Cyber Monday Shoppers Expected To Spend About $6.5B
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) –With Cyber Monday in full swing, workers are packing up orders to ship out as fast as they can.
Even actual stores like Walmart, Target, Best Buy and BrandsMart are getting a big chunk of the action. Cyber Monday sales are expected to break records this year with more than $6.5 billion today alone.
"It's kind of like an addict. Instead of looking at Facebook, I'm looking at Amazon," said shopper Bob Darrow.
Darrow is a busy real estate agent but also a shopper looking for bargains.
Today, he's shopping on the run while running errands that is.
He's was checking for deals throughout the day.
"Somebody posted a lightning deal for 8 terabytes external hard drive," said Darrow.
Bob is expecting to spend about $200.
That's right there with the national average of about $205 up from last year but with the deals he's finding, he's not just buying holiday presents which could put him over budget.
He liked that deal and made the purchase.
"I know that a good deal on 1 terabyte is about $80 so this is 8 terabytes for $142 and actually I might as well just do it right now," said Darrow.
Bob is not alone looking for those online specials on his mobile device while doing other things.
Mobile purchases have increased significantly.
Last year, more than 70% of Amazon customers purchased items through their mobile devices.
This year, Retail Me Not estimates 56 percent of Americans will shop online for Cyber Monday.
That's up from 39 percent last year.
More online shoppers is not a surprise to Bob. He doesn't physically walk into a store very often.
"The crowds really get to me and I can usually find exactly what I'm looking for online rather than wandering from store to store," said Darrow.
Dr. Albert Williams is an Associate Professor of Finance at Nova Southeastern University. He believes online shopping has changed the way we buy things because it is so convenient.
"The online has the major benefit and convenience because you could be at work working. You don't have to take an hour off. You don't have to leave your home so online has that wonderful benefit," said Williams.
