According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), almost 61 million consumers planned to shop online from home or at work today in what is expected to be one of the biggest online shopping days of the year.

Free shipping was also expected to be a big draw for what has been dubbed “cyber Monday,” the NRF said, as 83% of online retailers planned to offer some kind of free shipping promotion during the holiday season.

According to the NRF's 2006 Black Friday Weekend Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, more than 140 million shoppers hit the stores at the weekend, spending an average of $360.15, up 18.9% from last year's $302.81.

One-third of Black Friday shoppers (36.2%) got to their first shopping destination before 6 a.m., the NRF said. By 9 a.m., more than half of shoppers (58.8%) said they had already visited one store. Though more women went shopping than men (47.9% vs. 37.4%), men outspent women by 38.1%, with men spending $420.37 on average and women spending $304.30. Over the weekend, more than one-third (39.5%) of men bought consumer electronics or computer-related accessories compared to one-fourth (27.5%) of women. Half of the men surveyed (49.2%) purchased books, CDs, DVDs, videos or video games compared to only 34.1% of women who purchased the same products.

Britt Beemer's America's Research Group (ARG) also found shoppers rushed out early on Friday to get advertised specials and deeply discounted items. A strong 81% of the shoppers said that they found advertised items still available, but a majority of shoppers said the stores were understaffed on Friday, an ARG statement said.

One out of three Friday shoppers completed 40% to 50% of their Christmas shopping, according to the ARG survey. Two out of three Friday shoppers went to four stores or less. Almost half of shoppers (44.6%) spent more than they had planned.

The NRF continues to project that holiday sales will rise 5% this year to $457.4 billion.