12 Reasons to Clear Your Calendar for Cyber Week 2013

Cyber Monday is a relatively young invention. It’s morphed into one of the hottest online shopping days of the year, commencing in 2005 to a mere $484 million in sales to $1.465 billion in 2012. Consumers will spend $78.7 billion this holiday season, according to the US Online Holiday Retail Forecast, 2013, and it’s fair to say a bulk of the spending will occur Monday and throughout the week of Dec. 2.

A few stores have monopolized on these massive stats, offering a whole week dedicated to deals. It’s not just Cyber Monday anymore, kids; in a few short years it’ll be known as Cyber Week. A few that can afford such incentivizing promotions are the big three—Target, Amazon, Walmart. Let’s take a look at what they’re planning to rock.

Amazon

Like Black Friday weekend, Amazon will feature new deals every 10 minutes, beginning on Dec. 1 at midnight. All day and all week long, consumers can look forward to deals mostly pertaining to electronics, including video games, cameras, laptops and more. Here are just a few of the reasons you should call in sick Monday morning with a stubborn case of the Black Plague and remain bedside—laptop in hand—through the week.

1. 50% off a Sony portable Bluetooth wireless speaker system

2. 58% off over 7,000 movies and television shows on DVD and Blu-ray

3. 46% off Canon PowerShot point-and-shoot camera

4. Roku HD streaming media player for $39.99

Target

The nation’s second-largest retailer is getting a head start, opening Cyber Monday sales on Dec. 1 and lasting through Thursday. More than 100,000 items will be on sale, and more than 300 of the hottest toys will be shipped for free. Target has suggested that Monday will be for video games, Tuesday will be for toys, Wednesday will be hot for home appliances, and more electronics will show up on Thursday. It’s advised to pay with a Target REDcard, as shoppers will receive an additional 5% discount during checkout. Here’s a sneak peak at the goods:

5. Polaroid Action Cam for $89.99 (regularly $129.99)

6. 47” LG 1080p HDTV for $469.99 (regularly $699.99)

7. Omega Juicer for $299.99, plus a $75 gift card with purchase

8. Men’s, women’s and kid’s apparel and accessories, jewelry and shoes: BOGO 60% off, plus free shipping (BOGO 50% off on men’s and women’s for the rest of Cyber Week)

Walmart

Ah, Walmart. It’s the place to be if you’re in the mood for a good ol’ fashioned Black Friday scrap or two, but this year it’s the place to be for Cyber Week as well. They’ve only hinted at what they’re offering, but the nation’s biggest retailer has stocked its online shop with more than a hundred deals to entice their shoppers. Ditto Target and Amazon, Walmart is lining up a week of discounts, and you can save even more with free shipping on thousands of items. So roll up your sleeves, get it fighting mode, and sit safely behind your monitor browsing deals such as these:

9. Apple iPod touch for $199 (regularly $229)

10. Double Power 7” Tablet for $59

11. Xbox 360 4GB Console bundled with a Skylanders Starter Kit and Gill Grunt character is going for $159

_12. Crayola 3-in-1 Double Easel for $24.97 _

5 TIPS FOR ONLINE SHOPPING SAFETY

1. Make sure your computer and mobile devices are secure. Install antivirus and anti-spyware software and keep them running with automatic updates.

2. Utilize mobile apps cautiously. Seemingly harmless shopping apps can download malware to your device, thus, unleashes sensitive information to unknown parties (cybercriminals!)

3. Go with trusted merchants. Shop online at stores you know and trust. Check with the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission if you’re iffy about a company.

4. Use your own network and computer—avoid public computers or public wireless. Public equipment is commonly taken advantage of by criminals capturing data on wireless networks to steal credit card numbers and other information.

5. Make sure it’s “https.” Before checking out, make sure the Web page address begins with “https.” This ensures the site is securely hosted.