Cyber Monday: 100-million-plus people expected to shop, most while at work

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Retailers are hoping Cyber Monday sales will continue the momentum from Black Friday shopping -- and more than 100 million online shoppers might make that happen.

The National Retail Federation estimated that 106.9 million Americans would buy gifts during Cyber Monday, a day of online sales that follows Thanksgiving weekend.

That’s about a 10% jump from the 96.5 million Cyber Monday shoppers nationwide in 2009, the retail group said.

But the Monday after Thanksgiving is a work day for most Americans, and the majority of Cyber Monday shoppers -- about 70 million people -- will be buying goods while at work, the group said.

About 88% of retailers are offering Cyber Monday sales, it said.

If Cyber Monday turnout ends up as high as the retail group predicts, it will have been a successful long weekend for retailers.

Black Friday weekend, which runs from Thanksgiving through Sunday, had an 8% rise in turnout this year, the group said.

About 212 million consumers hit brick-and-mortar stores and retail websites for Black Friday weekend sales. In the same weekend last year, about 195 million people bought gifts. Nearly 33.6% of those 212 million shoppers bought goods online, up from about 28.5% of last year’s Black Friday weekend shoppers.

On average, each U.S. shopper spent $365.34 this holiday weekend, up from $343.31 last year, the retail group said. Total U.S. spending this Black Friday weekend was $45 billion, it said.

The group has a roundup of links to popular online retailers taking part in Cyber Monday at www.cybermonday.com.

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-- Nathan Olivarez-Giles