Are Cyber Monday Deals the Same as Black Friday?
Shopping trends come and go, but one thing is for certain - we all love to save. The retail industry knows this, so they give us not one, but two spectacular days every year where we can expect deep discounts on all the goodies we love.
First, there’s the traditional savings day: Black Friday. With sales both online and instores, this is the most popular retail “holiday" each year.
By comparison, Cyber Monday is relatively new. Invented by Ellen Davis and first used during the 2005 shopping season, Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving. Its main focus is online sales.
With such great opportunities to save, today’s shoppers wonder… Must you make a choice between the hustle and bustle of in store shopping on Black Friday or the calmer, less congested online day on Monday?
We investigated so we could break down the differences and similarities for you.
Black Friday Facts
Make no mistake - retailers want you in-store and plunking down your cold, hard cash on Black Friday. They don’t want you to wait for online deals. Over time, there’s been a huge increase in online shopping, so to combat this, many stores for Black Friday now offer “in-store only" deals. Take advantage of this by noting special opportunities that can be had only if you’re willing to go in to the physical store.
On Black Friday, the type of products that have the best discounts traditionally include the most desireable electronics. If you’ve got TVs, tablets, laptops, or smartphones on your list, you’ll be in luck that day! Do make sure to get the brand and model you want, though. Sometimes, retailers try to unload their older or less popular products during these big in-store sales.
A last note on Black Friday - when it comes to choosing between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s easier to plan for Black Friday sales because those ads are usually available weeks in advance.
Cyber Monday Facts
Cyber Monday will have some deals on your most wished-for items, but one important thing to know is that this shopping day is mostly about apparel. Whether you’re looking for comfy pajamas or the latest basketball sneakers, discounts of 50% or even more can be had online for clothing and shoes!
Other categories of items are on sale on Cyber Monday, but there are generally fewer of them compared to deals available on Black Friday.
One advantage in favor of Cyber Monday - you can usually score even bigger savings because of online coupons and other digital discounts, so look for the apps and coupon aggregators that can help you best. This is a great online coupon source for Cyber Monday to help you to shave even more off already discounted items.
Another way to make sure the best deals come to you is to register with your favorite stores. Just by signing up with your email address, you’ll get the scoop on Cyber Monday deals right in your inbox.
One more thing to note: If you decide to go shopping both days, Cyber Monday is good as a backup plan if you missed out on some items that were on your Black Friday list.
How To Get The Best Out Of Black Friday And Cyber Monday
No matter which days you plan to shop this year, research and planning are the keys to getting the best deals. Whether you decide to partake in Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or both, remember that just because an item is marked down doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good deal. *There have been reports that many items “on sale" were actually more expensive than normal pricing so be careful. *
Plan ahead of time, set a budget, know what you want, and research those exact items. With a little bit of work on the front end, you can save big this holiday season, so make the most of these sales and treat everyone on your list!