POSTED: Monday, November 30, 2009 - 7:08pm
UPDATED: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - 12:06pm
TYLER-Experts predict 10 percent of retail profits this season could come by the end of Monday night. That's because Monday was the day Americans hunted down "Cyber Monday" shopping deals. And retailers hoped to extend an important weekend for their bottom lines.
Whether you secretly sneaked in some online shopping from your cubicle or from the comfort of your comfy couch, millions of Americans were surfing for deals online Monday.
For many Monday it was goodbye to crowded malls and never-ending checkout lines and hello internet. It's expected that more than 100 million Americans took their wallets online Monday in what's been dubbed "Cyber Monday."
Even more than a white Christmas, retailers are wishing for a holiday season successful enough to lift them out of the red.
"For the retailers who are trying to get as many sales this holiday season, they really don't care where you shop, they just want you to shop with them," Ellen Davis with the National Retail Federation said.
Experts say "Black Friday's" bargains did lure in shoppers. Nationally, experts said, more people came out to shop than last year, but on average spent much less and instead looked for bargains.
And its these special bargains and promotions that retailers are also putting on their websites to help try and grab a piece of that hefty shopping audience.
From free shipping to unheard of markdowns, nearly 9 out of 10 retailers said they offered "Cyber Monday" deals.
But don't think it's only big name stores that benefit from "Cyber Monday." Diane Bunker, owner of the upscale boutique Spinout, told us Monday that having a webpage is icing on the cake.
"I have a lot of local customers that actually shop and look online to see if we have what they might want," Bunker said.
Not to mention Bunker's loyal customers all over the U.S. who shop her store online.
"Everybody is short on time and they like to be able to know what they want and be able to get it and move on," she said.
Just during our interview alone Monday, Spinout got several online sales. Spinout's weekly website specials and free shipping don't hurt sales either.
Though there are some great bargains online, experts said there is no rush this year because it's a buyer's market, and retailers will continue to bend over backwards to get consumers' business.