Short wait for gift returns

CEDAR RAPIDS – Santa Claus had one last present for holiday shoppers - short return lines at the store.

“The returns of yesteryear, the long, long lines, I've seen that steadily decrease over the years,” said David Lyng, team leader at Super Target, 3400 Edgewood Rd. SE

Lyng has worked in the market for 10 years and said the increasing popularity of gift cards plays a major role in the decreasing lines at the return counter.

Shoppers agree.

Jennifer Freese of Cedar Rapids bought the wrong-sized shoes for her brother, which meant she had to sit in the return line. But she said she hit the mark by buying gift cards for her parents,

“It's just easier for them to go and get what they want,” Freese said.

The National Retail Federation said gift cards were the most asked for gifts for the third year in a row. The federation also said stores are trying to capitalize on that trend by offering special offers. While stores sell a lot of gift cards, they can't show that profit on their books until the card is redeemed, according to the federation.

That might explain why the return line at Best Buy, 4650 First Avenue Southeast, was only a few people long. However, at one point, the line to check out stretched nearly halfway around the store.

Lyng said another reason for the shorter return lines is because people have been celebrating Christmas for weeks, and many people have already returned or exchanged their gifts.

-By Justin Foss, KCRG-TV9