The stores saw more traffic. The registers rang up more sales. The customers purchased more items and the store owners saw their holiday sales season begin with an absolute bang.

That information and more is what was reported by many of the retailers who took part in the Saturday, Nov. 20 “Green Saturday” event in Selma and Dallas County.

The shop local promotion organized by the Selma-Dallas County Chamber of Commerce, it’s retail committee, and a number of key businesses in the area, may have been the perfect catalyst for a solid — and profitable — holiday shopping season for those in our hometown.

But, while the iron is hot — while it is fresh on everyone’s mind — it is important those same organizers gather together to discuss what worked, what didn’t and what could be done to make an event next year even better.

This year’s event was admittedly organized in a matter of weeks. And, based on the great comments from participating retailers, the work put in has already paid off with more customers and more sales.

Even those retailers are already talking about how to make next year’s “Green Saturday” better.

Jim Truax, of Truax & Co., suggested bringing in Santa Claus to pose for pictures and attract more families.

It is these ideas, thoughts and criticism that could very well take this one-day sales event one of the must-shop days of the year for local consumers and attraction for shoppers throughout the Black Belt region.