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Savvy shoppers hit the Cyber Monday sales online

Hitting the malls at 4 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving to get the bargains? Standing in line? Fighting the crowds? Who needs it? (Well, actually, it seems that many shopoholics do — but that's another story.)

Instead, computer techies relaxed in the comfort of their own homes, grabbed that second cup of Venti coffee, and went to work Monday on the World Wide Web, pecking and hunting out deals during that growing phenomenon that is Cyber Monday.

Coremetrics, a Web analytics company in San Mateo, Calif., said that by midday Monday, online sales were already up 19.6 percent over a year ago.

Stores and other Web retailers kept the bargains coming, offering online specials, discount codes and free shipping.

Alas, as many cyber shoppers here know, scouring the sites for good buys also meant scouring the fine print that often excluded Hawaii from the free shipping deals.

WARRIOR EXPRESS

UH students, hitch a ride to the big game

The University of Hawaii is making it easier to root on the home team, offering UH students a free ride to Saturday's football game at Aloha Stadium.

The regular-season finale, against Wisconsin, is expected to be among the most crowded games this season, as the Rainbow Warriors aim to build on their winning streak and secure a bowl berth. It's also “;Senior Night,”; with 22 players being honored.

The complimentary transportation is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and of course students still have to buy a ticket to the game. But for perennially poverty-stricken college students, every little bit helps. And after last week's upset of Navy, Warrrior fever is running high.