Albany area shoppers hunt discounts after Christmas

ALBANY — For many Albany area shoppers, the day after Christmas was spent hunting for discounts and using Christmas money and gift cards, rather than standing in long lines trying to return unwanted presents.

Traffic at many retail establishments throughout the country is typically high the day after Christmas, but this year many shoppers and employees reported that the main reason people ventured into stores seems to have changed from returning items to looking for specials and discounts.

Andrew Peterson, an executive team leader at Target in Albany, said the past few years that store has experienced fewer returns and more people looking for specific sale items and using gift cards, which have become increasingly popular gifts.

“When we opened the doors (Friday) there was a line of shoppers looking for clearance items like lights and other Christmas decorations,” said Peterson. “They weren’t going to the service desk, they were shopping. Returns have lightened over the last 10 years and a lot of people are using gift cards that they received as presents. We’ve been pretty steady, but mostly with shoppers.”

The same was true at the Albany Mall where many shoppers arrived when the mall opened at 9 a.m. to begin searching for good deals and to have something fun to do with family.

Deneen Sneed, who was in town from Atlanta visiting family, said she and her relatives go shopping the day after Christmas every year because they know they’ll be able to find some things they want at a good price.

“There’s always good deals after Christmas,” said Sneed. “I did return one thing but the majority of it is shopping.”

Like many shoppers Sneed said she wasn’t looking for any particular items, she was just seeing what she could find.

“Nothing specific,” she said. “Whatever looks good.”

Albany shopper Tomeika Williams echoed Sneed’s statement saying she liked to look for bargains after Christmas each year. In addition to just looking for good deals, Williams was pleased to find the one specific item she was hoping to come across.

“I’m trying to find deals,” said Williams. “But I was wanting to find boots. I found a boots for $20 that were usually $40. (She and family members) were looking for boots but also looking for any deals and so far it’s been worthwhile.”

Williams said that she typically is successful finding what she’s looking for the day after Christmas and also added that this year she had better luck at that time than she did on Black Friday, when crowds and poor customer service put a damper on her shopping.

“I wasn’t disappointed with the sales,” Williams said. “But I was disappointed by the crowds. Also, some stores didn’t have all their registers open and had bad customer service.”

Deal hunting was priority for many shoppers on Friday, but for some the deals were just an added bonus on a day they were out shopping anyway.

Christian Mathis, who was visiting from Cairo, figured he would do some shopping while his friend, Terrelle Lowe, got a haircut.

“I’m doing a little shopping,” Mathis said. “I did find some good deals though.”

While many who ventured out after the holiday, like Williams and Sneed, were primarily focused on shopping, some area residents were doing the traditional returning of gifts that were either unwanted, or more often than not, were the wrong size.

Such was the case for Kim Garrett of Lee County who was at the Albany Mall early Friday to return some shirts for her husband.

“I have to return two shirts for (him),” said Garrett. “I just hope they have the size he needs.”

Even though making the returns was her primary focus, Garrett gave a smile and said she didn’t mind doing a little shopping while she was out too.

For many, like Garrett, who were making returns, lines seemed to be fairly short and the process fairly easy.

Amanda Davis from Sylvester, who was returning a pair of shoes at Walmart, said she was able to get right to the exchange counter and get her item exchanged without any trouble.

“It was pretty easy and they were very friendly,” she said.