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Cyber Monday Causes a Craze

Posted: December 4, 2014, 9:11 p.m.
by Kelsey Weiss.

It’s the day after Thanksgiving. Still suffering from a turkey-induced food coma, you drag yourself out of bed before dawn to wait in line and take advantage of the latest holiday deals, along with hundreds of your closest friends. When the door opens, you scramble to the aisle that holds the hottest discounted item you’ve had marked in your coupon book for weeks.

However, while you and the rest of your neighbors are forgoing sleep for an opportunity to purchase a brand’s latest and greatest at a competitive price, there are countless others still sleeping soundly, knowing another holiday and chance to save is just around the corner. The trend giving Black Friday a run for its money? Cyber Monday.

Why Cyber Monday?

Since Black Friday has emerged in recent years as the “the Super Bowl event of the retail world,” there’s no doubt that brands are responding to the demand for holiday deals and discounts from crazed consumers looking to save. Yet, there’s still another trend that brands realize they must embrace, especially around the holidays: online shopping.

According to industry estimates, the number of digital buyers in the U.S. is expected to grow to 180 million in 2017. That amount of growth, coupled with consumers’ desire for convenience, causes brands to give their consumers what they want, which is an easier way to save. The Monday following Thanksgiving, or Cyber Monday, allows shoppers to access even more discounts with a tap on their smartphone or a click of the mouse; they buy the items on their holiday wish list without having to leave the house and endure the crowds.

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Retailers respond with mobile apps

Coupled with this need for online ordering are mobile apps. Retailers are now finding that shoppers like to access their store catalogs from the convenience of their cellphones. With Neiman Marcus, Kohl’s and Victoria’s Secret among those whose consumers use their apps most, they offer customers a way to look at coupons, discounts and daily deals without computer access.

Apple Pay

Rounding out this new way to shop for the holidays both online and via mobile phone is Apple’s new payment app. Banks like Wells Fargo, SunTrust and Citibank are among those working with Apple Pay, revolutionizing the payment process and giving consumers a quick, convenient and secure way to use their debit or credit cards. Apple Pay allows customers to simply save their payment information on their iPhone or iPad and use it during checkout. Without having to expose their card and information, this is a safer way to spend money in order to avoid holiday data breaching, like the one Target customers experienced during Black Friday in 2013. Consumers can now feel more secure while making even more progress on their shopping lists.

With the demand for updated customer shopping experiences, Cyber Monday is just one of the ways brands are embracing the craze for holiday shopping. With new ways to browse, shop and save, the holiday gift process won’t ever be the same.

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