After Black Friday, Cyber Monday is the second most popular day, attracting 39 percent, 72.3 million, of those planning to shop, according to the National Retail Federation, a trade organization.
The federation coined the term Cyber Monday in 2005 after it observed a spike in online traffic and revenue the Monday following Thanksgiving.
Cyber Monday appeals to shoppers who don’t want to stand in line and fight the Black Friday crowds over doorbusters. And, of course, companies like Amazon, which don’t have any physical stores, wanted to get in on post-Thanksgiving shopping fever.
Some tips for Cyber Monday are similar to Black Friday shopping, some are unique.
Cyber Monday tips include:
Do’s
- Stick to your budget for holiday spending.
- Compare prices continually. You don’t want to get fooled by marked way up, marked way down.
- Look for coupons.
- Be sure to find out if there are shipping costs and other “add-ons.”
- Check out reviews for items you’re considering buying.
- Take the time to check out the company if you’re not familiar with it. Read reviews and type the name of the company into your browser followed by the words “complaint” then “scam.”
- Use your credit card rather than a debit card. If there’s fraud, the credit card company may give you credit.
- Check out the terms of the deal – including when you’ll get your order. The law requires sellers to ship items within 30 days of the sale.
- Find out if you can get a refund, who pays for return shipping, and whether there’s a restocking fee.
Don’ts
- Be on the lookout for fake ads and fake websites. Use your computer or phone to open ads, not TikTok.
- Don’t click on links you get in texts. Go to the company’s website and order from there.
- Avoid buying through any website that has misspelled words or poor grammar.
Best wishes on your Cyber Monday shopping. I’m researching mirrorless cameras, but I don’t think I’ll get it figured out in time to get a deal.
