The After Christmas Shopping Rush Is On!

(New York - WABC, December 26 , 2005) (WABC) -- It's the day after Christmas and all through the stores, shoppers were busy hunting bargains galore.

And retailers were happy to see them -- whether returning unwanted presents, looking for new deals, or cashing in gift cards.

Eyewitness News Reporter Kemberly Richardson is in Paramus with more.

If you have the patience, stamina, and the right walking shoes, this is the place you need to be to take advantage of the unbelievable sales.

This week is an important one for retailers who are trying to bring up their numbers. And it appears between the markdowns and the gift cards, they will meet their goal.

Like thousands of other shoppers packing Westfield Garden State Plaza, they were all here for the sales -- in some cases up to 80 percent off.

Many stores opened early today and will remain that way until later than usual.

Analysts say this year many shoppers waited even longer than last year to do their holiday shopping, causing retailers to worry.

Judging from the crowds today, people are making up for lost time whether it's shoes, items for next season, or gift cards.

Analysts expect shoppers to spend about $18 billion dollars on the gift cards, up 6.6 percent from last year.

And this coming week is when experts say 20 percent of those holding the cards will use them.

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