GATES, N.Y. — Millions of people are expected to be glued to their computers and smartphones on Monday in search of deals on holiday gifts.

U.S. online shoppers are estimated to spend $14.2 billion on Cyber Monday, which would be 6.3% more than last year, according to Adobe Analytics. Americans have already spent $11.8 billion online for Black Friday, more than forecasted.

The Amazon Fulfillment Center in Gates is gearing up for a busy Cyber Monday. Marc Heintzman, an Amazon spokesperson, says tech and appliances are some of the hottest items this year. He also expects massive spending on toys, both high-tech new toys and the classics.

“Magna-Tiles, Hot Wheels, these are all the things that kids are playing with these days. And then you’ve got your nostalgia toys, Operation, Polaroid cameras. They’re all back in style,” he said.

Heintzman says 60% of what’s sold on Amazon comes from small or medium-sized and independently-owned businesses. On its website, Amazon has a section where you can search for only products from small businesses.

“If you like to shop small, shop local, you can do that,” he said. “…We got this nice candle here from Sweetwater Decor. They’re based in Pittsburgh. It’s a woman-owned business.”

Warning about online scams

Beware of scams as you’re shopping online. The state’s Department of Consumer Protection is warning shoppers of AI-generated websites that try to imitate legitimate online sellers. Carefully inspect any website URL. Scammers will make slight changes to trick your eye, such as replacing a “zero” with an “o” or adding a dash at the end, to make you think it’s legitimate.

Last year, New York State consumers reported losing over $17 million in online shopping scams and over $41 million to business impostors.

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