Cyber Monday in United States

Cyber Monday falls on the first Monday after Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Many online retailers offer deals and deep discounts to customers on this day, which is increasingly becoming one of busiest online shopping days in the US.

Background

Cyber Monday is a marketing invention that was first observed in 2005 by online retailer shop.org. Seen as an online version of Black Friday, Cyber Monday was created to allow customers to shop online from the comfort of their offices and homes.

The day after Thanksgiving in the United States is traditionally considered to be the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. On this day, brick and mortar retailers have sales and provide massive discounts to attract customers, making it one of the busiest shopping days of the year. As a result, many people tend to stay away from stores to avoid crowds. Additionally, thanksgiving weekend is also one of the busiest travel weekends in the US when people travel around the country to be with their families. Such travel may mean that many customers miss Black Friday deals and sales. It is thought that Cyber Monday was created as a way to encourage such customers to shop without having to visit brick and mortar stores.

What do people do

Cyber Monday is not a public holiday. Online retailers offer deals, often posting the kind of deals and sales they will have on online forums and websites, several weeks and days ahead. It is thought that a large percentage of the shopping on this day is done during work hours. Keeping this in mind, several retailers offer additional lunchtime discounts to their customers.

Several other countries, including Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom also now have their own version of Cyber Monday.

Cyber Monday falls on the Monday after Thanksgiving Day, and is slowly becoming one of busiest shopping days online.

©iStockphoto.com/Alija

Cyber Monday Observances

Other holidays in December 2013 in United States

• World AIDS Day ―Sunday, December 1, 2013
• First Sunday Advent ―Sunday, December 1, 2013
• International Day for the Abolition of Slavery ―Monday, December 2, 2013
• International Day of Persons with Disabilities ―Tuesday, December 3, 2013
• Last day of Hanukkah ―Thursday, December 5, 2013
• International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development ―Thursday, December 5, 2013
• International Civil Aviation Day ―Saturday, December 7, 2013
• Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ―Saturday, December 7, 2013
• Feast of the Immaculate Conception ―Sunday, December 8, 2013
• International Anti-Corruption Day ―Monday, December 9, 2013
• Human Rights Day ―Tuesday, December 10, 2013
• International Mountain Day ―Wednesday, December 11, 2013
• Friday the 13th ―Friday, December 13, 2013
• Wright Brothers Day ―Tuesday, December 17, 2013
• Pan American Aviation Day ―Tuesday, December 17, 2013
• International Migrants Day ―Wednesday, December 18, 2013
• International Human Solidarity Day ―Friday, December 20, 2013
• December Solstice ―Saturday, December 21, 2013
• Christmas Eve ―Tuesday, December 24, 2013
• Christmas Day ―Wednesday, December 25, 2013
• Kwanzaa (until Jan 1) ―Thursday, December 26, 2013
• New Year's Eve ―Tuesday, December 31, 2013