Cyber Monday 2008: History in the Making?
Despite the endless parade of bad economic news all of us keep hearing from every media outlet, the 2008 online holiday shopping could break some records. In what has traditionally been called “Cyber Monday” (the Monday after Thanksgiving, traditionally the busiest online shopping day of the year), there should be plenty of people poised at their home and office computers — with a mouse and a list of shopping needs at the ready. Don’t look now, but there are so many sales planned, you might have a hard time deciding where to shop first.
For fastest results, though, visit cybermonday.org. A one-stop-online shopping Mecca awaits you there.
According to Shop.org, 84 percent of online retailers plan to have Cyber Monday promotions. That’s a full 12 percent higher than Cyber Monday last year. And while the economic downturn began way more than a year ago, well … you know the rest.
The bottom line is that most major retailers know they’re likely to have a lot of left-over inventory this shopping season. While companies (especially big-box retailers) will try to put a positive spin that “Black Friday” (the day after Thanksgiving) sales still attracted tons of customers (some reports last week even predicted an increase in overall sales from 2007), every large retailer still dreads excess inventory.
From toys to electronics to everyday items, the shelves of brick-and-mortar shops (i.e., retail outlets) are very likely to remain well-stocked — even a month from now. Sure, some people faithfully checked all the shopping circulars and waited outside in the cold for 5 am store openings on Black Friday, but the simple convenience of sitting down at your desk — or better yet, using a laptop from the comfort of your living room couch — is what every online retailer is betting on.
So plan to check out your favorite retailers online this Cyber Monday: Nearly nine out of every 10 will be having sales. If you’ve still got your heart set on that new winter coat, or you’ve just got to have that big-screen TV, both should be readily available.
