Ted Williams
Contributing Writer

THIS can be a frus-
trating time of year for

* shoppers. Stores and

parking fots are full,
knowledgeable sales
staff are busy with cus-

tomers and shopping

can become a chore.

Wr MADE, AFFORDABLE —
& WONDERFULLY PRACTICAL |

beat secon & see pret on

vilting supplies,

Spaciatizing in’ sewing education ©

free machine & sarger, lessons ;

o—-or shop on.
eveni “Whenever.

“you get your refind. |.

’ Bur it avedn’t be like thar.
The. pre -Christmas difficulties
you're facing now come. up
every year, and with a litte
preparation vou; can avoid
most of them. So here’s: my
list of the top ten’survival tips:
for Christmas shopping. ~ -
& Shop carly. And if you can’t
do - thar, shop ‘at off-peak
hours to: avoid the crowds,

| From now until Christmas,

stores and: shopping, centres.
are open late. Go after dinner
-Saturday:
you
decide to shop, give yourself a
little extza time. . ;
@ Make. use -of flyers or ads.
Use theni to check out what’s
new, to review what vou want
and to compare prices before

you go shopping. You can ‘use
-: the Internet, too, Most stores
‘that advertise products. will

have it in stock, but confirm:
by telephone first, and if they.

don’t, ‘inquire about a. rain -

check..

-@ Know. what you want.-
_ Salespeople are ‘busy: at. this”

time of year, Ifyou want them :

‘ te.spend time with you com-
‘paring computers or CD play-
“ers, theyll be happy to do it ©
_at off-peak times.. Staff. can’t

afford to spend lots of time

educating one customer when
: store and pic
you've: finished ‘shopping. If ~

others are waiting. —
Bi Avoid cheques. It’s best to

a with a bank card, credit -

card ‘or cash. If you pay by-:

cheque ‘and . you want. to.
“return - ‘something, you may
have. to wait. about ten days
“until the cheque clears before

i Confirm. a:store’s refund
Tinie There may: be-a-time
mit. ‘Does the. st give

“note?

.. What if the item is a gift?
@. Hide. your parcels. : Don’t. *d

“eave parcels on the back seat
of your car. It takes only a few.
seconds for a thief to break in,

Leave buiky pagchasss i in the...

them up when

you must take goods to your
car, put. them‘ in the: trunk,

_ and move: the vehicle sc any
would-be thieves think you Pre:

leaving

@ Dress: for comfort. «the
weather - may* be’ inclement,
but. inside’ the shopping it’s
climate controlied. “Wear
walking shoes

2 Plen your. trip ‘Decide,
. which: “stores : you intend fo:

visit and“make.-a list’ so you Yo

don’t forget anything.’ While.

we like’ it when you: have.to ~
make: a. ‘second : visit’ to" our:
shopping centre, it can be‘an.,

avoidabie* inconveriience to

-you. Take'a coffee break too.
3] | Arrange a meeting place. If.
«you're shopping with friends’. ‘ed
or family, arrange for a.time.«
“and place. to'meet if you get

separated. ‘A shopping cen-

‘ tre’s loudspeaker system is for.

emergencies — it isn’t 2 peo-
ple finder. --

‘Temporary- retailers. At’.

~-Christmas, many” shopping

centres add retailers..to. the

shopping centre: mix, usually .. *

+ shopping « cent

NEWS ao Miva ‘Waretiatd -

L CHRISTMAS ‘shopping at the malt doés not have to be a stressful time with some
. advance planning, ‘put tock your purchases out of sight and Move your eer.’

stores. If you’re.: purchasing:
from one of these, find: out’
what to do in case you requi

a refund ‘or~ exchange
shopping “centre administra
tion. will be: able ‘to tell:you

“where : the’ rerailer’s perma:

ent place of business i is locat

These tips are all based ‘on
‘comments that Iv and, other:
managers
hear year after. year from ou
“- qastomers.-Try.them —they’l
«help make your holiday shop
- ping more fun aoe

‘nm Ted Williams i is the gen
eral manager of Metropolis ai
Metratown: ‘(formerly . Eston
Centre Metrotown).