DENVER -- More and more shoppers will be going online to do their holiday shopping, according to an Internet research company.

Forrester Research Inc. is projecting an 8 percent increase to $44.7 billion in online holiday sales compared with a year ago as bargain hunters turn to the Web for deals.

The Internet research company says the expected increase would be higher than the 5 percent sales gain posted for the 2008 holiday season, on the heels of the global financial crisis.

However, it would be well below the 20 percent surge posted in 2007.

The National Retail Federation, the world's largest retail trade group, has forecast a 1 percent decline in overall U.S holiday retail sales for this year compared with a year ago.

“It’s probably going to be slightly different than last year,” said Steven Hartley, a marketing professor at the University of Denver. “The offers may be temporary or limited. Shoppers probably need to be aware of the products they’re interested in and watch for the good deals. It won’t be across the board like it was last year for most of the shopping period in November and December.”

If you’re looking for good deals on-line, here are some sites to keep in mind that might save you money.

Search bots, or price comparison sites such as My Simon search the Web and present side-by-side product comparisons.

Sites such as Deal News and Woot, and Slick Deals show daily deals and deep discounts on certain items.

If you’re looking for free shipping, many retailers are taking part in a free shipping day on Dec. 17, and you can check out Free Shipping.

Some Black Friday and Cyber Monday ads are already being posted on sites such as The Black Friday.

And don’t forget to check out coupons and coupon codes on sites such as Coupon Cabin.