Holiday Shoppers Swarm Desert Stores

Shoppers looking for last minute deals at Palm Desert stores battled for a parking space and savings Tuesday, just a few days shy of Christmas.

Sales have been steady across the country, and procrastinators are picking up some good deals.

Sales at stores nationwide rose 3.4 percent for the week that ended Saturday compared with the previous week, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers-Goldman Sachs Weekly Chain Store Sales Index, released Tuesday.

Along El Paseo in Palm Desert, signs promising prices slashed 50 to 70 percent littered the high end shopping district.

Philippe Poutonnet of France had several shopping bags in his hand as he strolled in front of the Apple Store.

"Almost there, we're almost there," Poutonnet said of getting Christmas shopping done.

A Canadian woman, Caroline, said she did most of her shopping at her home in British Columbia, but that her daughter and granddaughter were making a few purchases.

"I just love a little bit of looking," Caroline said.

How are you doing on your holiday shopping?