Holiday shoppers waiting for the best online deals won't have to wait much longer. This year, Cyber Monday, the ceremonial kickoff to the online holiday shopping season, is expected to be more promotional than ever as retailers offer one-day promotions and special offers to bring holiday shoppers online.

On Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving, online retailers will be unveiling an array of deals to demonstrate what websites have to offer this holiday season. According to the eHoliday Survey, conducted this fall by BizRate Research, the majority of online retailers will feature special promotions for Cyber Monday this year. Promotions will range from special email campaigns (32.0%) to specific deals (29.9%) to one-day sales (28.9%). Additionally, one-fourth of retailers (24.7%) will offer free shipping on all purchases. In fact, 72.2 percent of online retailers are planning a special promotion for Cyber Monday, up from 42.7 percent just two years ago.

Cyber Monday, a term coined by Shop.org in 2005, began after online retailers noticed a trend of people shopping online on the Monday after Thanksgiving. Since then, consumers have flooded websites on Cyber Monday and come to expect robust promotions and specials that day.

"As more people rely on the Internet for holiday shopping, retailers have stepped up their game to compete," said Scott Silverman, Executive Director of Shop.org. "This year, promotions on Cyber Monday are extremely competitive as online retailers use an assortment of one-day specials to send shoppers online."

Though more than half of U.S. homes have high-speed access, many Americans feel the best place to shop for gifts is not at the mall, but at the office. This year, according to a BIGresearch survey conducted for Shop.org, 54.5 percent of office workers with Internet access, or 68.5 million people, will shop for holiday gifts from work, up substantially from 50.7 percent in 2006 and 44.7 percent in 2005.

Though slightly more than half of workers will be shopping from the office, some are more likely to make a dent in their wish lists than others. According to the BIGresearch survey, men are more likely to shop from work than women (57.3% vs. 51.7%) and young adults 18-24 years old aremore likely to shop there than any other age group (72.9%). Additionally, consumers in Western states are more likely to shop from the office than those in other regions (56.4%).

In addition to a rise in online sales, the Internet will have a large impact on overall sales this holiday season. According to a BIGresearch survey conducted for Shop.org, the Internet will influence 30.2 percent of holiday sales this year, up from 28.9 percent last year.

CyberMonday.com to Offer Hundreds of Retailer Promos

The online retail industry has come together again this year to create a collection of the best online offers for Cyber Monday. At CyberMonday.com, which launched one year ago, more than 550 retailers will be posting holiday promotions and special savings both on Cyber Monday and throughout the holiday season. CyberMonday.com, powered by Mall Networks, was created by retailers as a one-stop shop for consumers looking for the best Cyber Monday promotions.

On Cyber Monday itself, more than 400 special offers will be available on the site, some of which will be exclusive promotions only available on CyberMonday.com. Offers will include free shipping specials, doorbuster deals, percentages off, and free gifts with purchase. Consumers may sign up at CyberMonday.com to receive a weekly email right to their desktops featuring a sneak peek at the latest promotions.

Last year, more than 300,000 people visited CyberMonday.com on CyberMonday itself. Traffic to the site was so substantial that Mall Networks has dramatically increased capacity for the site this year.

"Shoppers looking for the best online deals should look no farther than CyberMonday.com," said Scott Silverman, Executive Director of Shop.org. "Only the best Cyber Monday promotions will be featured on the front pageof the website, and many retailers have created special deals just to be included."

In addition to providing consumers with special savings and discounts, CyberMonday.com has a charitable purpose. When shoppers make a purchase through CyberMonday.com, retailers provide a percentage of that sale to Shop.org. All of the proceeds received by Shop.org from the website will be donated to its Ray M. Greenly Scholarship Fund, which helps students pursuing careers in eCommerce. Ray Greenly was a Vice President at Shop.org before passing away from cancer in 2005.

Online retailers participating in CyberMonday.com include:

-- Barnes & Noble.com
-- circuitcity.com
-- eToys.com
-- JCPenney
-- Lands' End (R)
-- Newegg.com
-- Overstock.com
-- Sears.com

Shop.org is the network for retailers online. It's where the best retail minds come together to gain the insight, knowledge and intelligence to make smarter, more informed decisions in the evolving world of the Internet and multichannel retailing. Shop.org programs and activitiesinclude benchmarking research, events and networking communities. Founded in 1996, Shop.org became a division of the National Retail Federation in January 2001.

In response to the rising trend of consumers shopping at work, NRF will be celebrating Cyber Monday with a Shop@Lunch event at the ESPN Zone in Washington, DC on November 26 from 11:00-2:00. For more information about covering this event, visit www.shop.org/ or email Kathy Grannis at grannisk@nrf.com. - SOURCE Shop.org - A Division of the National Retail Federation