(USA Today) - Procrastinators, this is your season. According to IBTimes.com, several big stores will be open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
The extra shopping time will be popular among consumers who have missed online shipping deadlines.
According to the National Retail Federation, the Saturday before Christmas is expected to be one of the biggest shopping days of the year. About 126 million consumers will shop on so-called Super Saturday, the organization predicts.
“Even though many consumers got a head start with holiday shopping early in the season, millions more are leaving their gift buying to the last minute and beyond,” said Matthew Shaw, president and CEO of the retail group in a news release. “Stores will be packed the next few days as consumers rush to complete their shopping, and anybody ordering online at this point should probably choose in-store pickup as their delivery option.”
“Consumers have actually made a little bit more progress on their holiday shopping than we saw last year,” said Katherine Cullen, the federation's director of retail and consumer insight. “Even though consumers have made a big dent in their shopping lists, we are still expecting them to shop through the end of the season.”
Kelly Bennin, of Palm City, Florida, admits she hasn't started her holiday shopping yet.
“I'm a night owl so I appreciate the stores being open later,” Bennin said. “I'm sure my fellow procrastinators, as well as people who work day shifts or don't like to shop online, will be happy with the extended hours too.”
CHRISTMAS EVE, DEC. 24, 2013
Apple: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in most stores on Christmas Eve.
Bed Bath & Beyond: Store hours may vary, depending on location -- but many will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Best Buy: Christmas Eve hours will be 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
BJ's Wholesale Club: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Costco: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Christmas Eve.
Dollar General: Most stores open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Christmas Eve.
Gap: Many stores will have regular hours on Christmas Eve.
JC Penney: Christmas Eve extended hours beginning at 7 a.m.
Kmart: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Dec. 24.
Kohl's: 6 a.m. Dec. 20 through 6 p.m. Christmas Eve.
Lowe's: All Lowe's stores are closed Christmas Day but open Christmas Eve.
Macy's: Many Macy's stores are beginning extended hours this week, opening from 7 a.m. to midnight through Thursday. Opening times remain the same Friday through Monday, Dec. 23, but stores will remain open longer, closing at 2 a.m. (Check your store at macys.com.)
Marshalls: Christmas Eve hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Michaels: The creative arts and crafts store will be closed Christmas Day, but open on Christmas Eve from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Nordstrom: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Staples: Normal business hours on Christmas Eve.
Target: 7 a.m. to either 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve, depending on the location.
The Home Depot: Closed Christmas Day, open Christmas Eve with select hours; check with specific locations to verify.
TJ Maxx: The retail chain will be closed Christmas Day but open Christmas Eve; check specific locations for store hours.
Toys R Us: Open 24 hours, until 9 p.m.
Walmart: Walmart hours vary by location, but most stores will be open Christmas Eve.
Whole Foods: Christmas Eve hours will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., though it may vary in some locations.
*All of the stores listed above will be closed on Christmas Day.
CHRISTMAS DAY, DEC. 25, 2013
7-Eleven: Most stores are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will remain open on Christmas.
CVS: Many locations will open on Christmas Day, some of which are 24 hours.
Denny's: Denny's will be open nationwide on Christmas Day.
IHOP: Many locations will open on Christmas Day.
McDonald's: Many locations will open on Christmas Day.
Starbucks: Many locations will open on Christmas Day.
Walgreens: On Christmas Day, most stores will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and pharmacies will be open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Shopping tips
In-store pickup: Save time by shopping at stores that offer in-store pickup, which include Kohl's, Staples, Office Depot/OfficeMax, Target, Toys R Us, Walmart, Macy's, Best Buy, J.C. Penney, Sears and Kmart.
Earn cash back: Use websites such as Ebates.com or TopCashback.com or using cashback apps like Ibotta, Shopkick and Drop.
Check online: Use store websites to check inventory of products to purchase in-store.
Price match: Some stores will match competitors' advertised prices if they sell the identical item. For the stores that will allow price matching, many require bringing newspaper advertisements to the customer service desk and some allow you to match competitors' online prices including Amazon.
Use coupons and rewards programs: You can find coupons on store websites, mobile apps and in newspapers inserts. Earn points and rewards with store loyalty programs which equate to money off a future purchase. Consider opening or using store credit cards to earn bigger rewards.
Read store return policies carefully: Get gift receipts and keep your original receipt in case you need to return or exchange an item.
Get a bonus: Gift cards are the most requested gift and many restaurants are offering bonuses and freebies for buying their cards.
Kelly Tyko is a columnist for Treasure Coast Newspapers and TCPalm.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. This column reflects her opinion. Read her Bargainista tips at TCPalm.com/Bargainista and follow her on Twitter @KellyTyko. Sign up for her weekly newsletter at www.tcpalm.com/featured-newsletter/bargainistabest.
