Bay Area shoppers hit the stores before Christmas with some concerns in mind
CORTE MADERA, Calif. (KGO) -- As the holiday shopping season enters the final stretch, shoppers are hitting the stores all around the Bay Area.
One of the popular spots is The Village at Corte Madera.
While some bought many items, others not so much.
"I don't really have a plan of what I'm going to get. I'm just here trying to find stuff," said Quincy Smith.
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After a hard holiday season last year, many retailers say they're happy to see shoppers back at it again.
"It's been bananas. Today it's just been ongoing traffic back-and-forth. We really haven't had any down time," said Brittney Woodards, the manager of UpWest.
Despite not having the restrictions of 2020, many shoppers told us the new omicron variant was still on their mind.
"I have older grandparents and people that I want to look out for," Smith said.
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One of this season's hottest items are at-home COVID tests.
One CVS in Marin County told us they sold out of about 1500 tests in less than 24 hours.
"You get together with people that you don't know where they were. And you just want to have it on hand," said Dan Heller, a CVS customer.
But COVID isn't the only factor on shoppers' minds. Some tell us that prices are also playing a role.
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"In comparison to years past, it's at least 10 to 15% higher, if not more," said Karen Blandino.
But despite the challenges this holiday season may bring, many say they are just looking forward to spending time with their loved ones.
"We're all doing what we can to, you know, stay healthy and safe, but at the end of the day on Christmas I have to be with my family," said shopper, Nadia Ward.
