Post-holiday shoppers hit stores

Steady rain didn’t seem to slow shoppers on a mission Tuesday. Armed with gift cards, Christmas cash and a few returns, they invaded the stores and malls like troopers.

Many stores opened early and offered door-buster specials. But crowds generally didn’t pick up until after 10 a.m.

Kelly Carstens got to the Spokane Valley Mall at about 9:45 a.m. to return some gifts her husband had bought her that were too large. “The crowds aren’t too bad. It’s fine if you relax and enjoy it, if you aren’t in a hurry,” said Carstens.

Kay Keane had four gifts to return at the Valley mall. “I got the wrong sizes for my kids, so now I’m getting them gift cards. Ages 15 to 21 are just too hard to buy for. It’s easier to do it this way than to drag them along,” said Keane. “I also came in to buy my own Christmas present. That way I get what I want.”

Bill Korum stood in the customer service line at Macy’s in the NorthTown Mall. He was making sure he got the right receipt for someone who wants to return an item. Korum said that as a rule, he sends gift cards to avoid this type of issue.

The National Retail Federation estimates that shoppers will buy $24.8 billion worth of cards, up 34 percent from 2005.

NorthTown J.C. Penney store manager Katrina Green said, “Since the advent of gift cards, returns are a lot less of an issue than they used to be.”

But, Green said, the day after Christmas “is still a significantly big day for us.” She said because the day after Christmas fell on a Tuesday this year, she expects to see more returns on Saturday when people have a day off from work.

Some people, such as Sue Gustafson, were getting a jump on next year’s gift-giving. She and her family, here from California, were at NorthTown looking for sales.

“I always start the day after,” said Gustafson. But she wasn’t impressed with post-Christmas sales, saying the prices were about the same as before Christmas.

Tom Rounds; his wife, Marilyn; and mother-in-law, Dorothy Begeman, had started the day with breakfast at IHOP before splitting up to shop at the Spokane Valley Mall.

Marilyn Rounds and her mother sat on a bench wondering what was taking her husband so long. “He’s looking at coats. I’m surprised he came with us, but he volunteered,” said Rounds.

While they were waiting for him, Tom Rounds was waiting for them at a different location.

Eventually, they found one another.

“My wife found some things to buy. I’m now in a holding pattern while she does her Macy’s thing,” said Tom Rounds.

With lines in Macy’s eight-people-long, shoppers appeared to be waiting their turn patiently.

Pete Leeflang and his son, Justin, 10, found the lines relatively short at the Post Falls Wal-Mart. They were there to return a video game chair that didn’t work.

The father and son were deciding on a gift to replace the now sold-out item.

Leeflang uses his mood to judge shopping conditions.

“I’m still in a good mood, so it’s not too overcrowded,” he said.