Liquidation sales have started at 138 J.C. Penney department store locations that will soon be closing forever.

On May 22, the first day of the liquidation sales at affected stores, a reporter for CNBC said the discounts were at about 40% off. The stores will shut down by July 31.

Read more: These major retailers are closing stores in 2017

J.C. Penney liquidation sales: What you need to know

When it comes to liquidation sales in general, Clark says you must wait until the final days for the best deals.

“You’re not necessarily getting bargains, especially early in a liquidation sale,” Clark said. “Many times, once a retailer’s establishment is turned over to a liquidator, they will bring in merchandise that was never in that store to start with.”

Clark says the key is to ignore the signs that say 50% off (or whatever “great discount” is displayed on the sign) and focus on the final price. Use your smartphone to compare prices while you shop to identify the true deals.

Here’s a list of the 138 J.C. Penney locations that are closing:

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