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MacDill Offers Holiday Bargains

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By MICHAEL H. SAMUELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 8, 2007

TAMPA - Military life during the holidays can be especially difficult.

The Base Exchange, also known as the B/X, is there to at least make it a little bit cheaper.

At MacDill Air Force Base, the exchange includes a 10,000-square-foot sales floor that's part superstore, part outlet mall. On sale is anything from scented candles and household supplies to designer clothes and flat-screen TVs.

It's all for a discount of 15 percent to 20 percent below traditional retail stores. And you don't have to pay sales tax, either. There's also a food court, liquor store, furniture store and commissary, although none are open to the public. What is available at the exchange, including the discounts, goes to the military and their families. There's also free shipping for items that may wind up in Iraq or anywhere around the world. Also eligible are retired military, dependents, exchange employees and Department of Defense employees.

"We're here for the soldiers and their families," said Morris Howard, the exchange sales and merchandise manager. "Not just soldiers, but all branches of the military."

Like other retailers, Howard said sales have been struggling at the exchange - although Black Friday was a success. The exchange made a 12 percent increase over last year on the day after Thanksgiving, which is called Black Friday since it is considered the first day of the holiday shopping season, when retailers traditionally make much of their profit for the year.

Army Staff Sgt. Tim Bellinder recently spent a few moments awed by the flat-screen televisions while doing his Christmas shopping. He mainly buys electronics and DVDs at the exchange and likes the fact he doesn't have to pay sales tax.

"Compared to downtown, it's great," Bellinder said. "I buy most everything here or online. Free shipping."

Anything you can't find at the exchange can be found at the Army and Air Force Exchange Service Web site, www.aafes.com.

Howard said the biggest demand this year has been for electronics, especially the big-screen televisions, even though those are discounted the least.

"There's not a lot of margin there," he said.

Howard said prices are set by surveying similar merchandise at other stores. The exchange can sell wares cheaper because they buy in bulk, he said.

Jim Stock, a professor of marketing and logistics at USF's College of Business, said even though the exchange has low prices year-round, it is difficult for them to match sales during the holidays.

"The B/X, P/X system is a great benefit for those in the military," Stock said. "For everyday items such as groceries and most items you buy, you can go to the B/X or P/X to save money. But during the real discounting times, around the holiday season, they can't match the $388 for a laptop at Wal-Mart."

That doesn't mean shoppers don't try.

Kay McKenzie had a cartful of clothes and gifts to send to her family across the country, especially her newly married nephew who's in the National Guard and is on his way to Iraq for the third time.

"He spent his 18th birthday in Kosovo and his 21st birthday in Baghdad," she said.

McKenzie, full of Christmas spirit wearing Santa Claus earrings and a festive black T-shirt with red piping, said she doesn't know what she's going to buy him yet, probably some household item to give to his wife. The couple just finished remodeling a historic home in downtown St. Louis.

"It all depends on what you're looking for," McKenzie said. "I find good bargains here when I can."

Or when items are in stock. Civilian government employee Gordon Waishkey said he was looking for a certain perfume for his wife, but just couldn't find it.

"It's on her list," he said. "I'm going to have to get it somewhere else."

He did buy other gifts for his father-in-law and others, so the shopping trip during the busy lunch hour wasn't a failure.

"It's always like this," he said. "They've pretty much got everything you want."

Reporter Michael H. Samuels can be reached at (813) 835-2109 or msamuels@tampatrib.com.

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