Shoppers, start your engines. The Monday after Black Friday is known as Cyber Monday, created by Shop.org in 2005 after retailers noticed a “trend of society shopping online on the Monday after Thanksgiving.” Shop.org said Cyber Monday is now considered the “ceremonial kickoff of the online holiday shopping season.”

Shop.org is the digital division of the National Retail Federation, which describes itself as “the world’s largest retail trade organization.” The federation represents retailers in virtually every industry along with more than 100 smaller retail associations.

Shoppers Up, Spending Down

According to a survey commissioned by the federation during the weekend, the number of shoppers in stores on Black Friday was up that year, 195 million versus 172 million in 2008. But, the survey found, average spending dropped slightly to $343.31 from $372.57 last year.

NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin said “shoppers proved that weekend that they were willing to open their wallets for a bargain.” Those

bargains, the federation said, will plus be found online on Cyber Monday and other shopping days, with about 28 percent of all shoppers that weekend shopping online.

A survey by Shop.org found that 96.5 million Americans expected to shop online on Cyber Monday, an increase of more than 10 million by last year. The organization additionally found that nearly nine in 10 retailers would have a special Cyber Monday promotion, an increase of four percent by last year and nearly 15 percent by 2007.

About 43 percent of those retailers planned specific online deals, and nearly a third planned one-day sales. About 16 percent planned free shipping on all purchases, and half expected to send out a special Cyber Monday e-mail promoting deals.

Upping the Ante

In addition to the retailers pushing Cyber Monday deals, Shop.org has a CyberMonday.com site, whose proceeds benefit a scholarship fund. Last year, the…

Original post by dhiram