Private sales refer to restricted access commercial operations organized by brands before or outside regulated sale periods. Unlike sales, they are not governed by a national calendar set by prefectural order. Their duration, discounts, and access conditions depend on each brand, making their tracking more complex than it seems.
Private sales and regulated sales: a legal distinction to know
Sales follow a precise legal framework. Two fixed periods per year, national dates published by decree, regional exemptions for certain border or overseas departments. Brands can sell at a loss during sales, which is not allowed for the rest of the year.
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Private sales, on the other hand, fall under the common law of promotions. No obligation for a calendar, no prior declaration. The displayed discounts cannot exceed certain thresholds on specific categories, especially since the DGCCRF has reminded the application of the Descrozaille law to large-scale promotional operations, including in non-food departments like hygiene and beauty.
This distinction has a direct consequence: private sales do not guarantee the same levels of discount as sales. A discounted item may show a greater markdown than in a private sale because selling at a loss is legal there. Brands compensate by offering early access to the selection before stocks dwindle.
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To keep track of the key dates for private sales in France, it is better to sign up directly for the loyalty programs of targeted brands rather than waiting for a centralized announcement that does not exist.
2025 Calendar of sales and private sales periods in France
The winter sales of 2025 began on Wednesday, January 8, for a duration of four weeks. The summer sales start at the end of June, with variations depending on the departments. Border areas and overseas territories benefit from delays of up to several weeks.
Private sales are concentrated in the days leading up to each sales period. For winter, the typical window extends from the day after Christmas to the eve of the first day of sales. For summer, the first invitations arrive as early as mid-June at some brands.
Pre-sale periods by season
- Winter pre-sales: private sales generally start at the end of December, often as early as the 26th, and end the day before the official sales open
- Summer pre-sales: the first operations appear from mid-June, peaking in the week before the national launch
- Off-season operations: some platforms like Veepee or Zalando offer private sales throughout the year, disconnected from the sales calendar, in the form of “drops” reserved for members
The exact dates vary from one brand to another. Notifications arrive by email or via mobile apps, rarely more than a few days before the start of the operation.
Continuous private sales on apps: a blurred calendar
In recent years, the boundary between occasional private sales and permanent promotions has blurred. Several e-commerce players (Zalando, Veepee, La Redoute, Sarenza) have adopted a model of continuous private sales reserved for users of their apps or members of their loyalty programs.
The principle is based on almost weekly “drops”: a selection of products at reduced prices, accessible for a short window, sometimes less than 48 hours. This format, documented by Fevad in its 2025 e-commerce Barometer, has the effect of spreading purchases throughout the year.
For buyers, the consequence is twofold. On one hand, waiting for sales is no longer the only strategy to obtain reduced prices. On the other hand, the multiplication of offers makes comparison more difficult. An item offered in a private sale in April may reappear at a different price during the summer sales.
Descrozaille law and promotion caps
The law of March 30, 2023, known as “Descrozaille,” regulates promotional advantages in large distribution. While its effects have mainly been commented on for the food sector, the DGCCRF has specified that private sales operations in certain non-food departments are also concerned when they resemble large-scale promotions.
In practical terms, this means that large distribution brands must integrate these caps into their planning of private sales operations, particularly on hygiene, beauty, and maintenance products. Pure e-commerce players are not targeted in the same way, creating an asymmetry between distribution channels.
Access to private sales 2025: conditions by type of brand
Not all private sales operate the same way. Access conditions vary depending on the distribution channel.
- Physical stores (Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, BHV): access reserved for loyalty cardholders, sometimes with an annual purchase threshold. Invitations arrive by mail or email, a few days before opening
- Specialized platforms (Veepee, Showroomprivé, BazarChic): free registration, immediate access to ongoing sales. The selection changes several times a week
- General e-commerce sites (Zalando, La Redoute, ASOS): access via mobile app or customer account. Private sales are often signaled by a push notification, without a public calendar
- Direct brands (Sézane, Lacoste, Nike): occasional operations, often linked to end-of-collection sales. Newsletter registration remains the main information channel
No centralized aggregator lists all private sales in real time. Existing comparators cover a fraction of the market, mainly large platforms. For independent brands or physical stores, monitoring remains manual.
The most reliable reflex is to activate notifications from apps and subscribe to newsletters from brands whose products match planned purchases, rather than reacting to each offer as it comes.