Shoppers flock to Chicago outlet mall for gift returns, after-Christmas deals
AURORA, Ill. (CBS) – Santa may be off-duty for the next 364 days, but Christmas shopping was still in full swing on Tuesday, at least that's how it felt at a suburban mall.
CBS 2's Lauren Victory checked out the crowd at the Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora.
Over just a few hours, CBS 2 saw many families spending the day together at the mall.
First on everyone's list was a parking spot.
One man told CBS 2 about how he circled the outlet mall for 25 minutes before he was able to park, but he wasn't about to give up because he drove over an hour to get there to return shoes from Santa that didn't fit.
"I think I messed up by coming today," said Jose Ayala.
It seemed a lot of people had the same idea: head to the stores to exchange a gift or snag some post-Christmas deals. Shopping was a great way to spend a day off and entertain kids out of school, one dad said.
The National Retail Federation estimated that about 20% of presents will be returned or swapped out for something else.
CBS 2 also ran into the Krick family, who were summoned to the mall by their matriarch for a Christmas surprise. Grandma let us in on her secret.
"They are each getting this envelope of money that they get to spend on themselves only because anything that you do not spend, it goes back to me," said Laura Schubert, laughing.
It was good timing with after-holiday sales at many of the stores. In fact, some customers weren't there for returns at all, just more shopping.
"Well, we're going back to Canada. So I wanted to get my friends some souvenirs from Chicago," said Oscar Salazar.
Other stopped by with a dual purpose: entertain the kids and sniff out some deals.
"They're off of school and I'm off of work so I had to bring them with," another shopper said.
The Better Business Bureau has some tips for gift returns:
- Hold onto receipts and original packaging.
- Bring an ID for in-store transactions.
- Check for any re-stocking fees.
- Understand if you'll be getting a store credit or a cash refund.
- And take a peek at return windows. Some merchants change their policies during the holidays.
The after-holiday clearout sales will end in the next few days, but the mall will stay open an extra hour, through 9 p.m., through Saturday.
Also, a hot tip for anyone not interested in playing the parking lot waiting game: prime spots are sectioned off and available for those willing to pay $12.