Cyber Monday sales set record

Online spending from desktop computers on Cyber Monday set a record high, reaching $1.735 billion and marking the second day to pass $1 billion in sales this holiday shopping season, according to comScore, a firm that measures and analyzes online consumer behavior.

Despite weeks of discounts both online and in stores, consumers shopped heavily online on Cyber Monday, a daylong holiday shopping event when retailers are supposed to offer deals. Cyber Monday’s sales this year increased 18 percent from last year’s $1.465 billion, said comScore, which is based in Reston, Va.

Online retail sales in the first 32 days of the November and December holiday season climbed 8 percent from the same period last year to $23.9 billion. And online sales on Black Friday passed $1 billion, hitting $1.198 billion.