Throngs of people moved through the Oxford Valley Mall in Middletown as though every person had a mission on which their life depended over the weekend.
This is a scene many might think depicts Black Friday, but this year, the spectacle on Super Saturday, the last Saturday before Christmas, is set to be even bigger than the Black Friday that came three weeks ago.
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In order to prepare for the day, stores bulked up on shipments so that they would have enough stock to make it through the coming days, where people are finishing up their Christmas shopping.
“To prepare for today, we tripled our orders,” explained James Williams, the owner of Dynasty Sports in the Oxford Valley Mall. According to Williams, the Eagles are the number one selling team this year, as opposed to the Flyers, who dominated sales last year. “It’s going to be madness. This weekend is kind of the home run for the holiday season,” said Williams.
“It’s pretty evident that people wait until the last minute,” observed one bystander outside of a lower-level store.
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One trend that became obvious throughout the day was the fact that many individuals shopping in the mall came from outside the area to finish their shopping.
“It seems a little busier than normal,” noted one shopper, Dave Kelly, as he exited the As Seen on TV store.
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Jim Malervy, the Director of Marketing and Business Development at Oxford Valley Mall, commented on trends this holiday shopping season and predictions for Super Saturday. According to Malervy, apparel is continuously growing as a gift category as are toys and other types of electronics. “Hot toys this year include Disney’s Frozen merchandise for girls (beating out the top reigning Barbie) and LEGO toys for boys,” Malervy said.
Malvery, said a large percentage of people, about 60 percent, will be buying a gift card for someone while gift shopping.
“In the past few years, we’ve seen a trend of brands extending their holiday promotions, offering sales much earlier in the season and continuing them through this final holiday shopping weekend. Because of this, shoppers are confident they’ll still have access to great – or even better deals – later in the season,” explained Malervy of the potential sales for the day.
