Bargain Hunters Jam Stores Across Country : Retail: Post-Christmas frenzy in Southland begins early. Turnout exceeds even impressive ’92 showing.

Affirming the growing demand for value, shoppers jammed Southland malls and other retail centers around the country Sunday, taking advantage of post-Christmas sales and rallying to the notion that good things come more cheaply to those who wait.

Shoppers have been responding to price-cutting throughout the holiday season, creating moderate increases in sales both locally and nationally during the first three weeks of December. However, the lure of even bigger savings released the ample pent-up demand remaining--and a shopping flood Sunday surpassed last year’s dramatic post-Christmas turnout.

Indeed, Sunday’s rush to the stores was a sign that consumers are perhaps more willing than ever to wait for post-Christmas sales to get the bargains they demand, retail analysts say. A number of polls earlier this month showed an increase in the number of consumers delaying their spending.

“Considering the sales promotions, this indicates we will have a surprisingly strong post-Christmas week,” said George Rosenbaum, chief executive of Chicago-based Shapiro & Associates, a research firm that tracks consumer spending plans.

The shopping frenzy in the Southland began early because many malls opened an hour or two earlier than usual. Retailers also benefited because the day after Christmas fell on a Sunday.

Silvia Marjoram of Los Angeles was among the early birds seeking advertised discounts of 25% to 60% at the Beverly Center. The Hancock Park resident was in quest of bargain-priced apparel.

“Shopping the day after Christmas is a new experience for me,” she said. “I laughed as I drove in because I can’t believe I’m doing this. But I have shopping weapons--my credit cards--and I’m ready to go!”

The onslaught on the day after Christmas--traditionally one of the busiest retail days of the year--created gridlock at the entrances of several malls, including the Westside Pavilion, where some shoppers searched 30 minutes for a parking space. Pavilion managers tried to manage the flow by persuading Nordstrom employees to park off-site and accept shuttle transportation to their store. The mall also offered some free valet parking “because a valet can make maximum use of the space available,” said Mary Lancaster, the shopping center’s marketing director.

At South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, the crowds were so thick that many shoppers had to circle in a dizzying search for parking spaces. Inside the mall, bargain hunters jostled for position among display racks advertising 15% to 50% discounts on garments and shoes.

“Yeah, there are lots of bargains; but look at this place--it’s a zoo,” said John Groves, a 60-year-old retiree from Santa Ana who had been waiting for 20 minutes to pay for a shirt and was debating whether to return it to the rack. “You really have to want something to buy it today.”

The parking lot at the Fox Hills Mall in Culver City was jammed as early as 10 a.m., when Celia White--bags in hand--emerged from the shopping center.

“This is the day to shop,” she said. “I bought towels that were 40% to 50% off.”

A white sale on items such as sheets and towels was also a big attraction at the Sears store in Montebello.

“People were lined up when we opened,” said Nina Thompson, one of the managers. “The turnout is better than last year.”

Many shoppers were buying gifts late or purchasing for the 1994 holiday season. For example, four racks at the Kay-Bee toy store in Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza mall had been emptied by noon as about 15 customers and their children waited in a checkout line.

Among the shoppers at the crowded Del Amo mall in Torrance was Stacey Renfro, who had a typical comment about her strategy: “I decided to hold off this year because I wanted to save a little money,” she said.

Bargain hunters abounded, but many only wanted to return gifts.

“It doesn’t fit right,” said one man, returning a flannel shirt to Miller’s Outpost at the Sherman Oaks Galleria. He returned minutes later with a larger shirt of the same style but different colors.

The fact that the traditionally heavy shopping day fell on a Sunday was a boon to apparel sellers, who have been looking for an opportunity to move unsold merchandise. Retailers who specialize in home furnishings, appliances and electronics have had strong sales this holiday season. Most specialty apparel stores--such as the Limited--have had a difficult time, bringing in sales only by slashing prices.

“People have been passing on clothing in favor of investment-type items for the home--products that can give years of enjoyment,” said Kurt Barnard, a New York-based retail economist and publisher of the Retail Marketing Report newsletter. “Specialty retail sales may be flat, on average, this season.”

Most retail analysts expect overall national retail sales to be up 4% to 5% this holiday season. Some analysts have predicted that Southland holiday sales will rise 1% to 3% compared to a year ago.

Sears, J.C. Penney and providers of products for the home--such as Bed, Bath & Beyond--were among the major sales leaders this season.

Sunday was also an opportunity for some other major retailers--the Broadway and Mervyn’s, for example--to begin a rebound from the lackluster sales performances recorded since October.

Minneapolis-based Dayton Hudson Corp. had expected double-digit declines in December sales at its Mervyn’s stores compared to a year ago. However, the company now expects smaller declines.

Dayton Hudson, which also operates the Target chain and a number of major department store chains in the Midwest, said business was brisk nationwide on Sunday, largely because of sales.

“This holiday had the highest percentage of (sales) promotion I’ve seen in my career,” said Dayton Hudson Chairman Kenneth Macke.

Retailers have been starting their sales promotions earlier in recent years, prompting many consumers to do their holiday shopping in November, but shoppers react by waiting for even bigger price cuts after Christmas, said Ira Kalish, a Los Angeles-based retail economist with Management Horizons, a consulting unit of the Price Waterhouse accounting firm.

“As the economy becomes stronger and retailers manage their inventories better, they may become less promotional,” Kalish said. “For now, consumers are trained to look for bargains and it’s hard to retrain consumers.”

Times staff writers Tammerlin Drummond, Elaine Tassy and Brian Ballou contributed to this report.