'Super Tuesday' for cyber-shopping Dec. 13

"Super Tuesday" for online holiday shopping will be 12-1 p.m. EST Dec. 13, according to a Web security company.

The data reflects the online shopping patterns of hundreds of millions of consumers who patronize the 65,000 Internet retailers that use the ScanAlert's HACKER SAFE service to protect their customers, including major brands such as Petco, Ritz Camera, Warner Brothers and U-Haul, the company said Friday.

ScanAlert's data shows that online shopping throughout the year historically starts the week strong on Mondays and then peaks on Tuesdays between noon and 3 p.m. EST, confirming the widespread practice of broadband shopping from work. The peak follows the sun west to California and then dips to a low on Sunday.

This Tuesday pattern carried through to holiday shopping last year with peak traffic on "Super Tuesday" -- De. 14, 2004. ScanAlert served more HACKER SAFE certification mark images on that day than at any other time last year, apparently because of a shopping surge to ensure delivery in time for the holiday without added express shipping charges.

"Last year, Dec. 14 was the last Tuesday when online shoppers had enough time to receive their holiday purchases at regular shipping rates," said ScanAlert CEO Ken Leonard. "The corresponding Tuesday this year is Dec. 13, and we expect online business to peak that day for the same reason."