JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- It's the biggest online shopping day of the year.
"I will probably be up late tonight shopping," said Sam Austin.
"I will probably buy books and electronics and stuff," added Rick Plybon.
And some of the holiday's deepest discounts are just a click away. "About 50 to 100 dollars off the regular price," said Plybon.
Online sales already rose 24-percent by noon on Monday compared to the same time last year. And that follows a record turnout on Black Friday.
"That essentially propels the economy in the right direction," said Dr. Roman Cech.
Dr. Cech is an economist who teaches at Florida State College of Jacksonville. And he says there is a lot riding on the gifts families will find under the tree this year.
"Cyber sales account for a rising proportion in sales, and it's becoming a bigger part of consumer behavior," he said.
Americans are expected to spend $1.5 billion online Monday. Some of that spending will still be done in stores.
"They have a computer in here too. So you can check what they have online. And if the deal is better here, you can go online and get it here," said Plybon.
But whether you do your holiday shopping online or in person, Dr. Cech says it will take a lot more than one holiday for the economy to fully recover.
"We shouldn't get hung up on it to much. There is more going on behind the scenes than Cyber Monday and Black Friday," said Dr. Cech.
