US Consumer News Release     Thursday, December 6, 2012

Average New York family set to spend $749.51 on gifts this year and save $632.74 when shopping online.  More are logging-on to shop as analysts predict online spending to reach into the hundreds of billions this holiday season.

Thanksgiving propelled America into the holiday shopping season with a record start this year as the average American spent $423 over the weekend, up 6% from $398 in 2011.  Looking ahead, TopCashback, the USA’s most generous cashback rebates site, estimates that sales will pick up again from December 10th, particularly in the online marketplace where a record 52% of all consumers will shop for at least one item this year. With its 24 hours, seven days a week convenience, unrivaled selection and excellent value, the online arena has become a bigger contender for purchases year-after-year as more New York residents choose to log-on to shop. ComScore predicts that, overall, online spending will increase this year by some 17% to around $43.4 billion, accounting for at least 10% of total retail spending this holiday season.

Discounts exclusive to internet retailers have been instrumental in driving more Americans to shop online. One of the best saving phenomena to hit the States is cashback websites. 20% of people said that the reason they will be shopping online this holiday season is to get cashback on their purchases. The average New York family is set to spend $749.51 on gifts, which if bought online through a cashback site, could save households $632.74. TopCashback offers savings across 2,300 online stores including Kohl’s, Walmart, Best Buy, Kmart, Target and Apple. Given that cashback is based on a percentage of what you spend, shoppers are set to gain the most during their holiday season shopping.

Natasha-Rachel Smith, Head of Communications and PR for TopCashback , said: "The first week of December is notoriously quiet, as most take time to recover from their Thanksgiving spending heists, making it the perfect time for people to plan the remainder of their holiday purchases. The key to getting the best savings is being organized, disciplined and patient. By planning ahead, researching for the best prices and shopping through cashback sites, which often work in conjunction with coupon codes, Americans can make holiday savings that are more mouth-watering than Aunt Betty-Sue’s Thanksgiving turkey."

Natasha-Rachel concluded: "TopCashback is proud to offer something that no other cashback site does; we give the entire cashback rebate we’re paid by stores back to our members, 100% of it. We don’t keep a cut. We also allow members to cash-out whenever they want and do not force a minimum cashback withdrawal threshold. If a member’s balance is one cent, they can request it and we’ll give it to them. More and more consumers are also discovering our unrivaled retailer cashback rates: around 90% of them are the highest on the open-web and where they’re not we guarantee to match it. These elements make us the USA’s most generous cashback rebates site."

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