The day after Thanksgiving has long been known as the single busiest shopping day of the year for retailers. Online retailers decided to be a bit different. They’re aiming for “Cyber Monday” (cue tympanis). As “Also Sprach Zarathustra” kicks in, online retailers are looking to build on the uptick they’ve seen in recent years for the Monday after Thanksgiving.
Recent figures released by Shop.org/BizRate showed 77% of online retailers said their sales increased substantially on the Monday after Thanksgiving. This trend is driving serious discounts and other promotions on Cyber Monday this year.
“On Cyber Monday, consumers set their sights on surfing for holiday gifts and shopping online,” said Scott Silverman, Executive Director of Shop.org. “This year, online retailers will be capitalizing on the increased traffic by offering special promotions and discounts.”
Experts believe that an increase in web traffic could stem from the fact that consumers may have faster or more secure Internet connections at work and choose to shop there, or that they were unable to finish all of their shopping over the Thanksgiving weekend.
Analysts also expect many consumers to shop on Cyber Monday from home after work or when their children are sleeping. Regardless of the reason or the time of day, consumers are expected to head online in droves on Cyber Monday, many during work hours.
According to a recent Shop.org survey, conducted by BIGresearch, more than one third of consumers (37%), or 51.7 million people, said they will use Internet access at work to browse or buy gifts online this holiday season. The survey found that more than half of young adults 18-24 (51%) and nearly half of those 25-34 (49%) will be shopping online during work hours. The survey also found that men (42%) are more likely than women (32%) to shop at the office.
“Once the parades have ended and the leftovers are put away, many consumers will find a few precious hours to get a jump-start on the holidays by shopping online,” said Chuck Davis, Chairman of Shopzilla. “This year, retailers will be reminding shoppers that even though their stores may be closed, their websites are always open.”
John Stith is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.
