Cyber Holiday Shopping
I remember from my childhood the craziness that surrounded Black Friday. The thrill and mayhem of securing the last Cabbage Patch Doll or Beanie Baby. The craze continues, only it has expanded beyond the shopping mall. These days more people are resorting to online holiday shopping, and a new day has even been created: Cyber Monday!
This article defines Cyber Monday as, "The e-tailers version of Black Friday, is the day e-tailers furiously push big discounts, free gift cards, free shipping and any other gimmick they can think of to entice consumers to spend even more of their holiday shopping dollars online." Personally, I have never experienced Black Friday first hand. I have only watched clips on the nightly news that have exposed the craziness. I think that was enough to scare me away for life. I have several brave friends that go every year, and my sister-in-law never misses a Black Friday. I guess for me, I would rather spend the few extra bucks to not be around crazy/violent people, traffic jams, or the long lines. I could perhaps justify the mayhem to get big savings on a new computer or plasma television. That would be about it though. I'm not alone in my thinking because many have turned to the growing trend of becoming Cyber Monday shoppers exclusively.
According to this article, "Cyber Monday sales rose 14% this year compared to 2008 and consumers also bought nearly 30% more items per order versus last year, according to research firm Coremetrics. Also, the firm said shoppers bought 10% more items per order online than they did in stores on Black Friday." I love shopping online, it's a very convenient method for me. Especially around the holidays because you can always find great bargains and usually get free shipping. Another gem of a website I discovered is RetailMeNot.com. That website offers promo codes for just about every website you can imagine. It's always nice to get an additional savings on top of a great deal. The holidays are so chaotic that it's nice to stay home and avoid the hustle and bustle of shopping centers. An added bonus to shopping online is that you aren't asked to apply for a store credit card every time you turn around. That is my latest pet peeve.
Whether you are shopping in-store or online, the key to successful holiday shopping is to start early. The longer you procrastinate the more painful you make the process. I should know, I speak from years of experience!
This article defines Cyber Monday as, "The e-tailers version of Black Friday, is the day e-tailers furiously push big discounts, free gift cards, free shipping and any other gimmick they can think of to entice consumers to spend even more of their holiday shopping dollars online." Personally, I have never experienced Black Friday first hand. I have only watched clips on the nightly news that have exposed the craziness. I think that was enough to scare me away for life. I have several brave friends that go every year, and my sister-in-law never misses a Black Friday. I guess for me, I would rather spend the few extra bucks to not be around crazy/violent people, traffic jams, or the long lines. I could perhaps justify the mayhem to get big savings on a new computer or plasma television. That would be about it though. I'm not alone in my thinking because many have turned to the growing trend of becoming Cyber Monday shoppers exclusively.
According to this article, "Cyber Monday sales rose 14% this year compared to 2008 and consumers also bought nearly 30% more items per order versus last year, according to research firm Coremetrics. Also, the firm said shoppers bought 10% more items per order online than they did in stores on Black Friday." I love shopping online, it's a very convenient method for me. Especially around the holidays because you can always find great bargains and usually get free shipping. Another gem of a website I discovered is RetailMeNot.com. That website offers promo codes for just about every website you can imagine. It's always nice to get an additional savings on top of a great deal. The holidays are so chaotic that it's nice to stay home and avoid the hustle and bustle of shopping centers. An added bonus to shopping online is that you aren't asked to apply for a store credit card every time you turn around. That is my latest pet peeve.
Whether you are shopping in-store or online, the key to successful holiday shopping is to start early. The longer you procrastinate the more painful you make the process. I should know, I speak from years of experience!
This is very true. I know I do this every year. I wait until the last minute. I still do not have evrything brought for christmas this year.
ReplyDeleteI think that anybody that goes out on black friday is crazy. On-line is the way to go.
ReplyDelete