As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, it’s closely followed by Black Friday and Cyber Monday. While not traditional holidays, they are significant shopping events that kickstart the festive season with great deals. But which of the two provides better sales?
BACK IN THE DAY: BLACK FRIDAY
Growing up, I was always excited about Black Friday, as it promised the most exceptional sales of the year, or so I thought.
THE ORIGINS
Traditionally, Black Friday aimed to boost sales for physical stores, shifting the balance from red to black. Businesses spared no effort to draw customers, promising the most significant annual discounts. Once inside the store, shoppers, tended to make additional purchases.
Conveniently set after Thanksgiving, at the start of a long weekend, Black Friday capitalised on consumers’ free time to shop.
THE TURNING POINT
However, the advent of online shopping led to a reshuffling of this retail tradition. Now, Black Friday sales aren’t confined to physical outlets but also feature online deals. This dual-pronged approach offers a double bonanza for consumers. But is it better than Cyber Monday? Let’s see!
CYBER MONDAY’S EMERGENCE
The rise and widespread use of the internet birthed Cyber Monday. With Black Friday’s immense success and limited to physical stores, enterprising retailers – predominantly online – wanted a piece of the action. Hence, Cyber Monday arrived to provide its own premier sales event of the year.
THE ULTIMATE QUESTION: WHICH HAS BETTER SALES?
In recent times, two huge shopping events compete fiercely against each other. But is this competition beneficial for consumers? Not always. It can be tricky navigating through a plethora of sales and discerning the best deals.
AN OBSERVATION
This mostly arises because Cyber Monday’s sales aren’t fully disclosed beforehand. Therefore, deciding between grabbing a Black Friday deal or chancing a better Cyber Monday offer can be a gamble.
Moreover, physical stores now offer both in-store and online Black Friday deals, with their online deals being different from in-store ones. Coupled with the fact that Cyber Monday’s deals are exclusively online, the shopping landscape gets interesting!
THE NUMBERS GAME
A more analytical approach might suggest focusing on the sales volume of each day. Recently, it seems Cyber Monday has stolen the limelight from Black Friday.
2017’s Black Friday Sales: $5.03 billion
2017’s Cyber Monday Sales: $6.59 billion
Even when Black Friday runs two separate offers on the same day, Cyber Monday still outperforms it. One major reason is the rising popularity of mobile shopping. As consumers are not bound to physical stores, Black Friday is losing ground. The convenience of shopping with a tap or swipe has boosted sales and spending.
Spending on digital platforms doesn’t have the same impact as parting with physical cash, leading us to spend more until we receive the credit card bill!
THE BOTTOM LINE
Choosing the better sales event comes down to individual needs, preferences, and shopping habits.
Many are willing to queue in a physical store for a Black Friday deal. Considering the declining enthusiasm for this approach, it provides an advantage for those still willing.
Others prefer the convenience of online shopping. The deals might sometimes be better on Black Friday, depending on the item, but Cyber Monday may offer superior deals. It’s about evaluating each situation against our comfort levels and shopping desires.
Which sales event has worked best for you – Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Are you willing to queue at a physical store for those astounding Black Friday deals?
