Shoppers get another holiday boost

Published 2:42 pm Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Christmas may seem like the end of holiday shopping madness, but for some it’s just the beginning.

The days after Christmas are notorious for good deals, with many outlets cutting costs on items that didn’t sell as hoped during the Christmas shopping season.

For stores like Target in Austin, the discounts are paired with shoppers armed with Christmas gift cards.

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“We are definitely busy today,” said Brenda Brandt, sales floor manager. “There aren’t a lot of returns. Most people got gift cards this year, so there are a lot of people coming in to find things.”

Though Brandt said the Austin store doesn’t have as many clearance items this year as it has in the past, there are still plenty of shoppers lined up to grab the deals.

“I think it’s almost similar to Black Friday,” she said. “A lot of them were waiting yesterday (Sunday) to come in the door. It’s a smaller scale, but there’s usually a lot of people out there.”

That’s good news for the business, as it gives sales another surge before the end of the year.

“It really hits our year off and helps us end our whole year with a great send-off,” she said.

While the rush doesn’t hit smaller home town stores as harsh, shops like the Hardy Geranium were still steady on Monday.

“We’re kind of average,” said Vicki Trimble, the store’s owner.

Those who were stopping in may have been drawn to the store’s post Christmas sale, which is what Trimble was hoping for.

The folks at Oak Park Mall are hoping that the busy holiday shopping season will last post Christmas.

Shan Kehret, marketing coordinator for the mall, said this year’s shopping turnout was better than last year’s. Kehret said the holiday gift wrapping station and the turnout of Santa Claus likely helped with this season’s boost.