Retailers encouraging more shopping

Jillian Hansen liked the L.L. Bean sweater she got from her sister-in-law on Christmas, but it was just a little too tight across her shoulders.

“That’s the problem sometimes with buying clothes. You never know what’s going to fit,” she said Tuesday at the L.L. Bean retail outlet in Ellsworth.

Hansen, 36, of Ellsworth was in line hoping to exchange the wool sweater for another size but admitted she also was browsing a little.

“I have a $50 gift card, too, so if I see something I like, I might just buy it,” she said.

Many shoppers who ventured out Tuesday from their Christmas slumber to return sweaters that didn’t fit or DVDs and CDs they already owned were greeted by yet another round of sales.

Retailers across the state and country often try to take advantage of the days after the holiday by catering to these shoppers. The hope is that customers with returns might notice those marked-down items or perhaps use the gift cards that are burning a hole in their pockets.

“The thing about a gift card, no matter what kind, is that it’s money. It’s an opportunity to buy, so, sure, they will use them,” James Gerety, general manager of Bangor Mall, said Tuesday afternoon. “So our retailers will push sales to liquidate the holiday merchandise and to get rid of existing stock.”

Many national retailers have reported that 2006 pre-Christmas sales fell short of expectations. With six days left in the year after the holiday, merchants are trying to make them count and, in turn, boost business for December and for the fourth quarter.

“I think it was a pretty good season for us. It certainly surpassed last year,” Gerety said, adding that jewelry was the biggest draw at Bangor Mall. “But this week also is a very important one for retailers. It’s sort of the culmination of the holiday season.”

Smaller, local retailers in eastern Maine also rely heavily not only on pre-Christmas but post-holiday sales as well to improve their profits.

“[December] is obviously our biggest time of year,” said Nancy Peers, a manager and buyer at the Grasshopper Shop in Bangor. “We tend to sell a lot of gift certificates, and we usually see a fair amount of returns, so we expect it to be steady this week.”

Local retailers always struggle to compete with mall shoppers, and the Christmas season is no exception.

“I think that there is a special kind of customer that tries to shop just downtown,” said Tracy Darcy, who owns Metropolitan Soul on Main Street in Bangor. “The best thing about being down here, though, is hearing people say, ‘I don’t want to go near the mall.'”

Darcy, who has been in business for two years in Bangor, said December is her biggest month as well.

While it’s not as popular as Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, Dec. 26 is still often a busy time for retailers, who turn to sales and discounts to further attract customers.

Macy’s, a national department store chain, offered discounts on Tuesday, ranging from 50 percent to 75 percent on selected items. Toys “R” Us Inc. marked down some of its toys by 50 percent.

The sales are meant to ensure that shoppers who are returning items will exchange them for other items at the store.

“Of course, our hope is that shoppers who are returning items won’t take that money and go home,” Gerety said.

Returns aside, the other big reason post-Christmas shopping season has become more and more popular is the rise in gift card sales.

A recent poll conducted for the National Retail Association indicated that consumers were expected to spend $24.8 billion on gift cards this season, up from $18.5 billion a year ago.

“It’s funny. I would never give a gift card, but I sure don’t mind getting them,” Hansen said, laughing.

Darcy acknowledged she doesn’t sell many gift cards at her boutique, but said she understands their popularity, particularly at national chain stores.

“I have relatives in North Carolina who send me gift cards,” she said. “If you live in another part of the country, you want to make sure the cards can be redeemed.”

Another variable this year has been the increase in online shopping. Amazon.com Inc., the Seattle-based Web giant, called this shopping season its best ever, with iPods and digital cameras leading the charge.

Gerety said a potential negative factor in sales this year in the Bangor area was mild weather.

“That’s one thing that’s unique to northern climates,” he said. “We didn’t have snow or cold weather, so we didn’t see as much sales in winter clothing or other items.”