What to Know
- All across the city, among long lines and big sales, last minute shoppers are trying to squeeze in gift purchases in time for Christmas Day
- According to the National Retail Federation, across the country, 24-percent of shoppers bought their final gifts on "Panic Saturday"
- However, around 7 percent of shoppers have waited until Christmas Eve to make their final purchases
All across the city, among long lines and big sales, last-minute shoppers are trying to squeeze in gift purchases in time for Christmas Day.
According to the National Retail Federation, across the country, 24-percent of shoppers bought their final gifts on what’s become known as “Panic Saturday” — the Saturday before Christmas. However, around 7 percent of shoppers have waited until Christmas Eve to make their final purchases.
Stores across the tri-state area opened early Monday morning — while some have been continuosly opened for days — all in an attempt to cater to procrastinating shoppers and those who want to take advantage of Christmas deals.
A Queens Center Mall employee, Janee Baker, described how frantic last-minute shopping has been, saying that she's seem shoppers who “are stressed and they are also really cranky” because they can’t find some of the items they are looking for as the holiday deadline approaches.
Employees also say they are trying to relieve the stress by helping shoppers as quickly as possible.
"It gets crazy," Kimberly Vidal, a sales associate, says about the shopping scene leading up to Christmas Day.
Local
For shoppers who want to avoid the mall, online shopping websites are also offering deals for last-minute gift purchases.
Amazon is offering same-day Christmas Eve delivery for Prime members in more than 10,000 cities and towns across the country. Stores like Target and Best Buy will accept online orders for in-store pickup today.
