Shoppers hit spending record on Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday sales totaled more than $3.4 billion, a 12 percent increase from last year. AP FILE PHOTO

Cyber Monday sales totaled more than $3.4 billion, a 12 percent increase from last year. AP FILE PHOTO

Shoppers spent more money online during Cyber Monday than any other day in history.

New data from Adobe Digital Insights show consumers spent about $3.45 billion online Monday, a 12 percent increase from last year.

This is the largest day of online sales in history, and the amount came in about 2.6 percent over the original sales prediction.

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“It’s an incredible milestone, but it’s also incredible that Black Friday inched so close to Cyber Monday this year, generating only $110 million less in online sales,” said Tamara Gaffney, principal analyst for Adobe Digital Insights. “We’ll be watching this closely next year as Black Friday could be the one to top the records.”

Mobile spending on Cyber Monday started off strong early in the day, but slowed in the evening, generating more than $1 billion. Mobile shopping — people reaching for their phones or tablets instead of their computers — accounted for about 47 percent of visits to retail websites.

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Top-selling electronics included the Sony PlayStation 4, Microsoft Xbox, Apple iPhones and Amazon Fire. The most coveted toys? Lego sets, Nerf, Shopkins, Barbie and the Pie Face Game.

Online sales have had a big impact on holiday sales, bringing in $40 billion in revenue form Nov. 1 to Nov. 28. Millennials — and the generations younger than them — are leading influencers of changing consumer habits.

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“It is clear that the age-old holiday tradition of heading out to stores with family and friends is now equally matched in the new tradition of looking online for holiday savings opportunities,” said Matthew Shay of the National Retail Federation.

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