November 25, 2013
Are you planning to get some holiday shopping done at work on Cyber Monday? If so, you are not alone. According to recent surveys by digital coupon destination RetailMeNot and The Omnibus Company, 86 percent of working consumers plan to spend at least some time shopping or browsing online for gifts during work hours this Cyber Monday.
"Big sale days, like Black Friday, Cyber Monday and now Thanksgiving are more crucial than ever for both retailers and deal-seeking consumers," said Trae Bodge, senior editor of The Real Deal by RetailMeNot. "Cyber Monday continues to be a critically important option for consumers who want to avoid the crowds and find amazing deals from the convenience of their home or — as this survey points out — workplace."
To shop or not to shop … at work
With the survey indicating that the vast majority of working Americans plan to spend at least some time shopping or browsing online for gifts during work hours this Cyber Monday, you can bet the day will not be a productive one. According to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics, there are about 155 million working Americans with an average hourly wage of $24.10. Employers may see more than$2.5 billion per hour in lost work productivity for the 67 percent of those surveyed who plan to shop an hour or more.
In fact, the survey found that 25 percent of working Americans plan to spend four hours or more shopping online for gifts during work hours that day.
Getting caught red-handed? Twenty-one percent of Cyber Monday consumers surveyed who have shopped online at work have gotten caught doing so.
Who's buying gifts online this year?
According to the survey, 24 percent of winter holiday gift givers plan to do more online shopping for gifts than they did last year.
Parents are more likely than those with children (34 percent vs. 18 percent) to plan to do more online shopping for winter holiday gifts than they did last year.
Mobile holidays
Nearly half (46 percent) of winter holiday gift givers surveyed are likely to use a mobile device when shopping for the holiday season this year.
Men are more likely than women (52 percent vs. 40 percent) to plan to use a mobile device when shopping for the winter holiday season this year.
Parents are more likely than those without children (64 percent vs. 36 percent) to plan to use a mobile device when shopping for this year's winter holiday season.
What are gift givers buying?
According to the survey, the top purchasing categories on Cyber Monday are electronics (62 percent), entertainment (59 percent) and apparel (51 percent). However, gender differences across categories reign supreme on Cyber Monday.
Men are more likely than women (70 percent vs. 55 percent) to purchase electronics.
60 percent of women are likely to purchase apparel vs. 41 percent of men.
Almost half of women (48 percent) are likely to purchase toys vs. only 28 percent of men.
Read more about consumer behavior.
