Winter weather may spoil shopping plans

WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) - Last minute shoppers beware if you've been putting off buying your presents a winter storm is promising to throw a real wrench into your plans.

At the Warwick Mall, store managers tell us they're already making changes to deal with a surge in holiday shoppers Saturday.

A steady stream of customers filtered through Olympia Sports checking off items on their holiday gift lists. Super Saturday sales are expected to jump due to a snowy Sunday forecast.

Morgan Meisenheimer, Asst. Manger of Olympia Sports said, "Saturday will be really busy and Monday will be really busy. I don't think a lot of people will come out, but if they do, we'll be here."

While Black Friday is often considered the busiest shopping day of the year, the Saturday before Christmas actually pulls in the highest sales. With winter weather on the way holiday shoppers can expect even larger crowds at the mall.

"More lines, we'll have more staff on to try to incorporate all the business we're going to have we'll have more people in footwear, more people ringing, a bagger," said Meisenheimer.

Retailers rely on the weekend before Christmas for a large portion of holiday sales and analysts say any amount of snow could hit small independent stores hardest. Despite the weather, store workers will be out in full force, taking care of last minute shoppers.

"We'll still be full staffed, we'll be ready and waiting for people who want to come out in the snow," said Meisenheimer.

And retail workers tell us they're actually looking forward to a quieter day Sunday, giving them time to clean and stock in the final stretch before Christmas.