Black Friday was created as far back as the 1950s, however Cyber Monday is a modern festivity that has grown rapidly in the last 10 years. But where did Cyber Monday come from, and why is it now so popular? Read on to discover more.
When & How Did Cyber Monday Start?
Cyber Monday was first established in the e-commerce world in 2005, created by Ellen Davis – President of NRF Foundation. It was created following research that showed that the Monday after Thanksgiving was one of the biggest online shopping days of the year, identifying that online revenue and traffic surged on this day.
In the years following this, the term Cyber Monday grew in popularity, mostly due to people returning to work after a long weekend and doing their online shopping in the office – where the internet was faster than that at home.
Nowadays, with the internet just as fast at home, people can shop online from the comfort of their own sofa. With people relaxing and unwinding after their Thanksgiving meal, sales increase whilst people get through their Christmas shopping.
Year after year we’ve seen a rise in people using this term, and in typical cyclical fashion – the more people that saw the phrase Cyber Monday, the more they shopped.
Is Cyber Monday Right?
Although it was originally stated that purchases rose on Cyber Monday, some companies have argued that it is just a marketing trick, with them stating the day doesn’t break any records for number of sales.
With more people shopping online and less on the highstreet, it seems that the line between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is starting to become blurred. What’s more, the last few years have been harder for many companies especially around the festive period – due to the pandemic, supply chain issues and stock shortage. This led to customers shopping earlier, meaning a decrease in spend over Black Friday & Cyber Monday weekend.
Benefits of Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday serves almost like an online-only Black Friday extension. Cyber Monday holds many benefits for businesses that decide to participate, including:
- Opportunity to clear stock ready for the festive season
- Increase in customer acquisition
- Increase in sales
Whether you’re participating in Cyber Monday or giving it a miss, it’s worth being aware of what it has to offer. Need help building an e-commerce website but not sure where to start? We are here to help – contact us now to find out more and have a chat about your project.
