Cyber Monday
Most Popular Shops
We are willing to forgive anyone who believes that Cyber Monday involves the sale of electronic items alone. So, what exactly is Cyber Monday? Cyber Monday is currently the biggest online shopping day in the US. It falls on the first Monday after the Thanksgiving weekend. This year’s Cyber Monday took place on 30th November. For 2021, Cyber Monday will fall on 29th November. Cyber Monday is a day where online sellers offer special sales, promotions, and discounts on various items beyond electronics. The online division of the National Retail Federation (NRF), shop.org, conceived the expression “Cyber Monday” in 2005. This NRF arm realized that online purchases seemed to increase steadily on the first Monday after Thanksgiving. Various theories emerged to explain this occurrence
One theory pegged it on internet connection. Remember, in the early 2000s, people did not have smartphones, and residential WIFI was still in the infant stage. For this reason, people would wait till they resumed work on the Monday after Thanksgiving to shop on their work computers, which had fast internet connections. Another theory suggested that this day offered an alternative to shoppers who did not want to stand in long queues in retail stores. Hence, they opted for online shopping on sites that offered similar discounts.
How Does Cyber Monday Work?
The first thing to note is that Cyber Monday is exclusively for online purchases. Secondly, while it is a shopping holiday, it’s still a working day. Typically, online retail stores will post flash sales and other deals on their websites and social media pages. Some companies utilize email marketing. Therefore, it would help if you subscribed to get newsletters from your favorite stores.
A quick tip: Some stores offer lunch hour flash sales. So, it would help if you kept an eye out by consistently checking retailers’ websites. While Cyber Monday was originally a US event, some countries such as Canada, Australia, and the UK hopped on this trend and have their form of Cyber Monday.
Cyber Monday makes shopping fuss-free. Not only is it online, but also, most retailers provide free shipping to your doorstep. The inundation of shopping deals is enough to confuse the average shopper. That is why we’ve compiled a list of legit websites by category of items.
1. Portable Electronics
For special deals on small gadgets such as phones and cameras, you should check out BestBuy. Usually, the site offers up to 50% discounts. What’s more, they offer free shipping across US states and same day pick up in most of their physical stores. Another legit site that offers rotating deals is eBay. Note that the best deals are typically for refurbished electronics. This option is ideal for those looking to save their coins. It would help if you signed up for eBay’s alerts to receive notifications on up to 85% discounts. Also, with the eBay MasterCard, you may receive a specific bonus for Cyber Monday purchases.
Let’s not forget Amazon, which is currently the largest online retailer in the US. Here, you can access both the latest and refurbished items. For Cyber Monday, Amazon offers several deals for portable electronics. You could also take advantage of the Gold Box deals. If you are an Amazon Prime member, you should put to good use the “Prime early access deal” option for items on offer.
2. Televisions and related accessories
For HD TVs, you may want to take advantage of Walmart’s discounts of up to 30%. You also receive no-cost next day shipping for orders going for $35 and above. To augment your savings, you should consider getting Walmart’s credit card. Alternatively, you could use a cashback or rewards credit card. Other retail sites to look out for include eBay, Amazon, and BestBuy.
3. PCs and laptops
BestBuy is once again the go-to platform for both new and refurbished laptops. BestBuy creates an ultimate experience with discounts of 50% and above and an active customer support team. Other retail sites to check out include NewEgg, eBay, and Dell. For Dell, customers can receive special deals that run from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday.
4. Toys
If you’re looking to buy age-appropriate toys, then Cabela has got you covered. With an extensive network in both the US and Canada, this retail site is a perfect place to look for traditional toys and sporting equipment.
5. Home Improvement
Are you planning on undertaking a DIY home improvement project? If so, you should place Home Depot at the top of your Cyber Monday Wishlist. The retail store offers two-day free shipping for online purchases. Remember, it’s free to pick up your items at their stores. Other stores you should focus on include Lowe’s, Amazon, and eBay.
6. Clothing
Usually, deals on clothing run all holiday season, including Cyber Monday. For most stores, shipping is free once you purchase items above a specific amount. Some of the stores that offer promo codes and other discounts include Gap, Macy’s, Old Navy, and Kohl’s.
7. Appliances
High-quality home appliances are usually on the pricier end. Cyber Monday is, therefore, the perfect time to purchase coveted household electronics without breaking the bank. Home Depot offers mass discounts of over $500 if you buy more than six items from them.
8. Gift Cards
The holiday season is synonymous with gift-giving. Gift cards are an excellent alternative for when you are uncertain about your loved one’s taste. To get discounts of about 30% off face value, check out sites such as Raise, CardCash, and GiftCards.com
How to Make the Most of Cyber Monday
It’s never too early to start saving and planning for 2021’s Cyber Monday, which is why we’ve prepared a complete guide with tips to help you seize the best deals securely. Remember, cybercriminals target shoppers around this time of year. Don’t panic; we’ll let you in on the precautionary measures.
Planning Strategies (months before Cyber Monday)
1. Check the previous years’ Cyber Monday sales
To predict the type of deals a retail store will have, you should start by checking their previous years’ sales. The easiest way is by looking up the retailer’s Cyber Monday’s flyer on Google. Remember, the brochure should only act as a guide. Mainly because retail stores rarely recycle their annual shopping deals due to ever-changing consumer trends. Do you recall when fidget spinners were a whole thing? No? That’s how fast people move on; hence why you can’t assume that the Digital air fryer you’ve yearned for all year will be on sale come 2021.
2. Bookmark retail store websites
Bookmarking websites is crucial, especially if you begin doing research early in the year. You’ll likely come across numerous websites that can be hard to keep track of. It would help if you created a separate folder specifically for Cyber Monday purchases. It wouldn’t hurt to personalize them to make it easier for you to remember why you saved these pages come November 2021. Alternatively, you could create a spreadsheet with links and product description. You could then update it whenever you come across a retail store that’s of particular interest.
3. Utilize social media
We are living in a digital age where social media plays a crucial role in marketing. Therefore, to stay current on retailers’ deals and promotions, it would help if you followed them on their respective social media pages. Twitter is the go-to tool for flash sales. For more specific updates, you may want to follow your favorite store on Facebook. Once you view a particular product, you’ll likely come across Ads for similar items to those you’ve previously scanned; keeping you up-to-date. For visual demonstrations, you may want to follow retailers’ Instagram. Here you get a better idea of the size and color of the item.
4. Subscribe to retailers’ newsletters
Newsletters are perhaps the most straightforward approach to staying current on future Cyber Monday deals. Be ready to receive tons of promotional emails, especially during the holiday season. We advise subscribing a few weeks before the holiday season begins. We love email newsletters because some will provide links to resources by category, making shopping a hell of a lot easier.
5. Prepare your Wishlist as early as possible
You’ll want first to narrow down the number of retail stores. A further step would be to prepare a detailed Wishlist. Be sure to plan for alternatives if the item you want is not on sale and thereby, beyond your budget. You should know at least two websites for every item on your Wishlist.
6. Begin accumulating discounted gift cards
Online clearinghouses are the perfect place to find discounted gift cards for popular US retail stores. Sites such as CardCash and DealsPlus offer promotion codes from 20% to 40%. Don’t forget to check for restrictions to avoid stocking up on cards that would serve you during Cyber Monday.
7. Research fees and shipping policies
Thankfully, most retail stores offer free shipping on Cyber Monday. Some require that you shop a certain amount for free shipping. Either way, it’s essential to find out about their shipping policies and fees. See that you also research their return policies. Remember, due to a spike in Cyber Monday orders; it’s not uncommon to receive the wrong items. For some stores, the customer is responsible for the return shipping costs, which could cancel out any savings you’d have made.
Planning Strategies for When Retailers Announce Cyber Monday Deals
1. Set a clear budget
While it is tempting to go all out on Cyber Monday, you want to make sure that you can still pay your utility bills come January. Experts advise following a 20-30-50 financial plan. Shopping falls under 30% of this economic rule. Try as much as you can to stick to your budget.
2. Use a price comparison tool
Be sure to confirm that you got the best deal before hitting that buy item button. Thankfully, the process is relatively straightforward. So far, several websites will list and compare prices from different retail stores. We recommend utilizing the Google Shopping tool that lets you search for products then view the prices across the web. Be sure to check CamelCamelCamel to compare prices for items sold on Amazon.
3. Keep off sketchy retail sites
With the increasing rate of cybercrimes, it’s best to take all precautions. Be sure to limit the risk of identity theft and avoid websites with indolent security systems. An easy way to confirm whether a site is secure is by looking for “HTTPS” on the site’s URL. This protocol establishes that a website is secure—thereby making it safe to enter your card details. Consider installing antivirus software for better detection of unsecured sites.
4. Set alerts
If you plan on buying an item that’s on high demand, you may have to set reminders to ensure you buy the product before it’s out of stock. We are not saying that you’ll have to stay on your computer all day long. Most retailers will announce their hourly and flash sales in advance. All you need to do, therefore, is set reminders for each. It would be best to enter your address well in advance to make the order process seamless.
5. Go Incognito
Recall what we mentioned about Facebook Ads matching your browsing history? Yes, retailers do monitor your activities on their page. Browsing in incognito hides your identity, allowing you to view deals that would otherwise be available to first-time visitors.
6. Shop using the right credit card
The goal is to save as much money while still grabbing the hottest deals on Cyber Monday. We recommend using cashback and rewards credit cards. Some cards offer rotating rewards which include 5%cashback for online purchases up to $1500.
7. Avoid scams
It’s possible to get overexcited over the streaming Cyber Monday deals and in the process fall for a scam. To protect yourself, you ought to follow these simple steps:
- Be wary of free and unrealistic offers
- Use different passwords to reduce the risk of mass information loss due to phishing
- Continuously monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity
- Avoid clicking links from unknown email retailers. Some links contain malware that can steal sensitive information. As a precaution, you should look up the retailer to check whether they are legit before clicking any links
Conclusion
Cyber Monday provides a reliable and convenient way to get your hands on goods you’ve yearned for all year. With a wide array of options, you’ll have no trouble seizing several deals. To make the most out of Cyber Monday, you should follow the precautionary measures mentioned to avoid falling for scams or unintentionally giving out your personal information. Start planning and watch yourself become an online shopping guru!
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