By Moses Leos III

Holiday shopping is often just a mouse click away for Kyle resident Lauren Guerra.  

Guerra is one of many who participated in Cyber Monday, an event that unofficially kicks off the online holiday shopping season the Monday after Thanksgiving.  

For Guerra, shopping online creates a sense of ease over battling crowds for holiday deals. 

“I think people are buying more stuff online because it’s more convenient, instead of going in (to a store) and having to fight the crowds and the lines,” Guerra said.

Cyber Monday, created in 2005, has grown, particularly in the social media realm. 

On Monday, social media management platform Spreadfast estimated conversation on Twitter about Cyber Monday increased by 75 percent from 2012. 

While Black Friday continues to dominate social media, Cyber Monday remains a popular topic among 25 to 34 year olds. According to the website Social Times, 50 percent of Cyber Monday chatter on Facebook stemmed from that age group.  

The event has also added to the American economy as well. According to a 2013 report from IBM, 2013 Cyber Monday sales grew by 20 percent over the year previous. A 2013 report from Adobe showed Cyber Monday sales hitting $2.29 billion last year. 

According to multiple sources, research firm ComScore estimates 2014 Cyber Monday sales at $2.5 billion. 

For Leann Behl, who participated in Cyber Monday, going online to buy holiday gifts is now the norm. 

Finding deals online, usually through email, is how she prepared for Cyber Monday. Accessibility is the primary reason for shopping online.  

“Everything [that is ordered] is delivered to my front door,” Behl said. 

However, Jane Lozoya believes Cyber Monday is “not all that people chalk it up to be.” 

While she said her husband shops online for holiday gifts, Lozoya said she prefers to shop in stores. She estimates the two of them spend $500 each on holiday gifts in their respective mediums. 

Buda resident Mary Helmer, whose daughter shopped online on Cyber Monday, also prefers the store to the computer screen. 

“I like to see what I’m getting. I like to go see it and make sure there are no snags in [the product], or if the toy is going to work when I push the button,” Helmer said. “That way, I don’t have to return it, and I know when I get home that is what I want.” 

Helmer also said she is concerned about identity theft when shopping online. Noah Garcia, who works in Kyle, shared a similar concern. 

While his son shops online for holiday gifts, having his identity stolen keeps Garcia away from online shopping.  

But he understands Cyber Monday. 

“I think it saves a lot of people a lot of headaches,” Garcia said. “Before they started this, you turn on the news, and all you see is somebody getting trampled, somebody getting hurt, somebody getting killed [on Black Friday]. People feel safer shopping online than being out there with the public.” 

But not all are sold on the Cyber Monday fad. One person said the addition of Cyber Monday makes holidays, “geared more toward businesses than the fact we should be giving thanks and celebrating Christmas.” 

Buda resident Robert Dickerson believes Cyber Monday is the “new wave of Black Friday Shopping.” 

“[Stores] can put (sales) online, and let everyone have the day off and be with their family,” Dickerson said. “If you want something, you can get it for that sale price. That way everyone can enjoy their time off.”