In Raleigh’s Village District, shoppers took advantage of extended store hours and last-minute purchases on the last shopping weekend before Christmas.
It’s known as Super Saturday and is considered one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
“I tell myself every year I’m going to do it sooner and sooner, and I never do, so here I am,” said shopper Natalie Yakopec.
As shoppers take advantage of the final days before Christmas, it’s also crunch time for many stores.
Members of the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association say these days are make-or-break for some business owners.
“In some cases, it makes a determination whether a business makes a profit or not or whether they stay in business or not,” said NCRMA President and General Counsel Andy Ellen. “This year, we’ve seen some uncertainty with tariffs and things like that and supply chain issues.”
Amid the economic uncertainty, some store staff are looking to capitalize on the holiday demand.
“This year has definitely been rough for a lot of people. But I think people are starting to shop more local. With that, we’ve been doing ok,” said local store manager Hazel Mannery.
A new report from the NCRMA says North Carolina holiday season retail sales are projected to top $43 billion this year. The report forecasts a 2.65% increase in December sales compared to those in 2024.
“I think you have a much more cost-conscious consumer,” said Ellen. “They’re doing a lot more research online before they go into a store…because in some cases they’re making one purchase of a certain large item so they want to make sure they get the best deal they can.”
Some shoppers say they are paying close attention to price tags.
“I am always budget conscious, but yeah, definitely thinking about how much things cost and being mindful of the value you get for what you’re spending,” said shopper Lynda Dawson.
The mad dash is being met with cost-consciousness among some Raleigh shoppers as the holiday buying season nears an end.