After-Christmas sales, returns begin

The boomerang to the holiday shopping season came Monday, as shoppers both enthused and reluctant descended on Yuba-Sutter stores for returns, gift card redemptions and post-Christmas sales.

Judging by full parking lots at several Yuba City stores, many hadn't reached their saturation point for retail overload as of yet, and some were even still all smiles about it.

"We got enough. It's just these after-Christmas sales," said Raychel Mclaughlin of Yuba City, explaining why she and a friend were perusing the goods at J.C. Penney and other Yuba Sutter Mall stores on Monday afternoon. "I didn't think it would be this busy," she said. But there was still a pretty good chance she would find something to buy before the day was over, Mclaughlin added.

Boosted partially by the rising popularity of gift cards in lieu of gifts, the day after Christmas has become another day for retail in the U.S. to goose the holiday shopping season's final tally.

Because Dec. 26 fell on a Monday, store traffic could be up as much as 60 percent over the same date last year, which was a Sunday, according to ShopperTrak, a research firm that monitors traffic at more than 25,000 stores.

"There is potential for a very significant lift" in shopping Monday, ShopperTrak founder Bill Martin said. "Last year the 26th was on Sunday, and Sunday has restricted selling laws. In some states there are blue laws and many stores just aren't open."

Stores were definitely open Monday, some as early as 5 a.m. Even at midday, many parking lots were full and signs pointed shoppers at the Kohl's in Yuba City to the return counter — conveniently, in the back of the store, beyond the sales items.

But the arrangement at Kohl's was OK with Sandra Ojeda of Yuba City, who picked up a few more items while she was exchanging shoes for a different size.

"I was here I don't know how many times in the last month," said Ojeda, 28. "But this is my favorite store."

She said she regularly uses the post-Christmas sales to stock up on some items she'll need for next Christmas, like wrapping paper and decorations.

But others were at the stores with a bit more reluctance. Trent Mentink of Yuba City said he was taking advantage of his employee discount at Kohl's, on his first day off in a while.

"I have the time now," said Mentink, 20. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the discount."

And at a customer service counter at J.C. Penney, Jan Burrows was hoping to be quick in, quick out on returning some items she'd gotten from her husband. "My colors are not her colors," said Vern Burrows.

The couple both said ideally, neither would've gone to the mall today, especially Vern. He had a simple explanation for why he decided to go.

"She promised to buy me lunch," he said. "And she did."

The Los Angeles Times contributedto this report.

CONTACT reporter Ben van der Meerat 749-4786.