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Cyber Monday: Tips For Safe Holiday Online Shopping

Cyber Monday is expected to set a new record as the largest and fastest-growing online shopping day of the year with $7.7 billion in sales, a 17.6 percent increase from last year.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Online shoppers will be looking for the best deals and steals for the holiday season on Cyber Monday.

Cyber Monday is expected to set a new record as the largest and fastest-growing online shopping day of the year with $7.7 billion in sales, a 17.6 percent increase from last year.

That's according to Adobe Analytics, a tech-company that tracks online sales and holiday shopping.

Adobe Analytics data shows online sales between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Pacific Time on Cyber Monday are expected to drive more revenue than an average full day in 2018, with conversions hitting the highest rate of the year, 7.3 percent, during these golden hours of online retail.

"As online shopping surges with another record-breaking holiday season, the retailers with compelling websites coupled with physical store locations will have the advantage," said John Copeland, head of Marketing and Customer Insights at Adobe. "Many shoppers want to interact with retailers' products and the brand in-store, and the ability to pick up online orders in-store within a matter of hours can't be underestimated."

The National Retail Federation, the world's largest retail trade association, says about 75 million people plan to take advantage of online bargains on Cyber Monday.

Some shoppers will be surfing the web from the comfort of their home, others will be at the workplace or using smartphones.

"Consumers are ready to shop," said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. "Confidence is near an all-time high, unemployment is the lowest we've seen in decades and take-home wages are up. All of that is reflected in consumers' buying plans. Retailers expect strong demand this year, and are prepared with a wide array of merchandise while offering strong deals and promotions during the busiest and most competitive shopping season of the year."

Adobe Analytics data anticipates shoppers increasingly buying online and picking up items in-store during the holiday season.

Some consumers will also browse in-store for a product and purchase the item online later on.

Before you log-in to your computer or surf the web on you smartphone, you should be on the lookout for hackers and scams.

The Better Business Bureau offers the following online shopping safety tips for Cyber Monday:

  • Parental control. There is software you can install on your kids' and teens' computers and mobile devices to limit the websites they can access. This is something to consider for retail websites the younger shoppers in your household may access.
  • Hackers like kids IDs. Since kids and teens have not established a credit history or have no blemishes on their credit report, hackers are always on the lookout for their information. Hackers can obtain credit cards, loans and more in your child's name. Talk to your family about the importance of not giving out personal information in soliciting emails or on social media.
  • Email phishing. Teach your teens and young adults about how to catch phishing emails.
  • Looking out for scams. People tend to shop based on what peers and celebrities are wearing or using. Scammers will try to lure them to click on links such as "free Kylie products," "free concerts," "free games" and more. If it seems too good to be true, do not click.
  • HTTP and HTTPS. Before sending any personal and sensitive information over the Internet, make sure the website has "https://" at the beginning of its web address. The "S" at the end of HTTPS indicates that the website is secure and your information is encrypted, which makes it safe to enter credit card number or other personal information.

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