Macy’s plans all-nighter as Christmas nears

LIHU‘E — It’s a procrastinator’s dream. Macy’s is planning to keep its Kukui Grove Center store open around the clock during this last weekend of holiday shopping.

The marathon retail hours are another sign of the steep competition from online retailers that has nudged brick-and-mortar holiday shopping to new extremes.

While the retail all-nighters may come as a surprise this year, in the future they could be the norm, according to the Associated Press.

Macy’s will keep most of its 800 stores nationwide, including eight in Hawai‘i, open from 7 a.m. Friday until 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

The round-the-clock shopping frenzy is expected to generate additional revenue from last-minute shoppers.

Macy’s says it is staying open all night this weekend to help last-minute shoppers.

“Macy’s extended store hours are the ultimate in customer service,” Deena Nichols, Macy’s district vice president for Hawai‘i and Guam, said in an email.

“Our customers have shown they appreciate the ability to shop on their own schedule, so we are providing them the opportunity to finish their holiday shopping at any time of day or night.”

Smaller retailers may be forced to jump on the bandwagon, especially since holiday sales can generate as much as 40 percent of a store’s annual business, according to Retail Merchants of Hawai‘i.

Internet sales are also pushing round-the-clock competition for brick-and-mortar stores, said Carol Pregill, president of Retail Merchants of Hawai‘i.

“The competition not only comes from other brick-and-mortar stores, but increasing competition from Internet sales, which is 24 hours, in your pajamas and every single day of the week,” Pregill said.

Shoppers who run out of time for Internet purchases because of the time it takes to ship the item to Hawai‘i may take advantage of the overnight hours.