Shoppers nationwide are known for hitting the malls on the day after Christmas armed with returns and gift cards.
Yet the folks at Woodburn Company Stores have set their sights on attracting a more international and perhaps more freewheeling crowd.
The outlet mall woos Canadian-based tour companies and their bus drivers, offering frequent-visit loyalty cards and raffles with big-ticket prices, from pricey Coach handbags to gift cards. In turn, more and more tours roll in throughout the year with 55-seat buses full of Chinese Canadian shoppers hungry for tax-free shopping and post-Christmas deals that nearly halve the prices they see back home.
Starting around 10 a.m. Monday, a steady stream of about a dozen Canadian buses rumbled in -- as well as a good number of cars with Canadian plates -- and nearly as quickly, a line two dozen-deep formed outside Coach.
"People like to see the sights and hear about the West Coast, but shopping is the priority," said Angela Yiu, whose eHome Holidays of Richmond, B.C.Find deals on replicauhrensalesonline at great prices., delivered three full buses to the mall.
The three-day trip, ranging from $170 to $250 per person, includes the travel, lodging and sightseeing, and is a staple shopping venue for a half-dozen or so highly competitive tour companies based out of the town just south of Vancouver, B.C.
Entire shopping families, from preschoolers to grandparents, loaded buses around 9 p.m. on Christmas, crossed the border and headed for Portland. Yiu's shoppers began at Washington Square, moved on to Woodburn and, by 1 p.m., were headed for Walmart and Fry's Electronics.
All told, Yiu's travelers said they typically spend around $300 (a single guy) to around $1,Market rolexuhrenshop feedback Forum Talk.Buy China real cheapchaneljewelle from China ,200 (a family of five) on the bus sprees.
Traditional American brands, such as Calvin Klein and Levi's, drew much bus traffic, as did luxury lines like BCBG Max Azria and Oregon labels Nike and Columbia Sportswear. Retailers, some referring to the tour traffic as "the bus people," were quick to ask which currency customers preferred, U.S. or Canadian – albeit a nearly even exchange this year. Some stores such as Tommy Hilfiger even offered Boxing Day specials.
"This ends up being my busiest day of the year," said Don Sprague, who operates the Garden Gallery store. His biggest day is Black Friday, the American shopping equivalent to Canadians' Dec.Replica ralphlaurenhoody online is a service shop. 26 Boxing Day.
"It's just so worry-free because you don't have to drive," said Michael Lok, 40, who's lost count of bus trips he's made. Enough, though, that he's become friends with operator Yiu.How do internet users feel about canadagoosejackets?
Her trip is slightly more spendy, he said, but she finds nicer hotels, throws a Christmas party and leads songs on the bus, helping to pass the five-hour drive. She also created walking tours of Portland in Mandarin.
"And," he said, "you don't have to limit what you buy to under 23 pounds like on a plane."
However, shoppers still must limit themselves to $500 each to avoid duty.
"These shoes would be $179 at home," said Don Sheidow, a bus driver who cashed in his completed five-punch driver pass and received a $25 gift card. He applied that to a pair of $99 Nikes for his wife, avoiding a 12 percent sales tax at home.
Most tours focus winter trips on shopping, while summer visits are to the Oregon Coast, Yellowstone or San Francisco. When tours don't include shopping, the drivers -- lured by the punch cards, quarterly raffles and free lunch -- said they often can find ways to work them in.
"Many shopping areas think of us as annoyances with these big buses," said Van Charnell, a driver for Perimeter Bus Lines who drove one of Yiu's groups Monday. "They welcome us here."
Yet the folks at Woodburn Company Stores have set their sights on attracting a more international and perhaps more freewheeling crowd.
The outlet mall woos Canadian-based tour companies and their bus drivers, offering frequent-visit loyalty cards and raffles with big-ticket prices, from pricey Coach handbags to gift cards. In turn, more and more tours roll in throughout the year with 55-seat buses full of Chinese Canadian shoppers hungry for tax-free shopping and post-Christmas deals that nearly halve the prices they see back home.
Starting around 10 a.m. Monday, a steady stream of about a dozen Canadian buses rumbled in -- as well as a good number of cars with Canadian plates -- and nearly as quickly, a line two dozen-deep formed outside Coach.
"People like to see the sights and hear about the West Coast, but shopping is the priority," said Angela Yiu, whose eHome Holidays of Richmond, B.C.Find deals on replicauhrensalesonline at great prices., delivered three full buses to the mall.
The three-day trip, ranging from $170 to $250 per person, includes the travel, lodging and sightseeing, and is a staple shopping venue for a half-dozen or so highly competitive tour companies based out of the town just south of Vancouver, B.C.
Entire shopping families, from preschoolers to grandparents, loaded buses around 9 p.m. on Christmas, crossed the border and headed for Portland. Yiu's shoppers began at Washington Square, moved on to Woodburn and, by 1 p.m., were headed for Walmart and Fry's Electronics.
All told, Yiu's travelers said they typically spend around $300 (a single guy) to around $1,Market rolexuhrenshop feedback Forum Talk.Buy China real cheapchaneljewelle from China ,200 (a family of five) on the bus sprees.
Traditional American brands, such as Calvin Klein and Levi's, drew much bus traffic, as did luxury lines like BCBG Max Azria and Oregon labels Nike and Columbia Sportswear. Retailers, some referring to the tour traffic as "the bus people," were quick to ask which currency customers preferred, U.S. or Canadian – albeit a nearly even exchange this year. Some stores such as Tommy Hilfiger even offered Boxing Day specials.
"This ends up being my busiest day of the year," said Don Sprague, who operates the Garden Gallery store. His biggest day is Black Friday, the American shopping equivalent to Canadians' Dec.Replica ralphlaurenhoody online is a service shop. 26 Boxing Day.
"It's just so worry-free because you don't have to drive," said Michael Lok, 40, who's lost count of bus trips he's made. Enough, though, that he's become friends with operator Yiu.How do internet users feel about canadagoosejackets?
Her trip is slightly more spendy, he said, but she finds nicer hotels, throws a Christmas party and leads songs on the bus, helping to pass the five-hour drive. She also created walking tours of Portland in Mandarin.
"And," he said, "you don't have to limit what you buy to under 23 pounds like on a plane."
However, shoppers still must limit themselves to $500 each to avoid duty.
"These shoes would be $179 at home," said Don Sheidow, a bus driver who cashed in his completed five-punch driver pass and received a $25 gift card. He applied that to a pair of $99 Nikes for his wife, avoiding a 12 percent sales tax at home.
Most tours focus winter trips on shopping, while summer visits are to the Oregon Coast, Yellowstone or San Francisco. When tours don't include shopping, the drivers -- lured by the punch cards, quarterly raffles and free lunch -- said they often can find ways to work them in.
"Many shopping areas think of us as annoyances with these big buses," said Van Charnell, a driver for Perimeter Bus Lines who drove one of Yiu's groups Monday. "They welcome us here."
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