Thanksgiving is almost here... and you know what that means. The busiest shopping day of the year: Black Friday and it's counterpart, Cyber Monday. With these two shopaholic holidays both reaching their peak, Savvy Student can't help but wonder which day offers the best deals. When should you spend: Black Friday or Cyber Monday?
A little "holiday" history...
This historic "holiday" is often referred to as the official beginning of the Christmas, or holiday, shopping season. Black Friday's origin story would begin in the 1960s and 1970s. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, this "holiday" was in full swing, becoming the biggest shopping day of the entire year. In fact, in many states, including California, Maine, and Florida, "The Day After Thanksgiving" is an officially recognized holiday. Additionally, over the past decade, stores have been opening earlier and earlier; moving from 6:00 AM openings to 12:00 AM openings. In short, people take their Black Friday shopping very seriously. (It even has its own website.)
Cyber Monday!
This newer tech savvy holiday has been around for almost a decade. The term "Cyber Monday" was coined back in 2005 when retailers went online with their deals and often times added free shipping. Similar to Black Friday, Cyber Monday made a name for itself before retailers even realized the financial benefits of it. Cyber Monday has spread to many other countries, including Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom. It has seen a dramatic increase every year since it's humble beginnings. According to comScore, Inc., there was a 17% increase in sales on Cyber Monday from 2011 to 2012. Who knows what kind of increase we will see in 2013! (Cyber Monday has its own website, too!)
WHEN should you spend?
There are two important factors you should consider when you decide the right shopping choices for you this holiday shopping season: comfort and price.
Comfort
Are you a person who is comfortable with Black Friday? If you don't like large crowds, high stress situations, and/or being an aggressor to get those cheap, stylish pants, you may want to avoid shopping on Black Friday. If you're not calm, cool, and collected, there is no way you will be making your best shopping decisions. You may find yourself purchasing items you don't love just because of the deals you find in your favorite stores. Alternatively, if you don't feel comfortable enough with technology or online shopping to quickly purchase the items you find, you may want to avoid doing your shopping on Cyber Monday. Pick the shopping day the best fits your personality and capabilities!
Price
Which day really offers the best savings? This is a tough question to answer. Savvy Student did some investigative work and found this stellar article that offers advice on when the price is right... and when its wrong. If your number one concern is price, check out this DealNews.com article to find out which items to buy on Black Friday and which items to buy on Cyber Monday.
Whether you celebrate Black Friday, Cyber Monday, some combination of both, or neither of the two days of shopping indulgence, Savvy Student would like to wish you a stress-free season of holiday shopping. And if you are a chronic procrastinator, view our recent blog on avoiding holiday gift procrastination!
Happy Black Friday/Cyber Monday/day of rest!
~Savvy Student
A little "holiday" history...
Black Friday!
This historic "holiday" is often referred to as the official beginning of the Christmas, or holiday, shopping season. Black Friday's origin story would begin in the 1960s and 1970s. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, this "holiday" was in full swing, becoming the biggest shopping day of the entire year. In fact, in many states, including California, Maine, and Florida, "The Day After Thanksgiving" is an officially recognized holiday. Additionally, over the past decade, stores have been opening earlier and earlier; moving from 6:00 AM openings to 12:00 AM openings. In short, people take their Black Friday shopping very seriously. (It even has its own website.)
Cyber Monday!
This newer tech savvy holiday has been around for almost a decade. The term "Cyber Monday" was coined back in 2005 when retailers went online with their deals and often times added free shipping. Similar to Black Friday, Cyber Monday made a name for itself before retailers even realized the financial benefits of it. Cyber Monday has spread to many other countries, including Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom. It has seen a dramatic increase every year since it's humble beginnings. According to comScore, Inc., there was a 17% increase in sales on Cyber Monday from 2011 to 2012. Who knows what kind of increase we will see in 2013! (Cyber Monday has its own website, too!)
WHEN should you spend?
There are two important factors you should consider when you decide the right shopping choices for you this holiday shopping season: comfort and price.
Comfort
Are you a person who is comfortable with Black Friday? If you don't like large crowds, high stress situations, and/or being an aggressor to get those cheap, stylish pants, you may want to avoid shopping on Black Friday. If you're not calm, cool, and collected, there is no way you will be making your best shopping decisions. You may find yourself purchasing items you don't love just because of the deals you find in your favorite stores. Alternatively, if you don't feel comfortable enough with technology or online shopping to quickly purchase the items you find, you may want to avoid doing your shopping on Cyber Monday. Pick the shopping day the best fits your personality and capabilities!
Price
Which day really offers the best savings? This is a tough question to answer. Savvy Student did some investigative work and found this stellar article that offers advice on when the price is right... and when its wrong. If your number one concern is price, check out this DealNews.com article to find out which items to buy on Black Friday and which items to buy on Cyber Monday.
Whether you celebrate Black Friday, Cyber Monday, some combination of both, or neither of the two days of shopping indulgence, Savvy Student would like to wish you a stress-free season of holiday shopping. And if you are a chronic procrastinator, view our recent blog on avoiding holiday gift procrastination!
Happy Black Friday/Cyber Monday/day of rest!
~Savvy Student
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