Retailers report 2009 holiday sales up, returns down

Holiday shoppers bought more and returned less this year, a turnaround from 2008, local merchants report.

“I get basically zero returns,” said Susan Middleton, owner of Middleton’s Hallmark Store in Angels Camp.
   

She added that her store’s holiday season went very well.

“I think people are shopping locally, staying home and getting the most they can for their money this year,” she said. “We really appreciate our loyal customers and the fact that we are getting a lot of new customers this year.”

Patricia Tippet, who owns Banyan Tree stores in Sonora and Twain Harte with her son, Michael, agrees.

“This was our biggest Christmas Eve ever in both stores,” she said. “It started getting better around Thanksgiving, and business grew as we got closer to Christmas. It’s been a real positive season for us. I just didn’t order enough. We’ve definitely done better than anticipated.”

The store has been in business for about 20 years.

Becky Halvorsen, who owns the Harte Collection and Sierra Cellars in Twain Harte with her husband, Douglas, said she is doing better this December than last.

“I feel the economy is evening out,” she said. “We just have to make sure our prices are within the right dollar amount.”

“We haven’t had any returns,” she said Saturday. “People are buying things instead.”

She attributes the turnaround to personal service and trying to have something in every price range.

“We help them pick out the right gift, wrap it, and even deliver, if necessary,” she said.

Karen Luckhardt, owner of La Petite Maison in Jamestown, said it turned out to be a good holiday season for her after a slow start caused by a Saturday PG&E outage in Jamestown early in the season.

“The weather makes a big difference,” she said, “but they made up for it, coming out in full force the last two weeks.”

She hadn’t gotten any gift returns Saturday, either.

“I think people did their homework this year and knew exactly what they needed,” she said.

Lauren Kruger, co-owner of Backspace in Sonora, said she hadn’t had any returns on Saturday. 

“We usually don’t get returns unless they are for sizing,” she said, “and we do a lot of gift certificate business, so people can get the size they need.”

She said her clothing store for teens to women in their 70s has has seen a decline since last year, but it seems to be picking up.

“We are still here and surviving,” she said, “and we are hoping for better times ahead.”

The big stores were geared up for an onslaught of returned merchandise, but it turned out to be a mixed bag, according to a story by the Associated Press.

Don Jasper, a spokesman for the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., said a combination of less selection in stores and tighter budgets led to the change.

“People didn’t buy a lot of extraneous stuff,” he said.

 Even Wal-Mart in Sonora seemed to have a lighter than expected turnout for returns.

Antonia Birch, of Hayward, wanted to exchange a pair of pants for a smaller size.

 “We are here visiting my grandmother for the holidays, so I decided to exchange them before going home,” she said.

“I was surprised there was only one person in front of us. I expected a long line.”

Jim Turner, of Turner’s Wild West in Angels Camp, said the week before Christmas was bigger this year than last, but he hasn’t done the figuring yet to determine if the whole month was up from last year.

“I’m feeling encouraged and very thankful,” he said, “but I’m not confident yet. There is too much going on in our country right now that needs to be taken care of, too much spending in government.”