With only a few days left before Christmas, many are flocking to stores to buy the last item or, for some, to buy all the items on their list.
Whether grocery or gift shopping, the last- minute frenzy can be daunting and tiresome as shopping malls are packed with other shoppers in the same predicament.
Nigel Connellan, managing director of Western Gruppe, a holding company of 14 SPAR stores in the Eastern Cape, offered some quick tips to make that last-minute Christmas shopping less stressful.
“Carry some cash on you as at this time of the year speed points are at their maximum potential and tend to shut down, making the use of credit cards null and void,” he said.
He warned shoppers not to leave the grocery shopping until the last day of Christmas as some products might be out of stock.
“Buy the critical Christmas day items early as the chance of there being no stock is great closer to the day, ice fresh cream, fresh custard, mint jelly, apple jelly, tonic and dry lemon, strawberries, blueberries, pavlova, etc,” he said.
Lastly, to limit rushing up and down and standing in long queues, he advised customers not to do the grocery and gift shopping on the same day.
“Do not stress and lose your cool while shopping. Retailers and their staff are also human. Treat all with respect and dignity. Merry Christmas,” Connellan said.
