My fellow online shopping addicts, it’s that time of year again. No, I am not talking about eating Thanksgiving dinner or waiting on ridiculously long lines at 3 am waiting for the best Black Friday deals.
I am talking about Cyber Monday. Just the name of it makes me warm inside. This day is when online shoppers set mental countdowns for and mark their calendars. If you’re a little new to the online shopping realm, I’ll explain the pure magic called Cyber Monday.
The term “Cyber Monday” was coined in 2005 after retailers were noticing their online sales were particularly high the Monday after Thanksgiving, according to cybermonday2013.io.
About 77 percent of online retailers saw their sales increase. Obviously, they wanted to take advantage of this so they decided to make it an actual event. In 2006, it was held on Nov. 27 and it made $608 million in online sales.
In 2010, Cyber Monday made just over $1 billion, according to cybermonday2013.io. As each year passes, more and more money is being made. So why would online retailers stop?
Cyber Monday is not only featured on online based stores like amazon.com and overstock.com. Stores all over take advantage of Cyber Monday.
In order to snag these deals though, shoppers must only make purchases online. That is the only way shoppers can get the Cyber Monday deals.
This year, stores like Walmart and Target are taking this day to a whole new level. Instead of just having sales on Monday, they are having a Cyber Week so there are new sales each day.
It starts the morning of Cyber Monday and lasts the whole week. Those who are as addicted to online shopping as I am, just let that last statement soak in for a minute-cyber Monday deals all week long. I am so excited I can scream. I think I hear my credit card screaming from anticipated exhaustion but that can be easily ignored.
If you are looking to participate in Cyber Monday this year, let me warn you of a couple of things. First off, if you are like me and have no self-control, this day may result in you becoming incredibly broke.
I say this because there are so many amazing deals it is hard to say no. So before you put 50 shirts in your online shopping cart, take a step back and remember you are most likely a college student on a tight budget and you do not need 50 shirts. Maybe you just need 25 shirts. However, if you have the money to spend, then spend away. You will not regret it.
Another warning is if you want to make the best out of Cyber Monday, then stay on your computer all day long. At absolutely no other time would I encourage someone to sit and stare at their computer screen all day, but in regards to Cyber Monday, I am saying sit, stare and do not even blink.
This is because certain websites like amazon.com and overstock.com have savings that change hourly. This could mean that the laptop you were looking at around 1 pm could be $100 cheaper at 3 pm.
RetailMeNot.com is the largest digital coupon site in the US. It allows users to download printable coupons or coupon codes that can be used for over a hundred different brands and retailers.
For Cyber Monday it will be listing the different deals on its website. So all shoppers need to do is go to retailmenot.com and they can see the specific sales different stores are having on Cyber Monday.
Fans of Black Friday will love Cyber Monday as well because it features most of the same great deals without the long agonizing lines and the other rude customers. To me, Cyber Monday sounds better than Christmas, my birthday and every other amazing holiday combined.
Some stores allow shoppers to sign up on their website to receive information about the upcoming deals days before. I advise you to do this so you are prepared for what websites to go on what days and at what times.
Other stores partaking in Cyber Monday are Best Buy, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Express, Ugg and many, many more. Don’t forget though that these deals are online only.
So don’t try to go into Kohl’s and demand you get that mixer you saw online for 50 percent off. They will most likely not give it to you for the discounted price and will probably look at you like you have five heads.
If you don’t have a computer at home, go to the library or a friend’s house. I promise you that Cyber Monday will not disappoint any fellow online shopping addicts or new online shoppers.
Cyber Monday this year falls on Dec. 2. I know I’ll be at my computer with my credit card at hand. What will you be doing? Hopefully the same thing. If not, I praise you for the strong willpower you have because everyone knows I cannot pass up online exclusives.
Now, excuse me while I mentally prepare to spend all of my money in one single day.
PHOTO TAKEN from nymag.com
