s related to the holiday or not.
- You can also look at New Years’ sales and discounts. If a music store gets a new set of instruments at the beginning of the year, they will need to make space. At a time like that, the sales associates will have more of an incentive to lower prices.
Almost any holiday can be a great time to buy a digital piano since stores may have sales. However, you don’t have to wait for a holiday to come around to find a good deal. Certain times of the year, like the back-to-school season, can be a fantastic time to find what you’re looking for, for less.
Back to School Sales
August and September can be a great time of year to buy a digital piano. Many students start taking music lessons during this time, so there’s a chance there will be a surplus of inventory. Even if your local music store doesn’t carry more pianos, you can look at the used market of digital pianos.
Some students may be advancing, and they’ll need to upgrade to a better model or even switch to an acoustic piano. In that case, they’ll need to sell their old one. If you can work your way around markets like Craigslist and Facebook, you can find some great deals.
Another place to look for used pianos is online at Guitar Center. Don’t be fooled by the name they cover all sorts of new, used, and vintage instruments and music production equipment. They also offer a pro coverage warranty that can be applied to used instruments to provide peace of mind and make sure you’re not buying a dud!
You might also notice a lot of families move around this time of year. As a family moves into a bigger home, they may want a larger piano. Then, you’ll have another chance to buy a used digital piano for less than the cost of a new one.
On the other hand, as children move out and go to college, they may want to sell their digital piano. In some cases, they may not have the space or may not use it and want some extra cash. Either way, start following your local used instrument market in the summer so that you can find a good deal.
When to Buy a Used Digital Piano
All the various holiday and seasonal sales can be great for buyers. However, the sales may not always offer the best deals on digital pianos. If you don’t need a new instrument, you can look at the market of used pianos where you live.
Of course, the used market will vary from city to city. However, it usually follows its own pattern of good and not-so-good times to buy. The used digital piano market doesn’t always coincide with the new market.
In some ways, that can be a good thing since it opens more opportunities for you to buy. On the other hand, it can make it more complicated to find the best price on comparable digital pianos.
If you’re thinking of buying a used digital piano, you will want to read our article on ‘What to Look For in a Used Digital Piano.’
Spring Cleaning
If you want to start learning the piano in the spring, you may notice a lack of sales on new instruments. Luckily, the spring can be a great time to find a used digital piano. With each passing spring, people will want to clean their homes of clutter, and that can include keyboards.
- As the weather starts to get warmer, look at used piano pages for your local area. Follow them to see if anything pops up that interests you.
- You can also start your search based on your city’s large-item pickup day. Some people may not want to sell but get rid of their digital pianos, and you might even find one for free.
- Large item pickup can also coincide with local garage sale days or weekends. If your city or neighborhood has something like this, take the time to browse a few sales. Someone might just have a piano available.
- If you notice someone is selling piano books, odds are they have a keyboard. Consider asking if they have a digital piano that they’re willing to sell.
You may not always find the perfect deal on a used digital piano. However, the time of spring cleaning can be an ideal time to shop. Not only can you find a decent instrument, but you can also help someone clear out their home.
The Summer
At least when it comes to acoustic pianos, the best time of the year for buyers is the summer. During the summer, the music store business is slow. Many music students are on vacation or away at camp, and they aren’t looking to buy new pianos.
But if you’re around and are looking to buy, you can use that to your advantage. Music stores may be willing to lower the price of a digital piano in the summer to make a sale. If a store hasn’t had much business, you may be just what they need.
Your local music store may have a decent stock of digital pianos. If so, you can try all of them out and choose the one that works for you. When you find one, you can work with the sales associate to get the best deal for you and the store.
After School Starts
Like the summer, waiting until after school starts can be a great time to buy a used digital piano. Many students will start to learn to play the piano around the beginning of the school year. However, some of those students will soon lose interest soon and then stop playing altogether. If those things happen, parents may want to get the piano out of their house. And if they can’t return it to the store, they’ll try to sell it.
Buying a used digital piano this way means you’ll get an almost new instrument, which probably has some of the manufacturer’s warranty left. And, because it’s used, you should still get a good discount.
When to Buy a New Digital Piano
If you have your heart set on a new digital piano, you can get one. You don’t have to settle on a used instrument just because of the price or time of year.
Of course, you can follow your local music store. If they offer a seasonal or holiday sale, then you should jump at the chance to buy. However, those sales aren’t the only time when you can find new digital pianos for a good deal.
Annual Brand Rebates
Throughout the year, some musical instrument companies offer rebates. If you buy a qualifying instrument during the rebate period, you can file for a rebate from that company. Typically the rebate amount will be tiered based on the purchase price, such as 10 percent or so.
Of course, you’ll need to be able to pay the full price on the digital piano. However, if you don’t mind doing a bit of paperwork, you could save some money. For some people, filing for a rebate can be a great way to get a good deal on a new instrument.
If you’re lucky, you can combine a rebate with a music store’s seasonal sale. Then, you can save even more money with your purchase.
Annual Model Releases
Digital pianos are like other electronics in that new models come out in a cycle. While the models may not be as different as phones, they can be enough of a difference. If you don’t mind having last year’s piano, you can wait until a new model comes out.
- Think about it, throughout the year, the newest model of a line will cost the most.
- However, each year or so, a newer version will hit the market. When that happens, it will become the most expensive.
- The prior model will drop in price since it’s no longer the newest. But there may still be a decent number of new pianos available in that model.
If you can wait until a new digital piano comes out, you can buy the prior model. You can still get a new instrument of excellent quality but for less money. On the other hand, buying right before the release of a new model is the worst time to buy since the price will drop sooner rather than later.
Things to Consider
Of course, when deciding on the best time of year to buy a digital piano, consider a few things.
- First, think about if there’s a specific brand or model that you want. In that case, follow the brand for new releases or rebate offers.
- If you prefer new or used pianos, you should follow that market. There’s no use in monitoring the used market if you know you want a new digital piano. But if you’re open to either, you have more flexibility when you buy one.
- Determining how and where to buy a digital piano can also impact the best time. If you want to follow a seasonal sale, that will limit when you can make your purchase.
- Also, buying a new keyboard means you’ll have to buy directly from a music store or some other shop.
- Meanwhile, you can find used instruments at a store or from individuals.
Finally, if you want to buy a larger digital piano, such as an upright one, you may need to book piano movers. In this case, you may want to avoid buying at peak times. Peak buying times mean that piano movers will be busy, and it can be hard to book them.
You will also want to read our article on ‘How to Transport a Digital Piano: 20 Essential Tips.’
Final Thoughts
Buying a digital piano can be exciting, whether you’re just starting to learn or looking for an upgrade. However, to get the best deal, you may want to research seasonal sales and other annual events that can lead to better opportunities. You will want to consider what type of digital piano you want, whether new or used, and then follow any sales or other deals to determine the best time of year to buy.
