Charles Ostrander walked into work at the Best Buy in White Marsh on Friday and knew it was going to be a busy day.
“There wasn’t a single shopping cart available,” said Ostrander, the store’s mobile phone department manager. “That’s usually a good sign.”
Ostrander — who was featured in one of Best Buy’s “Holiday Stories” television advertisements — said the store was packed with people using gift cards and hunting for after-Christmas sales.
“It’s almost like Black Friday, just in terms of the sheer amount of people in here,” Ostrander said. “There have been a lot of people coming in with gift cards, many of them using the cards to upgrade their cell phone or buy a new smart phone.”
Others have stopped by to see Ostrander — their local retailer made famous by a national ad campaign.
“One woman came in on Christmas Eve and brought her son because he wanted to meet the ‘Best Buy guy from the commercial,’ ” Ostrander said.
While Best Buy opened at 8 a.m. Friday, many retailers opened before 6 a.m., offering 50 percent to 75 percent off on toys, furniture, electronics and clothing. Stores were hoping the discounts would entice shoppers to redeem gift cards and use cash from returning unwanted gifts to buy something new.
At Morstein’s Jewelers in Federal Hill, staff members were still wrapping presents for customers on the day after Christmas.
“We’ve had three or four people come in and say, ‘I forgot to get a gift for someone,’ ” said store owner Sonny Morstein. “It’s a pretty good time, and for a lot of retailers, this can make or break your year.”
Leona Mason, of Bowie, was scouring the Towson Town Center mall for a few after-Christmas gifts, including a holiday blouse for her sister. “I’m basically looking for bargains.”
That kind of focus by shoppers could spell deep trouble for the nation’s stores, which are facing the worst holiday shopping season in decades. Job cuts, portfolio losses and other economic woes have made consumers cut back their spending. The holiday season typically accounts for 30 percent to 50 percent of a retailer’s annual total sales.
According to preliminary data from SpendingPulse — a division of MasterCard Advisors that tracks total sales paid for by credit card, checks and cash — retail sales fell between 5.5 percent and 8 percent during the holiday season compared with last year.
“The last week of December represents about 14 percent of Christmas sales,” said C. Britt Beemer, chairman of America’s Research Group.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
