(METRO) – Cyber Monday is the final bookend to a series of shopping-centric days preceding Christmas. Along with Black Friday, Plaid Friday and Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday presents an additional opportunity to realize great deals on items shoppers may need for gifting or entertaining.

Adobe Newsroom reported Cyber Monday hit a record $13.3 billion in online spending in 2024, marking an increase of more than 7 percent from 2023. Consumers also spent heavily on mobile devices, which accounted for 54.8 percent of online sales.

Each Cyber Monday offers a chance to save big and streamline shopping. Utilizing these tips for making the most of the day can enhance success.

· Make a list of intended purchases. Draft a list of items that you need or want and research their typical prices in advance of Cyber Monday. This enables you to quickly identify if a Cyber Monday discount is a good deal.

· Safely shop online. Scammers are in the business of taking your hard-earned money or personal data. They mimic the look of popular stores and promote deals that often are too good to be true. Before entering payment information, double-check web addressess, spelling and contact information, warns the Better Business Bureau. Check the website URL to ensure that the site is secure before purchase.

· Look for coupon codes. Check for available promo codes in advance, which can help you get deeper discounts. Utilizing browser extensions that automatically search for and apply coupon codes can streamline this process.

· Be mindful of shipping costs. Shop at online retailers that offer free shipping whenever possible. Double-check the costs of shipping when it isn’t free to ensure that the discount is enough to offset shipping costs.

· Ship directly to recipients. In some instances, you can enter a recipients’s address at checkout and have the items arrive directly to friends or family members who live far away. This can be a great way to avoid potentially costly shipping charges.

· Shop during off-peak times. The convenience of online shopping enables shopping for gifts when it fits into your schedule. Online retailers are open all hours and seven days a week. Save Cyber Monday bulk shopping for the early morning or late evening when you can think through gifts more readily. Although improvements to internet speeds have been made in recent years, online traffic may slow down transactions made during peak hours, so this is another reason to shop during off-peak times.

Great deals can be had on Cyber Monday, and customers can maximize opportunities to save.