Day after Christmas: Big sales, returns day

GREEN BAY - Looking for that "got to have" item Santa may not have left under your tree this Christmas?

The day after Christmas tends to be a good time to find it.

The last week in December makes up about 15 percent of sales during the holiday shopping month – that's according to MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse.
   
Sales of electronics, clothing, jewelry and home goods in the months leading up to the winter holiday season grew about 0.7 percent from last year. Analysts expected the increase to be between 3 and 4 percent. That small growth makes the 2012 shopping season the worst year-over-year performance since 2008.

The day after Christmas generally tends to be a big sales and returns day for retailers who hope the day is a net positive.

But shoppers in Northeast Wisconsin say it's been pretty uneventful.

"Probably easier today than before the holidays," said Keith Lutz of Green Bay.

Lutz is doing some belated Christmas shopping for his wife who is at home ill with the flu.

"Things that she thought she got, but perhaps didn't or has misplaced in all of the holiday decorations," said Lutz.

For Phyllis Hinkens of Shawano, she’s shopping for bargains, even getting some of next year’s Christmas shopping done.

"Christmas cards, Christmas towels, Christmas ornaments," said Hinkens, searching through her bags of items.

“Think it's a great day, probably the best day," explained Hinkens about shopping the day after Christmas. “Best selection. Otherwise, everything gets picked over. It goes fast."

For cousins Hannah Vannieuwenhoven, Jenna Herkert and Addy Kafka, they're trying to stretch their Christmas money out as much as possible.

"Our parents thought we were kind of picky, so they gave us gift cards to go to the mall and shop," said Vannieuwenhoven of Ashwaubenon.

Retailers say those gift cards are leading to fewer and fewer returns each year – with the most returns coming before Christmas.

"Gift cards have really helped reduce the number of returns that have happened after Christmas," explained Dale Adams, the Ashwaubenon Shopko store manager.

But there are still a few out there. Andy Reyment says he was surprised at how short the return lines the day after Christmas.

"Everything went pretty smooth,” said Andy Reyment, Green Bay, after returning a Kindle Fire at Shopko. “Just had one little hiccup in gift giving. But other than that, it was all good."

Adams says the holiday shopping traffic at the Ashwaubenon Shopko was similar to past holiday shopping seasons. But says he can't put a finger on the sales totals until the end of the year.

It’s not known how much merchandise might be returned this holiday season. But according to the National Retail Federation, a little more than $62 billion worth of holiday merchandise was returned during the 2011-2012 season.