Hobby Lobby Price Tracker

Hobby Lobby goes back to 1970, when David and Barbara Green took out a $600 loan to make miniature picture frames at home. In 1972 they opened a 300-square-foot store in Oklahoma City, where the privately owned company is still based. It now has more than 1,000 stores in 48 states – none in Alaska or Hawaii – selling crafts, fabric, yarn, floral, home décor, party and seasonal goods plus custom framing. Hobby Lobby doesn't ship internationally, so UK customers can't order from hobbylobby.com.

Pricing works differently from most retailers. Many departments are "always" a set percentage off the marked price, which Hobby Lobby says reflects general US market value for similar products, and the Weekly Ad adds category sales each week. Items labelled "Your Price" are excluded from coupons and discounts, and the ad doesn't apply to pre-reduced items. Online and in-store prices and promotions can differ, and stores still don't use barcode scanners.

Because discounts apply to whole categories and change weekly, it's easy to buy the day before your item gets cheaper. A price alert on the specific product page tells you when the online price actually falls, without reading every ad. Set it on the exact size, colour and finish – a frame, vase or wreath often comes in several versions. And as online and in-store prices can differ, check your local store too if you plan to buy there.