With her children’s feet continuously growing into bigger and wider sizes as they get older, buying footwear for gifts is always a tricky activity for Round Lake mom Maria Hernandez.
That’s why on Thursday, Hernandez was accompanied by her three children and baby at a Kids Foot Locker in Gurnee so they could personally all try on their shoes.
“Every year we go through this, and it’s difficult, because everyone is doing the same thing,” Hernandez said of what has become a holiday tradition — the returning and exchanging of unwanted presents the day after Christmas.
According to the National Retail Federation, 68% of shoppers will be returning Christmas gifts that just didn’t quite hit the mark.
That was the case for Sonia Stankiewicz of Winthrop Harbor, who had several pieces of clothing that needed to be returned at the Kohl’s store because they didn’t fit. They included jeans and tops.
“I know the return lines are horrible,” Stankiewicz said. “I usually try to avoid the stores after Christmas, but it’s gorgeous out, and I wanted to get out of the house.”
The National Weather Service reported temperatures of over 60 degrees in some parts of Lake County on Thursday, along with sunshine.
The balmy weather and the after-Christmas sales are what drew Valerie Sheya out to the stores, along with her daughter, Nicole.
The Gurnee mom said the family always has returns to make after Christmas, but their game plan is to wait about a week to make those returns and exchanges.
“The whole family gets clothes, and it takes a while for all of us to try them all on and see how they fit, and then decide if we really like what we got,” Sheya said.
Mia Colon of Gurnee was surprised to open two pairs of the same type of tennis shoes on Christmas day because her mom and sister didn’t communicate well, she said.
On Thursday, Colon planned to exchange one pair of the red-checkered shoes she got from the Vans Outlet store inside the Gurnee Mills mall for perhaps a different pair that might catch her eye, she said.
“It’s my first time exchanging a gift after Christmas,” Colon said. “I have good luck getting the stuff I want usually.”
About 80% of shoppers prefer to make their returns and exchanges at brick-and-mortar stores, according to the National Retail Federation. Those returning gifts are likely to also make new purchases once they’re already there.
The federation’s annual December holiday consumer survey showed 49% of people will be taking advantage of those post-holiday sales, too.
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For those who will be making returns at the stores in the following days, the ConsumerWorld.org website offers some advice.
Before going to a store, give a call to see what their return policy is, as those vary from store to store — and even with the season — since many retailers have holiday policies that differ from their regular returns rules and guidelines.
Some stores, like Macy’s, have reduced their return deadline policies for most items, according to ConsumerWorld.org.
Other stores are trying to make returning gifts easier, such as Walmart, which has a returns app that shoppers can use.
Yadira Sanchez Olson is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.