Bargains, returns keep ’em coming back for more

Published 12:00 am Thursday, December 28, 2000

"It’s the most wonderful time of the year" for area shoppers seeking to return items, if local department stores’ customer service counters are any indication.

Thursday, December 28, 2000

"It’s the most wonderful time of the year" for area shoppers seeking to return items, if local department stores’ customer service counters are any indication.

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Workers at Target, Kmart and ShopKo report that returns this year are fairly average and even a bit slow. Kmart General Manager Dan Hewitt said that Tuesday returns were "not quite as busy as in past years."

Hewitt attributes the slow day to people returning to work immediately after the holiday. "We had a rush at the lunch hour (on Tuesday), but people coming in will probably be spread throughout the week," Hewitt said.

Store Team Leader Steve Bluske of ShopKo agreed that returns have been slow.

"Many people had to go back to work today," Bluske said, and, like Hewitt, noticed an increase in returns around lunch and in the afternoon.

Target has instituted a stricter return policy in recent months; they will not accept an item for return without a receipt. Purchases made with a Target charge can be found through the computer system if the receipt cannot be found and a customer’s account will be credited. Purchases can be returned for up to 90 days at most local stores, but each store should be consulted regarding their individual policy.

Kmart requires a receipt for return of an item, but store credit is given if no receipt can be found. ShopKo abides by a 90-day return period and a no receipt, in-store credit policy.

Target Cashier Team Leader and Supervisor Cindy Engels reports that sales of merchandise were slow this year at first, including this past Sunday. Dec. 22 and 23 exceeded sales expectations, however, which helped to make up for the previously slow sales.

Contributing to the increase were shoppers from Iowa and some who said they were heading for Rochester and stopped in Austin because of the poor weather.

Bluske said that there seems to be an extended buying period from November through January, which includes many cultural holidays – not just Christmas.

Though the buying period runs over several months, the biggest return day of the year tends to be on the day after Christmas, said Engels. Coincidentally, it is also one of the biggest days for purchases.

Big sellers this year have been CDs, movies and George Foreman’s Lean Mean Fat Grilling Machines. The grilling machines have been returned in some instances because customers wanted the larger of those on sale and received a smaller one.

"Someone bought one woman a George Foreman grill, but she had a JennAir and didn’t need one," said Target Team Leader Sandy "Rocky" Rockwell.

Engels said that the sale of "clothing was phenomenal." Clothing items have been returned because they were the wrong size, were a duplicate item or, as Aimee Aasgaard said about the piece of clothing she received from her mother Karen, "it wasn’t something I would have ever bought for myself." When asked, several customers, who declined to be named, agreed that they were returning an item because they or someone in their family did not like the item they were returning.

"One gal came in and had received three of the same item for her baby," said Rockwell.

Though returns have been slower than expected, after-Christmas bargain hunting is just as brisk as ever. Stores are currently marking seasonal items down 50 percent and will keep their prices of these items low until the items sell out. Those items not sold by Target will be donated to the Salvation Army in the Twin Cities.

Seasonal items at Kmart will be sold until they are gone, which Hewitt said usually takes one week to ten days. Engels said that customers were lined up outside Target at 6:30 a.m. this morning, 30 minutes before the doors opened. Bluske said that some seasonal items have already sold out in his store.

So, save your receipts and returning those unwanted items should be a snap. And with the money that is returned to you, there are plenty of bargains to be had – for this week at least.