SAN DIEGO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 11/20/12 -- Miva Merchant, a leading shopping cart software provider, offers online merchants some useful tips for increasing Cyber Monday sales. According to IBM's research firm Benchmark, Cyber Monday online shopping increased by one-third between 2010 and 2011, and 2011 Cyber Monday online sales outpaced last year's Black Friday's online purchasing by nearly 30%.

Jesse Ness says that to promote a more successful online shopping experience, merchants should be prepared to offer Cyber Monday-only deals that target specific market segments. In addition to attracting more shoppers, merchants can measure the effectiveness of their online deals. Free shipping is always a shopper favorite, but merchants should be prepared to offer additional Cyber Monday incentives.

Cyber Monday deals should be deadline-driven. Flash sales that last only an hour or so should be replaced immediately by other offers that will drive both consumer interest and website traffic.

Timing sales to take advantage of visitor traffic will improve the sales conversion rate. About one-third of online sales take place between 5:00 AM and 9:00 AM, but 2:00 PM EST is also a popular shopping time, according to Benchmark. Planning special incentives or discounts during these times may increase sales volumes substantially.

Social media factored into more than half of online shopping visits last year, so a timely Facebook advertising campaign or similar social promotions could help publicize sales incentives and drive traffic to a merchant's site.

Finally, Jesse says to verify that all elements of the merchant website are working properly ahead of Cyber Monday. This includes verifying the operation of the shopping cart software to help ensure a smooth shopping experience for online visitors.

About Miva Merchant
Miva Merchant, located in San Diego, CA is a leading supplier of complete, reliable, expandable and easy-to-use shopping cart software and services to small and medium-sized businesses. Miva Merchant shopping cart software is used by tens of thousands of online merchants and developers on an extensive network of hosting partners and business portals. For more information about Miva Merchant, please visit www.mivamerchant.com