What is Cyber Monday and why is it such a huge shopping event? Origin explored

Cyber Monday lands on the first Monday after Thanksgiving, turning into a go-to day for deep online deals in nearly every product area. People hunting for gifts often find solid price cuts online that week. The event originally emerged as a digital alternative to the packed, in-store atmosphere of Black Friday, especially during a time when online shopping wasn't as common.

Over time, this click-based sale grew legs of its own. Today, many brands stretch the promotions across Cyber Week, starting on Thanksgiving and running through the days between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, to capture more shoppers and boost holiday spending.

Cyber Monday isn't only a single-day rush anymore - lately, it's turning into its own shopping stretch. Just like how Black Friday grew into weeks of sales, online deals start earlier and last way past that one Monday. Big names such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Best Buy will likely save deepest cuts for the actual day. Still, people should expect bargains popping up before, lasting after - some stores run them nonstop through several days, even branding it "Cyber Week."

Cyber Monday has grown from a single sale day into a major online shopping tradition driven by tech and changing buyer habits

Cyber Monday started in 2005 after the National Retail Federation noticed more people buying stuff online that Monday right after Thanksgiving - mostly 'cause home internet was sluggish, so folks held off till they got back to quicker office connections. Around then, Shop.org dropped the term "Cyber Monday" in a news note; meanwhile, stores jumped on it fast with web-exclusive bargains, no-cost shipping boosts, or flash offers just for clicks.

With time, e-shops boomed; free delivery pulled in fence-sitters, but things really changed once phones and pads caught on - by the early 2010s, users were checking prices, tapping buy buttons, or chasing steals while riding buses, waiting in lines, even mid-meeting. Sales exploded hardest in 2020 when lockdowns kept crowds out of malls, sending digital spending skyward and turning Cyber Monday into a full-week push packed with timed drops.

These days, smart targeting rules: live price shifts, custom picks shaped by your habits, behind-the-scenes code nudging choices - as covered lately by Forbes - and shoppers now demand quick drop-offs, painless refunds, smooth tap-and-scroll sites, plus cuts built around what they actually want.

Cyber Monday has turned into the last big shopping day after Black Friday madness, plus that cozy Small Business Saturday vibe. This web-based sale gets just as much hype as in-store events, pulling in folks who’d rather click than crowd-shop. As companies move more bargains online every season, this date hits hard for grabbing gadget markdowns, quick pop-up specials, or members-only digital coupons.

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