If you’re in the market for shipping containers, you’ve probably noticed the prices can vary quite a bit. It might seem tricky to figure out when to get the best deal, but a bit of planning can make a huge difference.

Whether you’re looking to start a small business, expand your current operations, build a container home, or just need some extra storage space, knowing when to buy can save you a lot of money.

In this article, we’ll explore three key strategies to help you get the best price on shipping containers: Holiday Sales, Volume Discounts, and Price Matching.

These shipping container sale tips will guide you through finding great deals during special sales events, making the most of bulk buying, and ensuring you’re getting the best price available.

With this information, you’ll be well-equipped to make a smart purchase and get the most bang for your buck.

First, it’s important to understand that it is nearly impossible for a nationwide shipping container business to offer a consistent price across over 200 depot locations nationwide because there are too many variables involved in pricing. We cover all these variables in detail in a previous article and video about the cost of shipping containers

The primary issue is supply and demand of containers near your location. Since delivery is such a large part of the container’s cost, the best prices come from local depots. And every depot has different prices based on supply and demand.

Because of these and other variables like shipping container sizes, age and condition, there is no way to have standard container pricing nationwide unless prices were set absurdly high.

Conversely, it’s easy to find cheap container prices on the Internet. There are scams and unethical companies with super low priced containers that are very low grade that they promote as a higher grade in the listing. Or they don’t include taxes or the delivery price in the quote, giving you a false sense of the container’s total cost. These bait and switch games would be avoided at all costs.

Instead, at Container One, we inventory in over 200 locations nationwide and proprietary technology that searches shipping containers for sale in your area to ensure the lowest price possible for the correct size and condition that you desire..

The best time to get a shipping container is when you need one because you never know what will be available if you wait. However, the best deals are usually from November to February. 

After Thanksgiving and Christmas are over, international shipping slows way down. Therefore, there is usually congestion of empty containers at depots. Often they will offer deeper discounts around this time.

A caution to buying a shipping container in the winter, however, is that deliveries can be more challenging – usually due to mud, not snow.

One of the best times to score a great deal on shipping containers is during holiday sales. Just like with other big-ticket items, holidays often bring special discounts and promotions.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, and New Year’s are prime times to keep an eye out for sales.

During these periods, shipping container suppliers are looking to boost their sales and clear out inventory, so they’re more likely to offer significant discounts.

You can find deals that are much better than at other times of the year. It’s not uncommon to see price cuts, special bundles, or added perks like free delivery.

Setting a budget and knowing what you need in advance will help you jump on deals as soon as they appear. Sometimes, the best deals are limited in quantity, so being quick can make a big difference.