'Monday, Monday ... Will It Be All We Hope It To Be?'

Online sales are expected to surge this holiday season — and the Postal Service and retailers are making changes to ensure consumers receive their orders on time.

Shoppers could spend as much as $105 billion in online purchases, up 8–11 percent from last year, according to a forecast by the National Retail Federation.

“Cyber Monday,” the first Monday after Thanksgiving, will be the largest online sales day at $2.6 billion, up 15 percent from last year, according to a study by the Adobe software company.

Purchases on mobile devices will drive 20 percent of Cyber Monday sales, the study predicts.

Online shopping generally drives big increases in shipping. In November, the Postal Service shifted to a 7-day holiday delivery schedule to accommodate the surge.

USPS expects to deliver between 450 million to 470 million packages this holiday season, up about 12 percent from last year.

Retailers have geared up for the online shopping boom too.
In addition to starting their online promotions earlier this year, online retailers have added features that allow shoppers to check on product availability and chat with customer service representatives.