OK, you've stood in line in the dark, elbowed you way down an
aisle or two and picked up some deals at the stores. Now Monday has arrived
and it's time to get back to the office and put some of that shopping
silliness behind.
Right?
Well ...
Today is Cyber Monday, the first workday after Black Friday, and as more
and more people shop from the comfort of their computer -- sometimes when they
are supposed to be working -- more and more retailers are offering online
deals today, some that even rival the in-store specials.
Cyber Monday, a term coined by Shop.org in 2005 after retailers noticed a
trend of people shopping online on the Monday after Thanksgiving. Today is
viewed as the online equivalent to Black Friday -- the ceremonial kickoff to
the online holiday shopping season when shoppers flood websites expecting
robust promotions and many retailers highlight some of their most compelling
online holiday offers.
Webpronews.com reports that RadiumOne, a social advertising firm, has
charted the progress of Cyber Monday throughout the years. It's found that
Americans are spending more and more money on Cyber Monday every year, and
that 2012 will be the biggest year yet. They project that Americans will spend
$1.42 billion, which is 14 percent more than last year.
"I do all my holiday shopping online," Jamie Bronstein said on the
Sun-News Facebook page.
Lorena Herrera said she does a lot of her shopping online.
"(I) got some amazing deals along with free shipping and handling," she said.
Shoppers can use a comparison website, such as Bizrate, Shopzilla,
Froogle or PriceGrabber to compare prices.
Safety
Some people have trouble pushing the "send' button that first time,
afraid to send a credit card number, mailing address etc. off into the ether.
The Federal Trade Commission recommends shoppers make sure they are using
a secure browser -- software that encrypts or scrambles the purchase
information you send over the Internet -- to help guard the security of the
information as it is transmitted to a website.
The FTC suggests that, when submitting your purchase information, look
for the "lock" icon on the browser's status bar, and the phrase "https" in the
URL address for a website, to be sure your information is secure during
transmission.
Also, check the website's privacy policy before you provide any personal
financial information. In particular, determine how the information will be
used or shared with others. Also check the site's statements about the
security provided for your information. Some websites' disclosures are easier
to find than others -- look at the bottom of the home page, on order forms or
in the "About" or "FAQs" section of a site. If you're not comfortable with the
policy, consider doing business elsewhere.
Travel deals
Cyber Monday is not just for products either. News outlets report that
the travel industry has jumped on board.
Barbara Delollis with USA Today reports that hotels and companies like
Orbitz offered deals on Black Friday and some will do so again today because
they do not want to be left out on the shopping craze.
"Everybody's doing it," Tom Botts of Hudson Crossing told Delollis. "They
don't want to lose market share."
Are the deals really good? Yes and no, Botts says.
"Prices in the hotel industry move all the time, so, yes, this is a good
opportunity to buy and there will be some good prices, but it doesn't mean
you'll never see them again," he says.
Marketwatch.com reports that Travelocity is hosting a sale today where
shoppers can save 50 percent or more on some hotel and vacation packages.
