With gift cards in hand and items to exchange, shoppers keep Aurora stores hopping after Christmas: ‘It’s all about the sales and getting good deals’

The Christmas rush may be over, but for merchants and shoppers the fun has only begun as post-holiday shopping rolls on at stores in Aurora.

The so-called “13th month” of consumer sales the week after Christmas remains a major part of retailers’ annual bottom line, something that Fox Valley Mall Senior General Manager Scott Samson said has been noticed based on data collected regarding shopping patterns.

“Statistically here at Fox Valley, the number of shoppers that we have the week after Christmas actually exceeds the number we have the week before Christmas,” he said of the shopping center in Aurora.

“It’s not just a week that our retailers dread for returns, which was the old story,” he said. “It’s gift cards, Christmas cash, it’s great savings, it’s excess inventory. There’s a lot of activity that last week of the year which is why it’s referred to as the 13th month of the year and in many cases it really caps off the year for many of our retailers in terms of making up for any pre-Christmas losses.”

While Samson said the mall itself isn’t offering any post-holiday enticements to lure shoppers back, “retailers are doing that themselves with incentives for exchanging gift cards and all the other things happening.”

“What we’re really trying to do is stay out of the way and accommodate our retailers and shoppers,” he said. “It’s not just about exchanging sizes which has been a side benefit of online retail that no one really talks about – it’s buy online and return at the store. There are a lot of incentive benefits to do that, which is why retailers really welcome the exchanges because it’s not just an exchange for a different size but an ‘upsell’ as well. It’s a whole new way to market and provide customer service.”

Chloe Vanderlei, who works at Torrid, a women’s fashion store at Fox Valley Mall, said that post-Christmas shopping so far this year “has been a fair mix of everything.”

“We have after-holiday shoppers who use their gift cards as well as exchanges. There has been a pretty good post-holiday crowd,” Vanderlei said Thursday. “There has been pretty good traffic with our customer base. We do get a lot of business after Christmas, people getting their outfits ready and looking for things for holiday parties and occasions.”

Shoppers, Vanderlei added, “are a little more at ease right now and know what they are looking for,” something that Aurora resident Lora Samayavong said was true for her as well.

“I’m looking for 2023 Christmas ornaments as I wasn’t able to get any beforehand this year,” she said Thursday. “As far as my post-Christmas shopping it depends on time. I didn’t get to get any ornaments before and the prices are good now. I know for retailers this is a big time and I’m also here to exchange some kids’ clothes. I was here last night and it was really busy.”

John Mendez and his fiancee Janessa Medina of Ithaca, New York, were also at Fox Valley Mall Thursday due to family commitments in town.

“I do wind up using my gifts cards and try to do things earlier to avoid the crowds,” Mendez said. “I wait for the sales. You’ll see the crazy sales where they have like 50%, 60% or 70% off and now is the time to save for and get the great bargains. Now is the time to shop.”

At Chicago Premium Outlets mall in Aurora, shoppers on Thursday morning were likewise busy making exchanges and checking out after-Christmas sales.

Chris Haner of Orland Park had already purchased a number of items that she said “were good buys” and was also looking to check out “a couple of other things.”

“We wanted to come early and I know things will get busy,” she said. “I try to shop after Christmas and feel like I want to get things done.”

Lisa Parker, also of Orland Park, was shopping with Haner and agreed this was the best time to shop.

“It’s all about the sales and getting good deals,” she said.

David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.