Cyber Monday
41% of people say Cyber Monday is their favorite shopping holiday. Other findings from a new PriceGrabber survey:
- out of the 41% selecting Cyber Monday as their favorite shopping day in 2012, 58% will shop more than they do on Black Friday, which so far still ranks as the best selling day in the U.S..
- most Cyber Monday shoppers prefer to catch early morning deals (30%), compared to only 9% who shop later in the evening.
Top 5 Reasons Cyber Monday Is Better Than Black Friday from the
5. There are no crowds
4. Some deals start as early as November 7
3. Naked shopping
2. No Christmas music.
1. Getting gifts in the mail is awesome
Top 10 Tips for Shopping On Cyber Monday from Kanoli.com.
1. The Wish List
Make a list. It keeps you on track and prevents unnecessary impulse buys. As with Black Friday, many merchants announce their online offers well in advance. Sites such as CouponSherpa have a roundup of deals available from merchants to help you compile your list ahead of time. They also have special coupon codes available.
2. Pre-shopping
Some marketers make a regular price look like a bargain. They want shoppers to be swept up in a bargain frenzy, thinking they’re one of the lucky few. Before you start loading your cart, do comparison shopping. Sites like PriceGrabber.com allow you to compare prices across the web and at local stores.
3. Use protection
Online shopping has become so commonplace we rarely consider the risks. With tons of shoppers eager to transmit credit card information over the Web in one day, scammers are salivating.
To protect yourself, download the latest updates for your anti-virus and spyware software. Also, make sure any page during checkout is secure by looking for the “https” in the address bar before giving the e-retailer your billing information.
4. Read up on rules
Each Cyber Monday offer has different guidelines about when it starts and how many items are available. Being aware of the details ensures you won’t sleep through a deal that begins at
5. Under review
Some of Monday’s markdowns are attempts to unload junk and make room for something better. When you’re shopping for high-priced items such as TVs, go to stores and compare features you can’t view online, like picture and sound quality. Try Cnet.com for reviews of consumer items from cell phones to slow cookers.
6. Fast friends
Like your favorite stores on Facebook. In the days leading up to Cyber Monday, stores post additional offers exclusive to followers.
7. Find free shipping
When you’re shopping online, steep shipping and handling costs quickly cut into your cyber savings. Fortunately, more merchants are starting to respond to customer demand for free shipping. Best Buy announced in late October that it would offer free shipping on everything over the holidays, and Overstock.com is the latest retailer to offer site-wide free shipping.
8. Keep your eye on the prize
Don’t be distracted by offers for accessories and add-ons as you search for a special sale price on a laptop. Usually, the savings on these items are minimal, so buying them later won’t make a big difference. In addition, spending an extra $100 on items you hadn’t planned on eats up your discounts.
9. Preparation pays
Get ready by bookmarking your favorite sites in advance. Keep them open in different tabs so switching from store to store is easy. If a merchant requires you create an account to make a purchase, do it ahead of time.
10. Read up on returns
With deals flying around on Cyber Monday, make sure you don’t get stuck with any items that don’t meet your expectations by brushing up on online return policies. Some major retailers allow you to return online orders to a local store at no extra cost, while other smaller merchants might charge you for return shipping as well as a restocking fee. Return times are often limited, so act soon after you’ve determined an item won’t work.
What To Buy On Cyber Monday from xfinity.comcast.net
A Day for Soft Goods to Shine There are some categories that are better to shop for on Cyber Monday than during the week before. Apparel and accessory deals overall saw a 27% increase in volume from Black Friday week to Cyber Monday, with about a 20% jump in Editors’ Choice offers as well. Home and garden deals saw an almost identical jump on Cyber Monday. Meanwhile, the volume of camera, laptop, tablet, and smartphone deals dropped after Black Friday, while TVs curiously saw a minor uptick. In regards to the latter, it’s interesting to note that Cyber Monday TV deals veered more so toward the $1,000-and-over price point, suggesting a slight upswing in high-end sets.
Cyber Monday Skips In-Store Pickup Not surprisingly, there are nearly twice as many in-store pickup deals available on Black Friday than there are on Cyber Monday. This supports the whole brick-and-mortar doorbuster culture that envelopes Black Friday even now; since retailers want shoppers to physically enter their stores and make unplanned purchases while there, there will always be in-store deals on Black Friday. Come Cyber Monday, however, it would seem as if the retailers don’t employ that tactic, and just give people what they want: deals they can buy from home.
What Have We Learned? Contrary to reports that it’s a fictional sales event, Cyber Monday is indeed an exceptional day for deals. However, a wise consumer looking for electronics shouldn’t wait until Monday to start shopping, as Thanksgiving and Black Friday handily beat Cyber Monday in that electronics deals department. Apparel and accessories, as well as home and garden items, on the other hand, will see far stronger deals on November 26 this year.
Ways To Avoid Scams on Cyber Monday from Trade and Consumer Protection
1. Protect your smartphone and computer from malicious software. Malware can spy on your internet surfing, steal your personal information and use your computer or phone to send spam. Beware downloading holiday-themed screensavers, ringtones and e-cards. Download apps only from official app stores. Install quality firewall, virus protection and spyware protection software on your computer, and keep it updated.
2. Guard your personal information. Don’t fall for offers on social networks that promise a free iPad or airline tickets in exchange for personal information. Before entering personal information online, read the privacy policy and understand what the website operators will do with your information. Never email credit card numbers – email is not completely secure.
3. Use search engines to check for scams – and for coupons. Key in a company or product name with words like “scam,” “review” and “complaint.” Read the reviews, but don’t put your trust in one review. When you’ve made your decision, search for the store with terms like “discount” or “free shipping.”
4. Compare costs. Use a cost-comparison website to check prices, making sure you also check shipping, handling and return fees.
5. Pay by credit or charge card for extra protection. The Fair Credit Billing Act gives consumers the right to dispute charges under certain circumstances and temporarily withhold payment while the credit card company investigates.
6. Read the fine print. Before submitting your order, carefully check return policies, restocking fees and who is responsible for the return shipping costs. Know when the items should be delivered, and know whom to contact if they are not.
7. Keep a paper trail. Print records of online transactions and copies of emails sent between you and the seller. Review credit card statements when you receive them to look for unauthorized charges.
Stay Safe Online On Cyber Monday ... from Consumer Reports
Never use the same password for multiple sites. Minimize the chance that a hacker who broke into one account can gain access to your other online accounts.
Create and use separate e-mail addresses. Specific e-mail accounts for specific shopping sites—say, "MyAmazonAccount@gmail.com"—will limit your data exposure when a particular online retailer gets hacked.
Never use any part of your name or any other easily guessed word in your password.
Use a strong password, including a mixture of letters, numbers, and special characters. Substituting numbers for letters might help you remember your login--"pa55w0rd" instead of "password," for example. And some websites allow the use of symbols such as ! and #. For more password advice, see "How to create a strong password (and remember it!)."
Verify that the site you're doing business with is a known and trusted retailer.
