Local businesses prepare for Cyber Monday

A record number of Americans are expected to shop online this weekend and on Cyber Monday. And that has some Coachella Valley businesses prepping for what’s to come.

“The holidays are where toffee thrives. So it’s busy regardless this time of year,” said Brandon Weimer, co-founder of Brandini Toffee.

The boxes are packed, the toffee is cracked, and it’s all ahead of the Cyber Monday frenzy.

“We prepare by producing enough product. We prepare all week long. We had one day off, Thanksgiving, but we keep producing and we’ve had preliminary sales leading up to this sale,” Weimer said.

Brandini is offering customers great discounts for shopping online Monday.

“We have free shipping on all orders over $40 and we’ve also offered 10 percent off for orders over $100,” Weimer said.

Expecting to ship orders all across the country and even the world.

“We have a three-to-five day turnaround for shipping. So I think that helps. It’s hard to take on all those orders and fulfill those same day. We do what we can to absorb that impact and it’s all good problems to have,” Weimer said.

And certainly Brandini isn’t the only business trying to catch your attention online. Stores from Amazon to Walmart vying for a share of the 78 million Americans expected to shop Cyber Monday.

But before you grab your credit card and go to town, there’s a few things to be aware of. Experts warn online holiday shopping is a prime time for scammers.

You can avoid a scam with a few simple tips:

Be extra careful shopping on a mobile browser because scammers can create fake websites that may look legit. Watch out for fake apps that can steal your personal information or even try to extort money by locking your phone. You should avoid clicking on any unsolicited emails.