Revenue for Black Friday was projected to hit about $3 billion in online sales, but they exceeded the anticipated amount by about $300 million. Percent year-to-year growth is double what was expected. Moreover, it was mobile sales — on smartphones in particular — that stunned the market, accounting for 36% of all Black Friday online sales. Purchases made on mobile devices generated more than $1 billion, which is an increase of over 30% from the year before.

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This is good news for major retailers. No matter the price cuts advertised, the advent of mobile and online shopping has really expanded their consumer base. Black Friday mobs are not for the faint-hearted, but retailers now have a viable alternative to appeal to customers with guaranteed, significant impact. For companies like Ebay and Amazon especially, who are leaders in online shopping, Thanksgiving week, and its pinnacle, Black Friday, is now one of their busiest traffic days for business.

Mobile orders on Amazon reached record highs, exceeding even Cyber Monday of last year — a day specifically dedicated to online buying! Tech products are the go-to deals for Black Friday shoppers, so as expected, Amazon is doing particularly well in sales for smart offers on the Echo Dot, for example.

Even retailers that are widely visited on site, like Walmart and Target, reported top numbers in online traffic and sales owed mainly to mobile. Similar to Amazon, Target enjoyed higher sales than it did on 2015’s Cyber Monday. Additionally, all three retailers (Amazon, Target, and Walmart) had the foresight to capitalize on the huge potential to gain a wider consumer base. They each made early announcements for special offers to mobile app users or enticed consumers with pre-sale deals. So with Black Friday type deals for electronics, tablets, and more rolling out early, potential customers were encouraged to download their mobile app before the big day. This way, by the time Black Friday rolled around, customers were ready with their app in tow and acclimated to its use. Hats off to that strategy.

1. Fake Sites – Fake pages can visually replicate well-known brands by creating an erroneous website.
2. Phishing link – These malicious links can be sent via SMS, email, or other messengers.
   They lure the user with fake promotions and direct them to pages that induce them to sign up for paid services or install programs that steal data.
3. Fake Apps – These are apps pretending to be known brands in order to mislead the user into infecting their device and/or sharing personal data. These apps can access your calendar, contacts and send SMS or emails without your consent. They can even make calls to unknown numbers and register for paid services.
4. Public WiFi – When a Wi-Fi network isn’t password protected, all devices that connect are vulnerable, as some users may be monitoring access data. Data interception can expose personal and work files, intimate photos, and even bank account passwords.

Whether you’re shopping from your phone or computer this holiday season, always keep your devices immune from credit card fraud by having an anti-virus that regularly scans for the above threats.

The Best Apps and Websites for Deals

Visit retailmenot.com or blackfriday.com for some of the best deals on Black Friday. Blackfriday.com also has a free app available in the Play store so you can browse for deals easily on your phone. The app organizes Black Friday ads according to store, category, or deal, and you can save any items you’re interested in to your wish list. Another great app is Black Friday 2016: Ads & Deals by Bonial.com. This app has the latest ads, coupons, news, deals by location, and Black Friday store hours. Receive notifications or add items to a wish list to keep track of what you want to buy on Black Friday.

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What to Buy on Black Friday

This is a great time to buy electronics and toys. Particularly, pay attention to deals on headphones, TVs, tablets, cameras, appliances, and video games. Cyber Monday, which offers online-only deals the Monday after Thanksgiving, tends to offer better deals on laptops and smartphones.

Make a Plan for Black Friday

Have an idea of what you want to purchase on Black Friday, and then use the previously mentioned apps and websites for browsing all of the best deals. Narrow your search to the specific items you want and compare prices. Make a plan for Black Friday: which items you want, which stores have these items, how much the items are, which items are a priority, and when you should be at each store. Keep in mind that for many big-name stores, people form lines as early as 3 a.m., while some stores begin Black Friday deals at midnight or on Thursday evening. Once you know which stores you need to go to, do some research to find out when you should arrive so that you’ll get the deal you want.

Be Cautious This Holiday Season

When downloading apps from the Play store, be cautious as to which apps you download for online shopping. Malicious apps often mimic popular apps in name, design, and language. These apps can steal your personal or credit card information, or install malware or spyware onto your device. Avoid downloading any apps that have few reviews, seem “off” in language and design, or request unnecessary permissions from your device. To further protect your device while shopping online, download antivirus software. PSafe Total protects your device against security threats and malware 24/7.