Cyber Monday

What is Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday is a major shopping day known for significant online shopping deals and discounts offered by retailers. It is the first Monday following the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday – or the Monday immediately following Black Friday.

Black Friday generally kicks off the traditional American holiday shopping season, with consumers rushing to local stores to buy goods at heavily discounted prices. On Cyber Monday, this trend moves online as consumers shop from work and home in pursuit of the best online deals.

Although Black Friday is the highest-revenue day of the year, mostly for brick-and-mortar stores, Cyber Monday remains the biggest day of the holiday shopping season for online spending. To capitalize on the number of people shopping online on this day, retailers often make coupon codes and special promotions heavily available for Cyber Monday.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are so closely related that the terms are often combined and abbreviated as BFCM to refer to the entire post-Thanksgiving weekend. Other associated e-commerce phrases include Cyber week, describing the post-Thanksgiving week of online sales, and Cyber Month, referring to the entire month of discounts.

History of Cyber Monday

The phrase “Cyber Monday” is well-known, leading some to ask, “How did Cyber Monday start?” The term is not new – in fact, it has been around for nearly two decades. It was first coined by Shop.org, the online group of the National Retail Federation (NRF), in a 2005 press release, highlighting the significant spike in online shopping the Monday after Thanksgiving.

At that time, home Internet access was not as fast or widespread as it is today, so people would return to work on Monday and shop for deals online. In comparison, Black Friday gained traction in the 1980s.

How Does Cyber Monday Work?

Retailers promote Cyber Monday using email marketing and social media posts, highlighting big discounts, coupons, and special offers, like free shipping and hourly website-only deals.

Shoppers browse deals online, search for coupon codes, and follow favorite retailers on social media to track promotions. Some retailers extend promotions through Cyber Week (i.e., the week after Thanksgiving) or for the entire month.

Cyber Monday vs. Black Friday

How Retailers Prepare for Cyber Monday

Best practices to prepare for Cyber Monday include:

• Prepare email marketing campaigns
• Use social media to build hype
• Plan merchandising & shipping
• Stagger sales and discounts
• Increase customer support
• Review site checkout experience

Facts About Cyber Monday

E-commerce and online shopping are hot topics, with many retail and research organizations studying trends and predicting outcomes.

Facts about Cyber Monday include:

• Cyber Monday sales are expected to cross $13.7 billion in 2024, with the average American adult spending $500 during the Cyber Monday sales.
• Cyber Monday statistics estimate that 22.6 million consumers shopped in person, compared to 77 million online in 2022.
• The COVID-19 pandemic forced many brick-and-mortar stores to shut down, resulting in record-breaking online sales reaching $10.8 billion during Cyber Monday 2020.
• According to comScore, Cyber Monday sales broke a record $1 billion in 2010.

Where Can You Find the Best Cyber Monday Deals?

Traditionally, Black Friday deals prioritize discounts on highly desirable electronics, while Cyber Monday deals usually discount small appliances, clothing, and accessories.

Some of the best retailers to follow for Cyber Monday deals include Amazon, Best Buy, Dell, Lowe’s, Microsoft, NewEgg, Walmart, and others.

Cyber Monday Pros and Cons

The Bottom Line

The Cyber Monday definition is a major online shopping day with sales, taking place annually on the Monday immediately following Black Friday. It offers the convenience of shopping from your PC, tablet, or smartphone, avoiding the crowds and lineups of brick-and-mortar stores.

The thing to know about Cyber Monday is that many online retailers offer coupon codes and valuable add-ons to customers – especially smaller online retailers looking to compete with larger chain retailers. However, if doorbuster deals on hot electronics are on your list, Black Friday may be a better choice. Keep in mind that even with deep discounts, it is important to carefully consider all purchases to avoid buyer’s remorse later.

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