Giveaways to entice shoppers

J.C. Penney might not offer coupons anymore but it will hand out buttons worth millions of dollars in freebies before Christmas.

It’s just one of the merchants making enticing offers to lure in customers this holiday shopping season.

Tanger Outlet Center will offer four $1,000 shopping sprees this weekend, and Mount Pleasant Towne Centre will give out six $500 gift cards at staggered events throughout Friday.

“It’s our way of saying Merry Christmas to America, and it all starts on Black Friday,” J.C. Penney’s website reads.

The Plano, Texas-based retailer plans to pass out 80 million buttons between Friday and Christmas, and each will offer a chance to win one of millions of gifts.

Each button has a code on the back that, when entered on J.C. Penney’s website, reveals whether a customer has won prizes such as a trip to Disneyland, tickets to Ellen Degeneres’ show or the retailers’ merchandise or gift cards.

At Tanger, shoppers 18 and older can text “SHOP4ME” to 74700 to enter its Moonlight Madness Sweepstakes, a chance to win one of four $1,000 shopping sprees. Winners will be chosen by 9 a.m. Friday through Monday with instructions on how to pick up their gift card at Tanger.

And in Mount Pleasant, Towne Centre will give out $3,000 in gift cards.

Participants must register before each drawing at select stores, and each giveaway will offer two $500 gift cards at 10 a.m. in front of Belk, 1 p.m. in front of Barnes & Noble and at 4 p.m. in front of Banana Republic. Registering once will carry throughout the day, but you can only win once.

Reach Warren L. Wise at 937-5524 or twitter.com/warrenlancewise.