Consumers hit US stores for post-Christmas bargains, returns

Millions of consumers planned to shop for after-Christmas bargains Thursday and US retailers are offering some deals to entice them. The data firm ShopperTrak said about 80 percent of consumers said they planned to hunt for after-holiday bargains in a survey conducted for RetailMeNot, a digital coupon marketplace. Discounters like Walmart and Kohl's opened some stores at 5 a.m. hoping to cash in on gift cards from consumers who didn't get what they wanted from Christmas with markdowns of 25 to 50 percent off on many items. "There will be pent-up demand post-Christmas – consumers have been really cautious with their spending going into the holiday," Michelle Bogan of consulting firm Kurt Salmon told the Chicago Tribune. "They'll wait and see what gifts they received and then they'll be tempted to go out and spend a bit on themselves." Toys R Us opened stores at 8 a.m. and will have extended hours through Monday. JCPenny offered door-busters from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. and $10 off coupons redeemable through Dec. 28. Macy's offered buy one, get one free deals for men's dress shirts and designed suits. Sears offered up to 40 percent off on appliances for customers using their Sears credit card for big-ticket purchases over $499. Kmart offered "Shop Your Way" members 50 cents per gallon off on gasoline purchases, if they spend $25 on Procter & Gamble products, USA Today reported. Target was offering up to half off on select toys and 40 percent off many apparel items in an effort to attract shoppers in the wake of the hacking of debit and credit card numbers that compromised financial information of up to 40 million consumers during the holiday shopping season.