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Shoppers are 'Twas the day after Christmas and all through the mall, shoppers were searching for that special price.
having a blast
People know what they want
as they head out early to snag
their post-holiday bargainsBy Janine Tulley
Star-BulletinTopping the list of early-bird bargain-hunters at Ala Moana Shopping Center were shoppers at the Disney Store, many of whom had been standing outside the store since 5 a.m. Sandy Munor of Kapolei waited in line with her friends at 5:30 to make sure she was among the first to get in when the doors opened at 8.
"If you check the shelves at 8:20, they'll be empty," said Munor, with assurance. She was looking for "Christmas stuff, toys, stuffed animals." She was also there for "the rush," she said.
A few minutes before opening time, close to 100 people stood outside the Disney store, while sales clerks gave away plastic bags in anticipation of large sales. Most articles were marked down 50 percent.
"If you come two hours later, the line circles around the store," said Mike Nakamoto, who hoped to buy mugs and sweatshirts with the Disney logo to send to Colorado.Once the doors opened, people rushed in, sweeping toys, clothing, ornaments and other articles into their plastic bags.
Ryan Ofuso of Mililani was taking advantage of his day off to exchange a baby's jacket for a bigger size that would fit his 6-month-old baby. His wife, who was working, had asked the store to put it on hold, but the store couldn't assure her it would be available very long.
Shoppers were a little more subdued at the nearby Sears store, which opened at 7 for its traditional after-Christmas specials.
Not wanting to miss the sale, Julie Jerbey of Mililani got up at 5, bundled up her 2-year-old son, Devin, and headed for Ala Moana. She was looking for an angel ornament for her tree.
Gill Berger, Sears store manager, said the store plans a year in advance what items will go on sale after Christmas. Management looks at how customers respond to certain merchandise, he said.
Big sellers are seasonal clothing, sweaters, robes, flannel shirts, warm bedding and appliances.
A popular item this year, he added, were gift certificates.
While it was too early in the morning for Berger to speculate how successful the early-bird sale would be, he said he had expected to see more customers when the doors opened at 7 a.m.
Marshall Smithe waited patiently outside Sears with gift certificates he received from his mother. His mission: buy a car vacuum cleaner and a standard vacuum.
Stacey Yim of Honolulu also knew what she wanted -- clothes.
A crowd was waiting outside Kmart in Iwilei when the doors opened at 6 a.m. The retailer is normally open 24 hours a day but was closed Christmas Day.
Buyers were going after day-to-day items that went on sale, including chips, soda and toilet paper, according to a store manager.
Shoppers also appeared to be stocking up for New Years Eve.
Wal-Mart in Mililani had a few customers waiting outside when it opened at 6 a.m., but no long lines like the day after Thanksgiving, a spokesman said. Shoppers were mainly exchanging and returning gifts, as in prior years.
At Pearlridge Center, electronics showroom Circuit City opened at the regular hour of 10 a.m. and got busy right away, a manager said.
Over at JC Penney, however, shopping began at a calm pace, partly because the day after Christmas falls on a weekday this year, a manager said. While the store had advertised bargains, Hawaii's overall retail traffic seems "a little soft compared to last year," said store manager Mary Prats.
Retailers throughout the country are counting on this week after Christmas to help offset the sales slump that plagued them most of the month.
"Stores are looking for a big week," said John Konarski, vice president of research at the International Council of Shopping Centers. "This could give them the final push to eke out extra sales."
Nearly 11 percent of last year's holiday buying took place during the week after Christmas, exceeding the 8.5 percent during Thanksgiving weekend shopping period, according to the shopping center group.
However, at least one major retailer, Federated Department Stores, already projects disappointing sales for the month, despite a strong sales spike right before Christmas. Federated said today that December sales will be up only 1 to 2 percent, instead of the 3 percent expected.
Still, the week is "crucial for retailers to get rid of inventory," said Kurt Barnard, publisher of Barnard's Retail Trend Report, based in Upper Montclair, N.J.
The Star-Bulletin's Tim Ruel and
The Associated Press contributed to this report