Irish shoppers have more options to buy presents online, writes Caroline Madden.
Cast your mind back to the start of the week. Did productivity in your office mysteriously slump on Monday? Did people seem unusually engrossed while "working" on their desktops? If so, then chances are your colleagues were indulging in a spot of Cyber Monday shopping.
Cyber Monday is the first Monday following Black Friday - the day after Thanksgiving which traditionally marked the start of the US Christmas shopping season - and is one of the busiest online shopping days of the year in America.
Many US online retailers now offer discounts, sale prices and free shipping on Cyber Monday to whip up even more frenzied shopping.
This year, the phenomenon spread across the Atlantic to the Irish market, with retailers experiencing a spike in online shopping activity on Monday.
Whereas Cyber Monday coincides with Thanksgiving sales in the US, Julie de Bailliencourt, marketing manager of online shopping portal Buy4Now, says different factors are at play here. "In Ireland, it would coincide with November pay day, so I think there is a natural increase," she explains.
In fact, since November of last year, Buy4Now has observed that Monday has become the busiest day of the week for Irish internet retailers.
People tend to window shop in bricks and mortar stores over the weekend, then use the internet as an "online price comparison tool" once they get back into the office on Monday, de Bailliencourt says. In the hope of cashing in on the weak dollar, many Irish shoppers also turn to US sites to search for attractive online offers. However, there are few things more frustrating than finally tracking down the perfect gift, only to be informed that the online retailer doesn't ship to Ireland.
To avoid wasting hours of your life - not to mention company time - googling fruitlessly, let online shopping directories such as www.armchair.ie take the mousework out of Christmas shopping.
Armchair.ie only lists sites that actively sell to Ireland and, unlike a search engine, the directory is "human edited", meaning that each site is reviewed before being listed. Irish-owned businesses are favoured, but the directory also lists many international sites.
Armchair.ie is also useful in that it ranks shopping websites based on popularity. For example, www.cdworld.ie is a favourite port of call with shoppers looking for CDs, computer games and DVDs, while www.cdwow.ie also comes highly recommended.
Reads of Nassau Street, the perennial favourite with cash-strapped students, now has an online incarnation, www.readsbooks.ie, which is proving a hit with cyber shoppers looking for discount literary gifts.
For shoppers tearing their hair out trying to find something for the person who has everything, www.bcool.ie offers inspiration in the form of gadgets, collectibles and boy toys, while stocking-filler iPod accessories such as speakers and iTrips can be found on www.iaccessorise.com. Buy4Now is also well worth a click, as more than 20 top Irish retailers peddle their wares on this site - from Eason's and Arnotts to Byrnes World of Wonder Toys.
According to de Bailliencourt, the average spend in the run-up to Christmas (excluding groceries) on Buy4Now has already increased by 12 per cent from last year, and currently stands at €103. Exercise machines remain a firm favourite, with vibration plates and power trainers selling particularly well this year.
Shoppers willing to stray from the beaten track can earn serious brownie points for thoughtfulness, so rather than plumping for old reliables like vouchers or cash, why not use the internet to source something a little bit more original this year?
Ordering a healthy Hopsack Hamper from www.hopsack.ie, for example, guarantees you a gift that will stand out on Christmas morning. The Hopsack, a Swan Centre-based healthfood store long beloved of the D6 foodie crowd, has just launched a range of hampers, which can all be purchased online.
Parents with teenage daughters are likely to be scouring the internet into the wee hours trying to track down a pair of Ugg boots (the must-have Australian sheepskin footwear) for less than €200.
Beware though of making the ultimate faux pas of buying counterfeit boots in an effort to bag a bargain as the web is awash with fakes. Before buying make sure to read the eBay.ie guide on "how to spot a fake Ugg boot".
For tips on tracking down the hottest present for Christmas 2007 - the über-elusive Nintendo Wii games console - check out www.shopping.blogs.ie.
A key advantage of internet shopping closer to home is that you can avoid the taxes that apply to purchases ordered from outside the EU.
Irish shoppers who import goods from the US can expect to be stung with customs duty, VAT and, just to add insult to injury, an administration fee is usually charged by delivery companies for collecting the tax.
If you're determined to buy from the US, it is advisable to place your order as quickly as possible to avoid crestfallen faces on Christmas day. With all online purchases, it is vital to check the delivery terms as deadlines differ depending on the individual retailer.
As a guideline, December 10th is recommended as the cut-off date if ordering from EU websites. For Irish purchases, An Post has indicated that December 19th is the cut-off point for standard post parcels, although some companies have set earlier deadlines.
Although the Irish Cyber Monday has come and gone, it could well be supplanted tomorrow morning by Cyber Saturday, certainly in terms of toy shopping.
Why? The Late Late Toy Show airs tonight, which means that children around the State will be staying up late with pens poised, waiting for Pat Kenny to unveil this year's must-have toys before writing the final draft of that all-important Christmas wishlist.
