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Late shopping adds 'a great charge' Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Six-month-old Courtney Shannon took her grandmother, Terri Bish of Medford, for a little last-minute camera shopping at Circuit City on Monday. By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Terri Bish wasn't going to wait for the last second to do her Christmas shopping. Then she realized all she had under the tree was underwear. Monday, in desperation, she decided to look for a video camera for her husband at Medford's Circuit City. "We promised each other we weren't going to do this," said the Medford resident, 6-month-old granddaughter Courtney Shannon on her hip. "But I want more than underwear." Others were in the same soup. Jeff Dunn, of Medford, admitted to being a seasoned procrastinator. He said it's an adrenaline rush. And like any junkie, he indulged in the Christmas Eve deadline for the reward. "It adds a great charge," he said. With his daughters, Clara and Sydney, he perused Medford's Rogue Ski Shop on a mission to find the right backpack for his son. Shawn Davis, operations manager at Medford's Circuit City said the successful last-minute rush fit in with holiday sales. "We've had a 40 percent sales increase since last year," he said. Davis' theory was that many people who had set aside travel money were staying home and spending their savings on gifts. From DVD players and high-definition digital televisions to personal computers and gaming stations, customers have been spending thousands of dollars on electronics in the last couple weeks, he said. With electronics selling like hotcakes, however, supplies were beginning to run low. "CD burners are completely out of stock," said Davis. "It was a hot item and it was not expected to be a hot item." A delivery truck was due to arrive Sunday, he said. But it broke down and is not expected to arrive until after Christmas. But Davis wasn't letting empty shelves turn him into a Scrooge. "We go by the motto 'sell what you've got on hand right now,'" he said. Debbie and Gary Moberly of Central Point had the Rogue Ski Shop on their shopping route. The couple was picking out snowboard boots for their 14-year-old son. "I couldn't decide whether to put money under the tree or buy the boots themselves," said Debbie, adding "But he wants to go to Mount Ashland the day after Christmas, so we thought we better go ahead and do it." The Moberlys said they were playing "beat the clock," knowing many shops were closing early. "I got a late start this year," said Debbie. Fortunately, said Gary, they were nearly finished. Whether ahead of time or down to the wire, Christmas shopping boils down to one thing for Dunn. "We love a lot of people," he said, "and we've got to get them taken care of." Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.