Cyber Monday, the term coined for the first day of the work week after the Thanksgiving holiday, has traditionally earned large sales numbers for online retailers.
Shopping on the Internet is an attractive option to some during this economic downturn. Internet shoppers save on the gas that would be used to travel to and from the store, and some online retailers offer free shipping to consumers whose shopping cart totals above a set minimum. And of course, online shopping offers the convenience of being open 24 hours per day and the ability to compare prices and brands with the ease of a few clicks – both valuable aspects considering the notion that time equals money.
While many assume online shopping puts a user's financial information at risk, in reality the security risks are about the same as shopping at the mall or through a catalog. Credit cards and catalog orders can be nabbed physically just as commonly as they can be stolen by a cyber criminal. Some even consider online transactions more secure.
While online shopping can present numerous deals, a shopper should take practical measures to be safe. Protecting personal information is all the more critical during a financial crunch. For more information on safe online shopping, see An Online Shopper's Holiday Guide to Security Practices.
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