Shoppers hit stores as Christmas draws closer
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on December 23, 2016 8:26 AM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Ariana Safford and Daysia Whitney help wrap presents at the Mayors Youth Council booth at Berkeley Mall as people shop for last minute gifts for Christmas. Safford and Whitney are both students at Campbell University who are home on break. The fundraising booth will be open until Christmas Eve.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
From left, Ashley Lucas, 17, and Amanda Matthews, 17, fold boxes as they wait for presents to wrap at the Mayor's Youth Council booth at Berkeley Mall Wednesday. The booth will be open until Christmas Eve for last minute shoppers.
Damita Mayhue strolled through Kmart Thursday with her children looking for last-minute gifts just days before Christmas.
Instead of shopping on her own, she decided it was better to let her children pick out their gifts, which will be wrapped and placed under the tree until Christmas morning.
"They're older and they don't believe in Santa Claus anymore and they'll already know what they have," she said. "I've learned over the years that it's easier this way."
Her children, Jaylin Person, 12, and Laniya Person, 9, walked through the toy isles and tossed items they wanted most into the shopping cart.
Waiting until the last minute and as close to Christmas as possible also makes the process easier, she said.
"The wait time is less for the kids because they won't worry us so much asking questions," she said.
On Wednesday and Thursday, Mayhue and her family spent time shopping for others on their Christmas list, too. It's another last-minute tradition to boost the holiday spirit.
"This is it right here," she said. "We did wait until the last minute. To us, it's more exciting if you wait."
Mayhue is one of many still hitting area stores and Berkeley Mall in search of Christmas gifts for friends, family, co-workers and others.
The mall had a steady flow of shoppers Thursday, as people walked away with bags stuffed with merchandise. At area stores, shoppers filled their carts with Christmas wrapping paper and decorations, toys, clothes, movies and a variety of other items.
Many will continue to make the last-minute sprint this weekend during what could become a busy time at area stores.
"Our busiest is the day before Christmas, Christmas Eve," said Vernice Gorum, Kmart assistant manager at the Berkeley Boulevard store. "Some customers say they forgot someone on their Christmas list. Some customers say they do all their shopping on Christmas Eve because that's their tradition."
The Christmas shopping season has remained steady this year at Kmart, with an increasing number of online sales, Gorum said.
"Last year, our online activity wasn't as heavy, but it's increasing this year," she said.
Online sales end up adding to profits since the items are picked up in the store or mailed to area homes, she said.
Popular gift items being snatched up at Kmart this year are Hatchimals -- already sold out -- power wheels, trampolines, Barbie dolls and electronic game toys. Also popular are As Seen on TV products, including the Star Shower, a motion laser light that projects yellow, green and red lights onto homes.
Kmart, which closes at 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve, will reopen the day after Christmas at 9 a.m. for post-holiday shoppers. Discounted merchandise is planned, with employees getting to the store early for after Christmas markdowns. It's hard to tell whether the store will be busy, Gorum said.
"It fluctuates," she said. "Some days it's busy. Some days it's not."
JCPenney has experienced normal customer traffic during the holiday season this year and employees are preparing for a final rush of business today and Christmas Eve, said Reid Gaines, store manager.
With Christmas on Sunday, stores will have part of the weekend for additional sales, unlike 2015 when Christmas was on Friday, Gaines said.
"This week is one of our highest peaks," Gaines said. "With Christmas falling on Sunday, we've had a shift in shopping. We're really expecting big days Friday and Saturday."
The day after Christmas will also be busy at the department store. Many customers will shop with gift cards and cash they received as Christmas presents, Gaines said.
"Every year, that day gets bigger and bigger," he said. "It's a big shopping day for us."
JCPenney will close at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and reopen the day after Christmas at 6 a.m.
Shoppers were picking up Christmas decorations and packing shopping carts with small and large gifts Thursday at Target, on Berkeley Boulevard.
Target has experienced higher sales this year and an increase of online merchandise sales, said Kristian Simons, Target's leader on duty.
"I would say it's a little heavier than normal," Simons said, of in-store traffic. "This year, we've seen more online shopping."
By shopping online, customers can avoid spending time and effort in the store searching for items. Once an online buy is made, the item can be picked up at the local store, he said.
As Christmas nears, Target should be filled with a flurry of activity. Christmas Eve is one of the store's busiest days of the year, Simons said.
"Every year, it's a mad rush," he said. "Friday and Saturday will probably be our two busiest days of the year. It's going to feel just like Black Friday."
Target closes on Christmas Eve at 10 p.m. and reopens on Dec. 26 at 7 a.m.
Some of Target's most popular Christmas gift items this year are Hatchimals, Nintendo NES Classic preloaded gaming system, Our Generation dolls, Legos, Elsa dolls, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toys and Star Wars large action figures, Simons said.
The National Retail Federation, the world's largest retail trade association, estimates most Americans, nearly 90 percent, still planned to shop the week prior to Christmas. Nearly 12 percent of consumers plan to wait until Dec. 23 to shop, according to an NRF survey.
Most last-minute shoppers, 52 percent, planned to buy items online, 42 percent at department stores, 27 percent at discount stores, 21 percent at clothing and accessory stores, 18 percent at electronic stores and 14 percent at locally owned small businesses.