Cyber Monday aims to get online shoppers hyped
Published 10:13 am Monday, December 1, 2014
NEW YORK — After a busy holiday weekend in shopping malls, millions of Americans are expected to log on and keep shopping on the day dubbed Cyber Monday.
That day, the Monday after Thanksgiving, has been the biggest online shopping day of the year since 2010. That’s expected to continue, even though fewer people overall are expected to shop on Cyber Monday due to earlier promotions online.
The day could take on added importance after a Thanksgiving weekend that saw fewer shoppers and lower spending than last year, according to some estimates. In addition, more retailers are pushing deals in later hours since people are increasingly shopping after work.
Karen Manley, 44, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, started shopping cyberdeals early last week, including puffer vests from Aeropostale that she bought before Thanksgiving that were $46 marked down to $14, plus free shipping. She planned to hit Dillard’s and Forever 21 sites after work to look for Uggs shoes and sweaters for her three children age 13, 15 and 18, as well as free shipping offers.
“It’s easier and more convenient to shop online,” she said.
Retailers have been pushing “cyber” deals all month and will continue to do so this week, dubbed “Cyber Week,” hoping to spur customers to spend. And it seems to be working: Research firm comScore said late Sunday that e-commerce spending for the first 28 days of the November and December shopping season totaled $22.7 billion, up 15 percent from last year. Sales jumped 32 percent to $1 billion on Thanksgiving Day and 26 percent on Black Friday to $1.51 billion.
The firm expects people to spend about $2.5 billion on Cyber Monday alone. The NRF predicts 126.9 million people will shop online this year, down 4 percent from last year.
ComScore Chairman Gian Fulgoni said the strong spending online so far stems from the “overall health in consumer spending, responsiveness to the strong deals being offered online, and perhaps some shoppers opting to stay home on Thanksgiving rather than head out to the stores that opened their doors early.”
