It's here. Winding in like a tidal wave, after a long awaited Thanksgiving break Black Friday arrived with the same pomp and rush as last year. However, there is a new day that could crush Black Friday as the new busiest shopping day of the year, on a Monday no less. The Monday after Thanksgiving is called Cyber Monday and for many, it is a gold mine of savings and a convenient way to go holiday shopping.
Beginning holiday shopping for many means hitting the malls at dawn the Friday after Thanksgiving, but an increasing number of shoppers will hit online retailers first thing tomorrow with the same expectation of scoring great deals. According to recent studies, online retailers expect millions of American shoppers to hit online stores this Cyber Monday.
The Monday after Thanksgiving was coined Cyber Monday in 2005 by Shop.org to recognize the Monday after Thanksgiving as the busiest online shopping day of the year. And though the concept of Cyber Monday is fairly new, its goal is anything but old—to generate sales, lots and lots of sales.
And now is high time for planning your holiday savings. Retailers generate most of their yearly income during the holiday season and offering deals online is a great way for stores to sell more products and generate revenue.
With that in mind, mainstream retailers are already gearing up for increased online sales by offering Cyber Monday deals long before the big day hits. As of November 14, CVS.com was already advertising special Cyber Monday deals. Promotions not only promise great savings for consumers; they also generate significant profits for retailers before online shoppers hit their keyboards on Cyber Monday. CVS.com has offered savings of as much as $30.00 on traditional gifts often used as stocking stuffers. These include items like electric razors, body massagers and household items like Brita filters.
Target.com is gearing up for the online shopping rush, promising free shipping on all purchases of $50.00 or more starting in late November. The free shipping promotion will end December 11.
Many traditional retailers will face decreased sales this holiday season. However, Laura Lorelei, store manager of Polka Dot Divas in Occoquan, is not concerned. "We generally don't offer special deals online on Cyber Monday," Lorelei said. "Our website is very simple and user friendly." Lorelei went on to explain that most merchandise sells for between one and 30 dollars, so they actually see an increase in sales during the holidays. Polka Dot Divas sells novelty gifts for ladies both young and old.
In 2009, many bloggers said they prefer shopping Cyber Monday to Black Friday because items are delivered to your door and you do not have to fight crowds in the stores. According to current news reports, Cyber Monday is expected to crush Black Friday this year.
People these days are trying to tighten their wallets, so the idea of doing holiday shopping online is quite attractive. Many items are on sale and special offers will abound. The need to save money on gas and other necessities is strong right now and many are willing to pay for shipping to cut down on gas costs. However, many retailers are offering free shipping as an incentive to get people to buy.
So how can you make the most of Cyber Monday?
Use promotional codes. Many online retailers like Chadwicks.com and Brylanehome.com offer promotional codes you can enter at checkout. These promotional codes give you free shipping and can save you as much as 40 percent on your purchase.
Buy more, save more. Though the whole "buy more, save more" concept may seem like a contradiction, there is actually some truth to it. Many online retailers will take $25.00 off a purchase of $75.00 or more. This may require you to buy more than you originally planned, but you will get more gifts for less money.
