Man the Keyboards, it's 'Cyber Monday'
The crowds, the traffic, the utter mayhem. You already know all about the day after Thanksgiving, appropriately dubbed Black 
Friday. And although I’d vowed never to set foot in a retail store on that day, I found myself accompanying Dawn last Friday as we shopped for a few early Christmas gifts. But guess what - there’s another day for you to deal with. It’s called Cyber Monday.
Feeling left out of all the hoopla, online marketers (they prefer being called e-retailers) conjured up an ad blitz for the first work day after the Thanksgiving shopping weekend and even created a special web site. I suppose It was only a matter of time. In fact, I have to wonder what took them so long. Well, word has spread and now online marketers (oops… e-retailers) offer some real deals on Cyber Monday, everything from free shipping to one-day sales specials.
Shop.org claims that, according to its online survey, 72 million folks will shop online from work (hmmm… I suppose there will be a corresponding drop in business productivity) for holiday gifts, up 11 million from last year. And yes, Dawn and I keystroked our way to a couple of good buys, too.
E-retail believes that, with everything going high-tech these days, they’re entitled to their own traditions, especially those that also happen to turn a profit. I suppose it’s only fair.
Doug
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Reader Comments (6)
Frankly this is the way I prefer to shop for products I am already familiar with. I get more cautious when I shop online for things I can't see and touch in person. But I use my credit card so I can always return stuff if it doesn't work out. Just make sure the web site is legitimate.
I agree. I buy things on the internet all the time and when there are sales, I shop a little harder :-p But I only buy things we need. I don't get suckered into buying something we don't use just because it's on sale.
I hate Black Friday, but I have no problem with Cyber Monday.
Call me a cyber shopper but I think in many cases it is the only way to go. I saved almost $400 yesterday alone!!! And it was all things I would have bought in the stores anyway!!!
I do like to shop in some stores because it is fun and relaxing, but not on big crazy sale days. It gets way too crowded and the experience is unpleasant. Life is too short for that!!!
I think I have to take the side of the "Buy Nothing" folks. I am not saying we shouldn't ever buy anything, and I don't think that is what they are saying either. But you have to admit, we do buy more than we need.
Rushing into a stampede to race for "bargains" is an example of cattle mentality. It is never the time to buy, much like shopping for groceries when you are exceptionally hungry often ends with disastrous consequences.
We all need to take stock of what we have, what we really need, and what we don't really need. It may be a super bargain, but if we don't really "need" a trampoline in our one-bedroom apartment, we should learn to walk away. Sadly, in the frenzied atmosphere of "Black Friday", too many apartment dwellers take home the trampoline.
I am a regular internet shopper, mostly tech stuff but some home things as well. I don't find "Cyber Monday" different from any other day except that some things are on sale. But like the previous commenters have said, it would be foolish to simply buy things you really don't need just because they are 40% off.