Black Friday may bring out the holiday shopping crowds, but Cyber Monday is increasingly generating the biggest bucks for retailers as consumers hop online to make merry and find gifts for the holidays. According to data from IBM Coremetrics and comScore, Cyber Monday sales rose 20% in 2010 and topped $1 billion in online spending—the first year ever that Cyber Monday bested the sales generated on Black Friday, which totaled $648 million last year.

This year, experts predict Cyber Monday sales will also rise significantly thanks to a host of new online shopping apps and consumers’ growing comfort with technology. If you’d rather shop online from the comfort and convenience of your own home, take these unique steps to make the most of your holiday shopping on Cyber Monday.

Get On the List

The single best strategy to unearth Cyber Monday bargains early is to get on a good deals list put together by experts who are tracking retailers’ offers. Dealnews.com is hot on the case this year. By Monday night, the site already had information about “leaked” Black Friday ads with both rumored and confirmed deals from such retailers as Amazon, Best Buy, Costco, Lowes, Sears, Target and Wal-Mart.

To get email, text alerts or an RSS feed about Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals sent to you, all you have to do is provide Dealnews.com and other sites like it with your email address. Dealnews.com also has a free Black Friday app available for iPhone and Android users.

Forget Monday—Get Online Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday

Here’s one Cyber Monday strategy that may not have occurred to you: Get online early—as in, a couple of days early (like right now). According to the experts at Dealnews.com, if you start hunting online for must-have holiday gift items on Cyber Monday, you risk being sorely disappointed and getting just “leftovers.”

“For those of you who’d rather fully digest your Thanksgiving meal and not stand on line starting at 3am on Black Friday, we understand. Shopping for the best deals can be exhausting, but if you wait until Cyber Monday you will be missing out on some of the highest markdowns of the holiday season,” the staff at Dealnews.com recently wrote, in giving consumers holiday shopping pointers.

“Coming out of your tryptophan daze on Monday, you’ll definitely see retailers’ sales, but these bargains are essentially the leftovers from the Black Friday feast. Plus, many Friday offerings will be available online, so you really have no excuse for a late start,” Dealnews.com experts added.

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(Image: ThinkStock)

Consider Buying Discounted Gift Cards Online

Instead of purchasing physical gifts, many people will buy family members, friends or co-workers gift cards for the holidays. In fact, according to the TD Bank Holiday Shopping Poll, 64% of respondents said they plan to purchase gift cards this year.

“With the majority of consumers looking to spend the same as last year, gift cards are a perfect option to keep holiday spending in check,” says Nandita Bakhshi, Executive Vice President, Head of Products, TD Bank. “Giving a gift card reduces shopping stress, you spend exactly what you intend to, and are less likely to get caught up in the season and spend more money than planned.”

But one reality about gift cards is that they often go unused. As a gift-giver, that can work to your favor since an ongoing supply of unused gift cards means that you don’t have to spend $50 to get someone a $50 gift card. In fact, there are thousands of discounted unused gift cards available for purchase at savings of up to 30% off the face amount of the gift card.

Here’s how it works. You have the option to buy a discounted gift card through reputable gift card depots or an online gift card network such as CardHub.com’s Gift Card Exchange, which is the largest in the country. While online, you’ll see a slew of retail gifts cards, including Target, GameStop, iTunes gift cards, and more. You simply decide on the store and see what gift card amounts are available and at what discount. As of Monday evening, on Card Hub’s Gift Card Exchange, there was a $50 H&M gift card being offered for $40, a 20% savings; a $40 Barnes & Noble gift card available for $30, a 25% discount; and a $200 Home Depot gift card being sold for $140, a 30% discount.

“The beauty of buying someone a discounted gift card is that they’ll never know you paid up to 30% less than face value for it,” says Card Hub CEO Odysseas Papadimitriou. He adds: “As far as they’re concerned, a gift card’s value is equal to the amount of money it has on it, and not a penny less.”

Card Hub also lets consumers sell their unused gift cards for cash, which could come in handy if you need a few extra bucks for holiday shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

Snag Extra Perks With Your Rewards Credit Card

Speaking of cards, it’s safer to use a credit card online than a debit card because you get greater protections against fraud and you can dispute unauthorized charges. You may also get bonus rewards depending on the plastic you choose to use. And major credit card issuers are pulling out all the stops to woo their cardholders on Cyber Monday and in the days leading up to it.

For instance, American Express is offering 5X rewards through the New Year, as well as a host of deals for Cyber Week (November 21- November 30). Capital One is tempting its customers with the chance to earn 40-100% more rewards on purchases made through its Perk Central online shopping portal from November 25 through November 28.

Case in point: some of the bonus rewards offered through Perk Central from Black Friday through Cyber Monday include:

• Deals for the Fashionista: Landsend.com (100% rewards increase), Macys.com (40% rewards increase)
• Deals for the Techie: Lenovo.com (100% rewards increase), TigerDirect.com (67% rewards increase)
• Deals for those with Kids: Lego.com (100% rewards increase), Gamestop.com (40% rewards increase)

Chase and Discover have special holiday-shopping promotions, too.

Don’t Forget Cyber Safety

While you’re salivating over holiday bargains, don’t forget to exercise some basic online shopping safety, too. A recent TransUnion survey found 74% of Americans surveyed plan to do at least some of their holiday shopping online. At the same time, 35% of Americans surveyed said they were more afraid of becoming the victim of identity theft during the holiday shopping season.

To avoid this problem, use the following strategies.

Before you start Web surfing on Cyber Monday or earlier, consider changing your account passwords and keep a list of them in a secure place. For your passwords and PIN numbers, select a random mix of letters, numbers and special characters, making it harder for identity thieves to victimize you. Don’t make the mistake of using your address, date of birth or something else that could be easily guessed.

Also, only shop at trusted sites and before you make an online purchase look for an “s” in the address box (i.e. https://), which indicates that it’s a secure site.

Finally, since you may be shopping at many sites or may be subjected to a lot of pop-up ads and other things, it’s best to make sure your computer has spam filters, anti-virus and anti-spyware software and a secure firewall.

Shopping online during Cyber Monday can be fun and convenient, but take care to make your Web-based holiday shopping safe, too.

Watch below to see which Black-owned businesses folks are supporting this holiday season

Michelle Obama was spotted shopping at a Target department store outside of Washington D.C. (Image: AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

First Lady Michelle Obama sported a casual Nike baseball cap, sunglasses and a floral-print button down shirt on a shopping trip to a Target department store in Alexandria, Virginia Thursday. Little did she know she’d be snapped by AP photographer Charles Dharapak, and her image broadcasted across news outlets within a few short hours.

“It is not uncommon for the First Lady to slip out to run an errand, eat at a local restaurant or otherwise enjoy the city outside the White House gates,” said Kristina Schake, communications director for the First Lady, in a CBS News report.

The Target location was combed by casually dressed Secret Service agents a half-hour before she arrived with an assistant, according to the AP.  She did, however, push her own cart, filling it with toys and food for the first dog, Bo, among other things. Mrs. Obama spent a reported 30-40 minutes at the location and was only recognized by the cashier.

This wasn’t the first lady’s only encounter with the discount-friendly store. She was spotted wearing a dress from Target in Phoenix in August 2009. So tell us, does Mrs. Obama’s discount store excursion make a statement about the importance of frugality in this economy?

Take our poll and leave a comment below.

Take advantage of holiday deals.

The Labor Day holiday is once again upon us. If you plan to take a shopping trip this weekend, don’t forget to check out some of the Web deals before you head out. You might be pleasantly surprised to find a discount that you wouldn’t have otherwise snagged at the store. Here’s a rundown of some of the top Labor Day deals this weekend:

Amazon.com is offering up to 90% off of women’s clothing for their annual summer clearance sale. Lucky for you,  they’re not just offering summer items. You can also purchase fall and winter clothing and outerwear for steep discounts. This offer expires on Tuesday, September 7.

If you still have yet to complete your back-to-school shopping, you’re in luck. Walmart is attempting to clear out the bulk of its school items by offering backpacks for $9. If you order online, shipping is free. This offer expires on Monday, September 13.

If you’re a college student or a faculty or staff member at any grade level, you can get a free iPod touch from Apple if you purchase a new Mac. Visit the site for details. This offer expires Tuesday, September 7.

Are you planning to spend the holiday close to home? Then take in a movie with the family. The CitiDeals website features movie tickets discounted by as much as 50%. You can also get deals on spas and restaurants.

After you’ve done your shopping and seen a movie, if you’re in the mood to experience the arts, there’s a great deal for you. Target and Bank of America are each sponsoring free and reduced-priced museum weekends. Visit their websites for prices and locations.

For more shopping deals and steals, come back to BlackEnterprise.com every Friday for a new Shopping Insider.

Sheiresa Ngo is the consumer affairs editor at Black Enterprise.

While adjusting their products and services to commemorate Black History Month, some companies have decided to take it seriously, others have taken it too far, and others haven’t taken it far enough.

BlackEnterprise.com’s Renita Burns and Marcia A. Wade decided to rate the efforts of corporations who have incorporated Black History Month promotions and products on a scale of one to five. A rating of five represents a respectable, well-organized, educational promotion, and a rating of one signifies an insufficient effort in honoring the month’s legacy and purpose.

Let us know if you agree or disagree.

AMERICAN LANDS MILES AWAY

American Airlines sponsored a double header movie night on Feb. 21 and will do it again on Feb. 28 at the American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum based in Fort Worth, Texas. The two movies, The Tuskegee Airmen, starring Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Malcolm Jamal Warner and the documentary Nightfighters, the True Story of the 332nd Fighter Group, will be shown in the museum’s main theater.

The museum will also display a photography exhibit that focuses on African-American cockpit and cabin crews who worked for American Airlines. Additionally, the exhibit will display photos of Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Robinson, and Eartha Kitt stepping off American Airlines’ planes.

Marcia’s rating: 2

American Airlines’ self-adulating promotion posing as black history recognition barely gets off the ground. Using posthumous “endorsements” from celebrities seems inappropriate and is definitely uninformative. Of course, celebrities flew on airplanes in the past. It is hardly black history that sometimes they chose to fly American. The rewards go to the filmmakers and movie studios that chose to produce movies about the Tuskegee Airmen, not the C.R. Smith Museum. It doesn’t take much effort to pop in a DVD and call it black history.

Yes, it is wonderful that the photo exhibit acknowledges the accomplishments of Joan Dorsey and Dave Harris, who might possibly be the first black flight attendant and pilot to fly for a major airline, but what about their struggle, and why is this exhibit limited to this museum? Their exhibit would be more substantive if they also featured Marlon Green, who flew for Continental Airlines and not American, but who won the 1963 U.S. Supreme Court Case that opened the door for Harris. Green, Harris or other older members of the Organization of Black Airline Pilots could have come out to lecture about the difficulties they had trying to get hired at American and other major airlines in the 50s. But, as a good marketing tool should do, American’s black history lesson seems to only show a clear runway and blue skies.
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MCDONALD’S IS LOVIN’ THE KIDS

The home of the Big Mac and ultra-convenient Dollar Menu has revved up its Black History Month efforts this year. Aside from giving away more than $20,000 in much needed scholarship aid to African American students, McDonald’s is spotlighting the young achievers. While the scholarship competition is available nationwide, Philadelphia recipients will receive a full-on celebration. Ronald McDonald House Charities and owners and operators of McDonald’s restaurants in Philadelphia will honor 15 accomplished area high school seniors with the financial support. Awards are based on academic achievement, community service and financial needs.

Renita’s Rating: 4.5

McDonald’s, you make it so hard for me not to like you. It’s pretty obvious that the fast food joint isn’t the healthiest choice. But when you’re low on cash those inexpensive lightly salted French fries and McNuggets hit the spot. And now, how can you feel guilty about patronizing those golden arches? Honestly, who can knock the fast-food giant’s effort? While many BHM efforts take a look at the past, McDonald’s may be helping shape the future of a potential history maker. Bravo.
TASTE THE SOUL

Foodinistas can literally have their fill of all that Black History Month has to offer with a 30-day taste test of foods prepared by black vendors at participating JEWEL-OSCOs. The event is sponsored by the Midwest food retailer and Coca Cola. Twenty-five vendors will be serving up dishes made with JEWEL-OSCO products as part of “A Taste of Black History” promotion. For all the recession-battered households in Chicago, the company is also offering a “Cookin’ Combos” grocery sweepstakes where the winner will receive a year of free groceries worth $5,000.

Renita’s Rating: 3

Given the miserable state of the economy, I’m not willing to turn down free home-cooked food or free groceries. But without any historical information to put this offer in perspective, it’s merely another marketing ploy. At least the grocer is giving black chefs a bit of exposure.

NORDSTROM, RHYTHM, AND BLUES

Looks like high-end retailer Nordstrom is venturing into the music business. After all, Black History Month wouldn’t be complete without a retrospective of “the evolution of the Rhythm and Blues of the ’50s into the soul of the ’60s and beyond.” The CD, “Immortal Soul,” is a compilation of songs from the crooners that gave shape to R&B music including Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Otis Redding, and Etta James

According to a store press release, all “after-cost” proceeds from the album sales will go to three music education programs for youth and underserved communities.

Renita’s Rating: 2

Good thing the CD is affordable. Who’d want to pay $9.99 for classic soul albums (available at most record shops) when you can buy this haute couture special edition album for $24.99? This is a poor attempt by Nordstrom. Anyone who has gone into a record store or to Amazon.com knows these classic soul CDs are available by the truck load for a fraction of the price. Heck, even those with a little sleep insomnia have probably watched the Time Life soul music infomercials. The only redeeming aspect of this special is the donation of  after-cost proceeds to music education programs.

TARGET HITS THE BULLS EYE

Share your dreams with Target this month. The national retailer is encouraging guests to “Dare, Dream, Do,” during Black History Month as part of it’s year long campaign “Dream in Color,” which celebrates diversity. What would a special occasion be without the ability to monetize it? Well at least Target’s aiming in the right direction. The retailer partnered with R&B songstress India Arie and The Black List Vol. 1 , HBO’s wildly candid series featuring notable black figures sharing their thoughts on black life in America. The DVD went on sale at the beginning of the month for $9.99. Take that Nordstrom!

Renita’s Rating: 4

My natural love of Target may make me a little biased. But the one-stop shop is selling the Black List for a reasonable $9.99. The series is phenomenal and the price can’t be beat. This is a chance to hear how the movers and shakers of popular black culture including Harry Bellefonte, Chris Rock, and a slew of others, feel about blackness and America. Insightful indeed.

VERIZON JAMS TO MOTOWN HITS

Not only does Verizon offer the most fabulously reliable wireless service (though pricey), now, you can listen to your favorite Motown hits (as if you weren’t already) on your cell phone. For Black History Month, the telecom giant partnered up with Universal Music Group to distribute the Motown sound. For a fee, you can jam to your parent’s favorite tunes or revisit your own youth. This is a great idea, except these tracks are available throughout the entire year. Pretty slick, Verizon.

Renita’s Rating: 2

Monthly bill disputes notwithstanding, Verizon is presenting nothing new. The company created an additional channel on its Website and grouped together all the great Motown hits. The redeeming factor: Who can resist those tempting Temptations?

ORGANIC BOUQUET GIVE S BLOOMING TRIBUTE

This month Organic Bouquet, a floral and gift delivery company with “eco-standards” gives customers an opportunity to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Black History Month, and Rosa Parks birthday by purchasing the Freedom Rose Bouquet. The Freedom Rose is certified sustainably grown by Veriflora, an international program that guarantees environmental protection, fair labor practices, and flower quality. Rosa Parks, the mother of the civil rights movement, embodies freedom and justice and so does this rose. One dozen Freedom roses retails for $59.95, a little more than organic flowers from other retailers, but with each purchase of the Freedom Bouquet 10% of the proceeds will be donated to the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development.

Marcia’s Rating: 4

When corporations commercialize holidays, it can get really ugly, but Organic Bouquet’s idea is so very apropos and it makes good business sense too.

SHARE THE WORD

Kmart wants to reach the African American community by “sharing a message of quality, exclusive services and smart prices during the month of February.” The bigbox retailer recruited funny man Steve Harvey to make special in-store appearances. Plus, the company brought onboard Mocha Moms, an online, non-profit support group for mothers of color.

Marcia’s Rating: 1.5

Kmart is using Black History Month to lure people out to shop at their stores, but the Website has little to do with Black History. If you don’t already know about Kmart’s special Black History Month Share-the-Word Website then you certainly won’t find any mention of it on Kmart.com. And it is pretty unclear what “word” the retailer wants people to share. On the Website, the only redeeming attribute is a seven-question black history quiz that doesn’t have any links leading back to the site. Now, that is just bad Website fundamentals. This is a half-hearted attempt at celebrating black history.

I BELIEVE I HAVE A DREAM CHARM NECKLACE

Payless ShoeSource is selling a limited-edition silver-toned loop-link “Rolo” chain with colorful adornments and a charm inscribed with the word “Believe” on one side and “Dream” on the other. One hundred percent of the net profits for every $4 charm necklace sold will be donated to a scholarship program established with the National Urban League’s Project Ready Program, with a minimum guaranteed donation of $35,000.

*Marcia’s Rating: 3
If you wear the necklace, you will believe. The questions is, believe in what? Payless  loses one point since shoe stores aren’t exactly where most people plan to buy their jewelry, and another point since there are no links or advertisements about the limited-edition necklace on their main site. For paying tribute to the abstract idea of “believing” I give Payless’ Black History Month a three, one for each charm on their necklace.

(*Renita’s Rebuttal: The concept of paying tribute to “dreaming” and “believing” for Black History Month is creative. While I agree we need to recognize the people and moments that shaped black culture and America, we also need to look at the impetus behind what gave these icons the desire and strength to persevere and do what they did. Hence – believing and dreaming.)

DOMINION SHOWCASES UNSUNG HEROES

Dominion, a Richmond, Virginia-based energy company, is offering the “Strong Men and Women Excellence in Leadership Series” which exemplifies how companies should approach Black History Month. This year, the company identified nine African American role models and then converted their stories into an educational series that is distributed during Black History Month to more than 12,000 schools across Dominion’s service areas in Virginia, northeastern North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

They’ve been doing this for eight years now, and the fact that the company covers the Northeastern part of the country, doesn’t stop them from honoring people who live outside of their service area, such as the Honorable Vel R. Phillips, the first woman and first African American to become secretary of state in Wisconsin. The lesson plans Dominion created and feature on the Website are extremely detailed and include activities for primary and secondary teaching levels along with plans developed by educators to go along with suggested readings from the Website.

Dominion also sponsors an essay writing competition for local high school juniors and seniors.

Marcia’s Rating: 4.5

Most corporations could stand to learn a thing or two from Dominion. The series includes notable African Americans that most people may have never heard of such as Sister Cora Billings, the first African American nun to lead a Roman Catholic parish in the United States. This and more is included in a well-organized format online, equipped with an interactive mural featuring all of this year’s honorees. Unfortunately, there are no links from its homepage to help people find this goldmine of black history.

Renita Burns is the editorial assistant, and Marcia A. Wade is the reporter at BlackEnterprise.com.