Sylvia Gilbert and her family have found an efficient way to ensure they get what they want for Christmas.

When family members e-mail their wish lists, they include a Web link to where the item can be purchased online.

“I know that that’s crazy, but it’s better than getting a bunch of junk,” she said.

Retail experts expect online shoppers — with and without wish lists — to flock to virtual marketplaces today as part Black Friday’s growing digital counterpart “Cyber Monday.” According to a survey of online shoppers from Shopzilla.com, 43 percent of online shoppers hit the online stores on Cyber Monday 2007 with more predicted this year.

According to a survey from Shop.org and Shopzilla, 84 percent of retailers are offering special promotions this year, compared to 72 percent last year. Of the retailers surveyed, 33 percent will offer deals via e-mail campaigns, 25 percent are having one-day sales and 23 percent will offer free shipping on all purchases.

Local business owners say they usually see a jump in Web traffic after Thanksgiving, but the increase is not necessarily confined to one day.

“It’s like there’s a real quick bump right after Thanksgiving and then it tapers down,” said David Smotherman, Ms. Gilbert’s son and owner of Winder Binder Art Gallery on the North Shore.

Mark McKnight, the marketing director Rock Creek Outfiters on Benton Drive, said today likely will be one of the company’s busiest days of the year online, but the company’s site will be busy all season long. Shopping online today is a way for consumers to stretch the bargain-induced frenzy of Black Friday one more day, he said.

“They’re kind of in the mood to shop,” he said of consumers. “Maybe they don’t find what they’re looking for or maybe they just need a little more time to do research, so they go online.”

“We definitely start seeing a spike in online sales,” said Chuck Crowder, who runs TheNoog.com, which sells Chattanooga-themed apparel and other gifts. The spike continues from Thanksgiving until about five days before Christmas, he said, when online shoppers grow concerned about shipping times.

Still, some local online shoppers were only vaguely familiar with the online sales surge.

“I let all the crazy people do that stuff,” said Chattanooga resident Bobby Stone, referring to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. “I’m always a last-minute guy.”

But when he does start Christmas shopping, he estimated he would do 90 percent of it online.

“I’ll probably start thinking about it about a week out,” he said.

Ms. Gilbert said she wouldn’t have time to surf the sales during the day Monday because she was going to have a long day at work. She repairs cash registers for IBM and would be busy helping brick-and-mortar retailers keep their checkout lines moving.

Still, she hoped she could spare a few minutes to check the net for bargains.

“Maybe Monday night,” she said.