Post-holiday items recently purchased by Karen Nazor Hill include a dress, sweater, shawl, scarf, and boots (not pictured).One would think that after weeks of serious shopping, I’d be ready to take a break. But when store after store promotes merchandise being marked down 75 percent or more, there’s no holding me back.
The current sales in stores are incredible. One retail manager told me that just like shoppers, retail is suffering from the recession. The goal is to move merchandise out as quickly as possible. Instead of gradually lowering prices after the holidays, some stores started dramatically slashing prices soon after Christmas.
Some of the best sales I saw were at the bigger department stores. Some merchandise that had been marked down 50 percent was marked down an additional 75 percent.
The problem I encountered was finding what I liked in my size, and much of the merchandise was out of place. A size 12, for example, might be in a size 8 slot. You have to be willing to go through all sizes to find something you like. And that takes time.
Shopping for a complete outfit during after-holiday sales has become an annual quest for me. Typically, I allow myself $100 to buy a complete outfit. This year, I lowered the amount to $80.