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Online Shoppers Throng Cyber Malls

Highlands Today photo illustration by KATHY WATERS

The Monday after Thanksgiving has been tagged as Cyber Monday, which is the busiest day for online shopping.

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By MANDY SHEETS | Highlands Today

Published: November 27, 2007

SEBRING — Tina Harshman started her Monday morning bright and early by turning on her computer and buying some Christmas gifts online.

Cyber Monday, as retailers have tagged the Monday after Thanksgiving, is the busiest day of the year for online shopping.

According to a survey for Shop.org, an online arm of the National Retail Federation, 72 million consumers were planning to shop online from home or at work on Cyber Monday, and sales were expected to exceed $700 million. A number of retailers even hosted special sales or offers for the occasion.

Harshman found good deals on gifts for her kids at Web sites for Toys "R" Us and Gymboree.

"I have little ones, so being able to shop online is so convenient," said Harshman, who buys electronics, clothes, shoes and toys on the Internet.

Although Stephanie Farrer didn't plan to do her shopping Monday, she is planning to use her computer for shopping this holiday season.

"A lot of stores offer free shipping, so it's just like going to the store," Farrer said. "Plus even though Sebring is getting bigger and more stores are opening, a lot of the places I want to shop are still two hours away, so it's much easier to just shop online."

Shop.org reported the number of retailers offering free shipping with no conditions has jumped to 41.4 percent from 36 percent last year.

Monday is such a popular shopping day because many shoppers take advantage of their office's Internet connection.

This year, according to a survey conducted for Shop.org, 54.5 percent of office workers with Internet access, or 68.5 million people, will shop for holiday gifts from work.

Lika Miletic said she had a bad experience with an online purchase and now sticks to the stores.

"I think the shopping experience is nice anyway," Miletic said. "Plus you actually get to see everything and try it on before you buy it. There are no fitting rooms online."

As for brick-and-mortar outlets, ShopperTrak RCT Corp., which tracks total sales at more than 50,000 retail outlets, reported late Sunday that sales on Friday and Saturday combined rose 7.2 percent to $16.4 billion from the same two-day period a year ago.

The biggest draw was electronics, and department stores drew in crowds with good deals.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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