'TWAS THE DAY AFTER YULE ...; STORES COPING WITH ANNUAL POST-NOEL RUSH.

Byline: David Greenberg Daily News Staff Writer

Shoppers flocked to stores Friday for the post-Christmas tradition of returning and exchanging presents, with up to 150 people braving nippy temperatures for the 7 a.m. opening of the Target store in Simi Valley.

``If I were these people, I'd be at home,'' joked Liz Estes, a customer service employee who manned one of four cash registers in the section designated for returns.

As many as 1,000 people were expected to return up to $30,000 in merchandise, according to store manager Jeff McCarty. And the store sold at least $120,000 in merchandise.

``The weekend is probably going to be busier than today,'' he said.

Target accepts $8,000 to $10,000 in returns from several hundred people during a normal business day, McCarty said.

Electronic gadgets and children's toys are the most commonly returned items - they are defective or gift recipients have duplicates.

McCarty attributed the large number of returns to the element of surprise in gift giving.

``If people knew exactly what the person they were buying for wanted - and the size, the color - there would be a lot less returns,'' he said.

Although the store has a 90-day policy for returning items, many people want to exchange items as soon as possible.

``People are excited about a Christmas gift,'' McCarty said. ``They want to use it right away.''

At any given time there were as many as 30 people in line to return merchandise.

``It is an inconvenience but what can you do?'' said Al Gomez of Moorpark, who exchanged a defective cordless phone for one that worked.

Kim Schmidt of Simi Valley usually lets her children pick out their presents but this year she went shopping with her mother-in-law.

As a result, she found herself in the return line holding an unwanted toy, a pair of pants that were too small for her son and two video games.

``It's just something you deal with,'' Schmidt said.

Many shoppers showed up early to take advantage of Target's 50 percent discount on Christmas-related items.

Jim Filippelli of Simi Valley bought, among other items, six rolls of wrapping paper.

``Paper doesn't go to waste,'' he said. ``If you don't use it next year, it'll last a few years.''

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3 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color) Jan Morales and her 11-year-old daughter, Lauren, look at holiday ornaments in the post-Christmas sale at the Cost Plus store in Westlake Village.

(2--Color) Barbara Kiely loads up Friday on half-price wrapping and bows for 1998 at a Target store in Simi.

(3) Raising his bargain high, a shopper threads his way through the crowd Friday in Simi.

Bob Halvorsen/Daily News