Cyber Monday has long been the shopping alternative for those who did not want to stand in line on black Friday.

In middle Georgia, two local businesses use Cyber Monday to offer special discounts.

Most shoppers can't pass up a good deal, and that's exactly what the ladies in charge of the grand opera house and Ginger Michelle are hoping for. They’re offering deals that they hope their customers can't refuse.

Grace Anderson prepares her boutique, Ginger Michelle, for the holiday season. "We're having our Christmas party December 7, 2012 so we have to stock up for that,” so she's taking advantage of some of the shipping deals being offered on Cyber Monday.

Anderson is also trying to give her customers a break on prices as they admire her clothing virtually.

"We don't really sale any of our clothes on line,” says Anderson. “We do post things on facebook and we encourage people to order things on facebook and they can get a percentage off.”

Ginger Michelle Boutique is not the only local venue taking advantage of online shoppers at the kick off the holiday season.

The Grand Opera House is also offering discounts on some local shows.

"I am going to different theater sites,” says Betsy Fitzgerald, the Executive Director of the Grand Opera House. “Especially here at the grand because we are also doing a Cyber Monday ticket sale."

Fitzgerald says it's a way for people to get into local theater, "It's important to take advantage of things like this when they do pop because I’m sure the prices will go back to normal in the next couple of days.”

She also getting some personal shopping done, taking advantage of the home goods sales to decorate her new home, “It's really excited to save that much money because that means I can spend more money somewhere else."

Ginger Michelle and the Grand Opera House are offering deals for their customers as their busiest season draws near.

Anderson says, “It's important because it's one of the busiest days of the year," and Fitzgerald agrees, "It's kind of nice for merchants to know there has been a push in their sales.

Cyber Monday sales have been around since 2005. Sales today were expected to be around $1,000,000,000.00. Only a small fraction to the nearly $60-billion spent in stores this past weekend.