Are Retailers and Consumers Both Winning Between Black Friday, Cyber Monday?

This year's Black Friday was nothing short of intense. Bargains from retailers pulled in more than 154 million consumers, according to the National Retail Federation. 

"It was a strong weekend for retailers, but an even better weekend for consumers, who took advantage of some really incredible deals," NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay said in a statement.

Shoppers spent just over $289 on average, which was down from just under $300 last year. Approximately $214 of that sum were spent on gifts.

A large amount of that buying took place online. Data shows consumers spent more than $3 billion from the comfort of their own homes. That's up about 21 percent from last year's online shopping.

Mobile purchases also rose 33 percent, up to $1.2 billion. 

The NRF predicts that shoppers will spend $655.8 billion in November and December. That's a gain of 3.6 percent from a year ago.

Now, both consumers and retailers turn their attention to Cyber Monday. 

Adobe Digital Insights predicts that online sales today will exceed $3 billion, an increases of 9.4 percent over last year. 

This year shoppers are using social media to spread word about where to find the best deals. More than 1 million people are talking about Cyber Monday on Facebook and the topic is trending on Twitter as well.

Among the products deeply discounted today: 

•     Televisions and Computers
•     Winter Clothing and Shoes
•     Books
•     Travel Deals

When shopping online it's important to remember to keep your financial information protected. Experts advise shoppers to avoid shopping on public Wi-Fi, stick to one card for all shopping so that it's easier to detect fraud and make sure you've downloaded all the latest security updates on your phone or computer.