People return gifts, bargain shop

Allison Ramsey and Matt Kruse left Wal-Mart on Tuesday afternoon with a DVD, a roll of wrapping paper and a pack of Mentos candy.

"We were actually just going to exchange our DVD but we saw the wrapping paper was like half off," Ramsey said. "It was such a good deal, we had to get it."

The Mentos were an impulse purchase.

The pair was one of many who headed back to the stores the day after Christmas to return unwanted gifts and take advantage of post-holiday sales.

When asked why she was returning the pizza warmer she received for Christmas, Debbie Deini replied: "Why do you think?"

"It's something you'd use twice and then put away," she explained. "I've got a lot of appliances I don't use. They just stay in the cupboard."

Deini is from California but was in town to drop off her grandchildren and used her free time to return the purchase.

Aaron Scott, 10, received two Pokeman Sorry games and decided to return one of them to buy a game for the Play Station he also received for Christmas.

Wal-Mart shut down its courtesy desk for the day and instead opened up four lanes to handle only refunds.

"We're treating them all as refunds to get them through faster," said Assistant Manger Susan Stookey. "It makes it easier for them."

Dolly Williams, of Florida and visiting her son in Minden, came to exchange a pair of slippers that were too small.

"They have a good system up here," she said. "The lines aren't bad."

Aurora Fernandez came to return a faulty scooter, but wasn't sure if she could receive a refund because she didn't have the receipt.

The store's policy is no receipt, no cash. But she was given a gift card for the amount of the scooter to buy a new one.

Stookey said she was pleased with the smoothness of the system but didn't think it was too busy.

"For me, this is kind of slow," she said. "Last year, there were much more returns."

It was also the day to bargain shop.

Tracy Carlson hit the streets in search of clothes and toys.

"There's not as many bargains as I expected, but we're just getting started," she said.

And she left in hopes of finding an artificial Christmas tree at half price.