Retailers, shoppers prepping for last-ditch shopping days

Left to right: Haven, Christopher and Austin Winship thave their photo taken with Santa while doing their Christmas shopping at Hamilton Place mall on Thursday.
Left to right: Haven, Christopher and Austin Winship thave their photo taken with Santa while doing their Christmas shopping at Hamilton Place mall on Thursday.

In a corner of Hamilton Place mall near the Santa Claus photo booth, Amy Gardner sat Thursday afternoon, out of the way, her shopping bags in tow and a short six shopping days between her and Dec. 25.

"You wouldn't believe what I'm shopping for," she said. "This is my foster children's first Christmas with us."

Gardner was taking advantage of the kids' last day at school to slip away and grab some things -- as far as she knows, her kids' first ever Christmas morning gifts.

Gardner's cousin, Cate Green, was not far away. Green came along on the girls' shopping day to buy gifts for her newborn son.

"What do you buy a newborn for Christmas?" Green said.

Gardner and Green are two of the millions of Americans who will hit stores this shopping week -- which culminates on Super Saturday -- to finish buying Christmas gifts. Super Saturday is typically the single-biggest shopping day for many retailers, or it's close to the top.

And crowds are expected to be a little heavier this year than last, as National Retail Federation experts predict a 4 percent increase in holiday spending over 2013. Already, November spending was up nearly 1 percent over last year.

Catharine Wells, marketing manager at Hamilton Place mall, said on Thursday that to see things through the upcoming rush, Hamilton Place has added to its on-site personnel numbers and is ready to stay open later to give shoppers more time to make their purchases.

Wells said roughly 40 percent of the mall's business comes during the November-December holiday season.

"That's how important the holiday season is for retailers," she said.

But it bears a price for the facilities running extra heat and lights and paying extra personnel during the holiday busy season. While Hamilton Place makes 40 percent of its annual business during the holiday season, Wells said the mall also racks up about 40 percent of its expense during this time.

But sticking it out a little longer is a price many brick-and-mortars are willing to pay these days, with Internet sales creeping up on retailers and many Americans choosing to buy from their laptops.

The National Retail Federation estimates that more than 126 million Americans shopped on Cyber Monday -- the Monday after Thanksgiving -- this year.

But that's not for Ron and Paula Fitts.

The Maine transplants bought a couple of things at Hamilton Place on Thursday while they were out stretching their legs and looking for any last-minute gifts for the kids and grandkids.

While they've resorted mostly to gift cards these days, they still like to physically go and purchase gifts.

"I respect the Internet [retailers], but I want to touch it. I want to feel it," Paula said.

Patrick Holland, owner of Mountain Top Toys in Signal Mountain, said his store relies on that kind of foot traffic, and that shoppers haven't let him down.

Holland also said that about 50 percent of his annual sales come during the November-December shopping season.

"These two months are critical," he said.

And of the toy shop's sales, the majority are, "without a doubt," made by customers physically coming in and shopping, in some cases making an hour-and-a-half drive to do so.

Mountain Top uses the Internet to make it easier for customers to buy and ship things to out-of-state recipients and see the store's inventory. Mountain Top carries specialty lines and toys not found in big box toy stores, but still keeps high-demand stuff.

And this year, demand definitely stands out in one area.

"'Frozen' is still king," Holland said. "Or queen."

Contact staff writer Alex Green at agreen@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6480.

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