Attention Shoppers: Just One Full Day of Rest Till Dec. 26
While children around the world anticipate Santa’s arrival in the wee hours of Dec. 25, veteran shoppers cannot wait until the morning of Dec. 26.
Revved up by coffee and armed with Christmas cash and a well thought-out plan, these early birds begin their attack in the earliest hours of the morning in search of the proverbial worm.
But just what is being sold at after-Christmas sales?
Shoppers at Neiman Marcus can expect reduced prices on cashmere and novelty sweaters. Menswear will be marked down at Nordstrom, where one of the chain’s three mens’ sales begins on this day every year.
But battle strategy involves more than just deciding what you might want to buy once the sales are in full swing.
“This is guerrilla warfare,” says Suzy Gershman, author of the “Born to Shop” guides that outline shopping buys around the world.
She says the day after Christmas is best geared to men or women who want to pick up a garment they passed up earlier in the fall that coordinates with something they already own.
Gershman says shopping on Dec. 26 is not for those without incredible stamina, so anyone tired after a day of holiday cooking and cleaning may want to consider staying home.
Her tips on shopping strategies:
* Decide which store you want to hit first. This may depend on what you are looking to buy. If you want to see if Banana Republic has a cardigan on sale that you had your eye on days earlier, stop there first. * Arrive at your first-choice store 30 minutes before it opens. Because many stores open early Dec. 26, call a few days before to find out what time it opens.
* If possible, obtain a map of the shopping area and decide on your second and third choices to plot your maneuver so you can reach many stores in an efficient and logical manner. Sound too calculated? “Don’t expect to have any fun,” Gershman warns. “This is a serious shopping day.”
* Don’t waste time going to a chain store’s many locations to find something you want in your size. Let the salespeople work the branch stores for you, Gershman suggests. “Even on a busy day, those people on commission will probably be happy to do that for you.”
* Don’t hope to return unwanted gifts on the same day you’re looking for new bargains. The return lines will be long, and the time you spend in them will cut down on your bargain-hunting time.
* Be prepared to stand in line. Make mental and physical preparations to accept the inevitable waits you will encounter. Wear comfortable shoes, but take dressy shoes with you if, for instance, you want to buy a cocktail dress. That way, you can ensure that you’ll know how it will look. Also, wear clothing that is easy to change in and out of to maximize your shopping time.
* If you’re not looking for anything in particular or have an aversion to crowds, let the hordes precede you and shop between 5 and 8 p.m. when people have made their purchases and have gone home, or have at least stopped for dinner.
How effective is it to wait and see if something you love gets marked down? It’s a gamble at best, Gershman says. “If there is any reason you can’t live without something, you should buy it when you see it.”
For shoppers who really plan ahead for the Dec. 26 frenzy, Gershman says gift certificates make the ideal present. That way, she says, recipients can not only select exactly what they want but are also able to reap the after-Christmas sales savings.
