Newsy: Cyber Monday: Big as Black Friday?

Tired of standing in long lines in the early morning cold of Black Friday? Did you not get everything you wanted? Maybe you should try Cyber Monday, where shoppers can find great deals online in the comfort of their homes--or workplaces.

We’re listening to Cyber Monday chatter from CBS, The Christian Science Monitor, The Guardian, and CNN.

A consumer advisor tells CBS you may still have to get up early or stay up late to get the best deals--it starts at midnight: “Just as offline is the case, I would suggest yes if you’re buying big-ticket items: a television, a laptop, an e-reader, fine jewelry. So prioritize your time by price. Big-ticket items tend to sell out, go first.”

The numbers for Black Friday 2010 have been positive for businesses, and The Christian Science Monitor looks at how Cyber Monday might compare: “Comscore, [a] market-tracking firm, estimates that non-travel retail purchases online have totaled $110 billion for the first 10 months of the year (up 9 percent from that period in 2009). The holiday season, the firm predicts, will add another $32 billion in sales – up 11 percent from the final two months of 2009.”

And a writer for The Guardian explains how the sales numbers for Cyber Monday will only go up from here: “Like high-street retailers, online shops have not been immune to the recession. But as the high street faces another possible bloodbath, many online retailers are at least still growing, owing to the deepening penetration of broadband, consumers becoming more comfortable buying online and cash-strapped shoppers hunting for bargains.”

But increased online shopping also brings a greater risk of being scammed. A cyber security expert tells CNN some of the best ways to avoid fraud:

EVANS: “If you can’t, you can use your credit card online. Don’t try to use your ATM Debit card because a lot of banks will not give you credit like they would on a regular credit card. Try to use services--”

ANCHOR: “And if you get ripped off--”

EVANS: “If you get ripped off.”

ANCHOR: “Okay.”

EVANS: “So what you might want to use is services like PayPal. PayPal will guarantee. They look out for the actual customer. You don’t receive a product, then what they will do is they will refund you your money and go after the merchant.”

So, how much shopping do you plan to do on Cyber Monday?

Writer: Brandon Twichell

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