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Retailers ramping up Cyber Monday promotions

November 22, 2009

Holiday shoppers looking for bargains aren't likely to be disappointed when they learn what retailers have planned for Cyber Monday. According to Shop.org's eHoliday Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, nearly nine in 10 (87.1 percent) retailers will have a special promotion for Cyber Monday, up from 83.7 percent last year and 72.2 percent in 2007. The most popular promotions are expected to be specific deals (42.9 percent), one-day sales (32.9 percent), and free shipping on all purchases (15.7 percent). Half of retailers (50 percent) will distribute promotions and deals to shoppers through a special Cyber Monday email.

"Retailers have a very acute sense of the importance of Cyber Monday in kick-starting holiday sales and have been planning their promotions for months," said Scott Silverman, executive director of Shop.org. "It seems like companies up the ante every year for Cyber Monday, and many holiday shoppers are eagerly anticipating the bargains that await them this year."

Cyber Monday, a term coined in 2005 by Shop.org, began after retailers noticed a trend of people shopping online on the Monday after Thanksgiving. Today, Cyber Monday is viewed as the ceremonial kickoff to the online holiday shopping season, when shoppers flood Web sites expecting robust promotions and many retailers highlight some of their most compelling holiday offers.

CyberMonday.com to feature deal of the hour on Black Friday, Cyber Monday

In addition to hundreds of special offers, some of which will be exclusive promotions only available on the site, CyberMonday.com will feature a Deal of the Hour on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year, highlighting a different retail promotion every 60 minutes. (Most retailers participating in Black Friday Deals of the Hour will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 24; Cyber Monday Deals of the Hour will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 29.) Offers will include free shipping specials, dollars off, percentages off, and free gifts with purchase.

All CyberMonday.com proceeds received by Shop.org benefit its Ray M. Greenly Scholarship Fund, which helps students pursuing careers in retail. Ray Greenly was a vice president at Shop.org before passing away from cancer in 2005. More than $900,000 has been raised for the scholarship fund through CyberMonday.com.

Over half of people with Internet at work will shop at the office

This year, 53.5 percent of workers with Internet access, or 68.8 million people, will shop for holiday gifts from work. As in previous years, some employees are more likely to make a dent in their wish lists than others. According to the survey, three-fourths (73.8 percent) of young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 with Internet access will shop at work, and men are more likely to shop from work than women (56.3 percent vs. 50.8 percent).

"Although employers may cringe at the thought of their workers browsing or buying gifts online at work, there is a potential bright side," said Phil Rist, executive vice president of strategic initiatives for BIGresearch. "Employees who spend 10 minutes at the office completing their holiday shopping online are likely to be much more efficient than those who use extended lunch breaks waiting in line at the store and fighting holiday traffic on the way back to work."