MANHATTAN — Flocks of gift returners and blowout sale hunters flooded stores around the city in search of rock bottom prices during day after so-called "Mega Monday" sales on the day atfer Christmas.
At Macy's, the largest store in Manhattan, shoppers filled the store early in the morning and fought over North Face jackets before midday, one shopper said.
“It was a classic scene,” said Ramora Pereira, 31, of the melee when customers rushed for merchandise being stocked by Macy's staff. “It was just so crazy.”
While many stores now offer deals online, shoppers still packed the store for special bargains.
Pereira, an accountant from Washington, D.C., said she keeps an annual ritual of going to Macy's the day after Christmas to search for bargains.
“It was nice and peaceful for the first twenty minutes and then it got really crazy,” said Pereira, who arrived at the store from 7:00 a.m. with her mother.
Still, she seemed happy with the 45-75 percent off discounts throughout the store.
“Today is just the best sales I could find.”
Murilo Innocentini from Sao Paulo, Brazil, was satisfied with a full bag of perfume and clothing purchased for his wife, but said the crowds took some getting used to.
“The main problem is the line for paying,” he said. “But it’s fine because there are so many people here, we have to get used to that.”
Although Vera Mayberry from Maryland said she was pleased with the deals she scored, she said trying on clothing proved to be a challnge.
“Everybody is trying things on so it’s a bit of a line,” she said.
Some customers avoided the lines altogether.
“I decided to buy the clothing and then if it doesn’t fit I will return it later,” said Alex Miller, 20, from Dallas, Texas.
