Cyber Monday: Survey Shows Most Employers Allow Shopping Online

Deanne Stein, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Just as retailers and consumers alike are recovering from Black Friday, another shopping extravaganza is on our heels.

Cyber Monday is on November 25 and hailed the biggest online shopping day of the year.

11/25/2012 Related Story: Online Shoppers Hit The Web For Cyber Monday Specials

"Ordering online becomes extremely convenient," said Ruth Borowsky of Phoenix, Arizona and visiting family in Oklahoma. "I have a bad knee, so I'm not apt to be running around in the stores, comparing prices here and there. I find what I want and often I look online for it."

She's not alone. Retailers predict more than half of the consumers out there will shop online on Cyber Monday.

"You don't have to deal with the crowds," said Huntur Younge of Oklahoma City. "You get just as good of deals and a lot of places do free shipping."

Being on a work day, though, shopping online could be problematic, unless you have a sympathetic employer. But one survey conducted by Robert Half Technology is showing that's exactly the case for some.

The survey is based on telephone interviews of 1,400 chief information officers from firms across the country. It found only one-third of those employers block access to online shopping sites, which is down from 60 percent last year. Another 55 percent said they allow access but monitor their employees closely so they don't abuse it.

Read the entire survey!

"It makes it easier because there's a lot of pressure during the holiday to try and get everything done and cram everything in to a weekend if you're not able to do it during the week," said Younge.

But not everyone will turn to the computer. Linda Beeson of Oklahoma City said she prefers the traditional way of shopping.

"I am not an online shopper," Beeson said. "I like to touch and feel and have the product in my hand."

Here are five tips if you want to shop at work, according to Robert Half Technology:

1. Know the rules. If your employer allows shopping at work, know your company's policy, including sites or hours to avoid, before searching for deals online.
2. Limit surfing. A liberal computer use policy is no excuse to spend the day filling your online shopping cart. Do your browsing out of the office and limit your activity to quick transactions.
3. Be smart about using your Smartphone. Mobile devices may allow you to get around a strict online shopping policy, but always put work first.
4. Score some deals after work. No online promotion is worth putting your career at risk. If you have projects that require immediate attention, save your holiday shopping for the evening or weekend.
5. Protect your personal information. If a holiday offer looks too good to be true, it likely is. Avoid clicking on links or visiting sites that could infect your company's network with viruses or malware.