Let the shopping begin

I just made my first "Cyber Monday" purchase. I bought "Unbroken," Laura Hillenbrand's book about a 93-year-old World War II veteran, Louie Zamperini, who survived a plane crash in the Pacific and then a harrowing Japanese P.O.W. camp.

Survival has become too familiar a word for many Americans, as they wade through the recession, unemployment, a weak global economy, worries about Europe, a bailout for Ireland, not to mention terrorism and recent tensions on the Korean peninsula. But there have been a few glimmers of optimism from the consumer, a huge component of the U.S. economy, as "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" kicked off this year's holiday shopping season with a healthy bang.

Shares of online retailer Amazon.com (AMZN) hit an all-time high of $181.84 this morning, as people took advantage of "Cyber Monday" deals online. That follows a strong "Black Friday," which saw $648 million in online sales, according to ComScore, a 9% jump from Black Friday 2009.

Shoppers hit the stores, as well. The National Retail Federation said that 212 million people were out shopping over the weekend, an 8.7% increase from the 195 million people who braved the crowds last year. Shoppers spent more, too -- the average shopper spent $365.34 over the weekend, up from last year’s $343.31, acording to the NRF.

The numbers fit nicely with an upbeat holiday shopping forecast from The International Council of Shopping Centers. The ICSC predicts a 3% to 3.5% increase from last year, which would be the biggest year-over-year increase since 2006, before the recession began.

“The key story is that the retail recovery continues and that bodes well for the upcoming holiday shopping season,” said Michael P. Niemira, chief economist and director of research for ICSC. “Additionally, we expect holiday hiring to improve moderately over last year and overall employment growth to improve as well, which in turn should support increased spending,” Niemira added.

Dozens of retailers including Target (TGT), Wal-Mart Stores (WMT), Macy's (M) and Best Buy (BBY) have online deals today, from big discounts to free shipping. So take out your wallets and let the shopping begin . . . or continue!