Shoppers expected to hit the web for Cyber Monday
5 secrets to help you save big when shopping onlineThe online holiday shopping season kicks off today.
"Cyber Monday", as its come to be known, has historically been all about convenience -- no crowds, for one thing!
Consider it the "Black Friday" of online sales.
For "Cyber Monday," online retailers are expected to offer hot deals, hoping to attract shoppers who couldn't find what they were looking for during "Black Friday" sales.
"It's a pretty big day, it's really becoming a bigger part of holiday shopping," said Nate Curran, a business manager for Valley based
GoDaddy.com who believes a record number of retailers will take part in online sales this year.
The term, "Cyber Monday" was coined in 2005 referring to shoppers who searched online for deals while at work on the Monday following Thanksgiving.
"It's expected 83 percent of retailers will take part and have deals this year, that's up from 72 percent last year," Curran said.
Curran believes most online deals will include free shipping and internet only offers, including
GoDaddy, which is offering cheaper rates.
But this year, it's also about finding some of the best bargains, especially in these tougher economic times.
There are five key shopping tips that might help you save even more when you click on.
First, make sure you are "getting in on the deals."
Check out
40 websites offering BIG 'Cyber Monday' discounts.CyberMonday.com also posts a list of holiday sales from different companies.
To name just a few, Target, Best Buy and Barnes and Noble are all offering savings.
Your goal here is to know all the deals being offered out there before you start shopping. That way, you're more likely to find the best steals when you're ready to buy.
Second, search out smaller websites for bigger savings.For example, try out
SmartBargains.com and
NewEgg.com.
Third, think about taxes.
Online stores collect sales tax from customers
only in states where the retailers have an actual office.
To find out if you'll be taxed, watch for the extra fees when you add products to your online shopping cart.
If the taxes pop up after you enter your address, you may want to search for that same product on another site to save some money.
Fourth, stay safe.If you find a deal on a website you don't know, check with the Better Business Bureau website first.
At
BBB.org, you can search for ratings based on how quickly the business responds to complaints.
Fifth, don't wait too long! Those great deals may disappear.
According to Shopping Analyst Marshal Cohen, the danger in waiting is that you may not find what you want in the sizes or colors you're looking for.
Sixth, most experts agree that it's always best to shop with a credit card online.In case of identity theft, you'll never have to pay for those credit card charges you didn't make. The same rules don't apply with debit cards.
