Is Cyber Monday still a thing? What to buy and what to skip

Cyber Monday — the shopping event that takes place the Monday following Black Friday — was created in part to bookend the five-day shopping weekend that starts on Thanksgiving. But in recent years, retailers have started their Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales weeks in advance of the actual events, giving shoppers ample time to buy early and spread out their spending. Just this year, for example, we saw deals pop up as early as October from retailers like Target, Walmart, Amazon and more.

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Experts now refer to this elongated period of sales as “Black November,” leaving many shoppers to wonder whether they should wait to shop deals on Cyber Monday or take advantage of savings now. To help answer that question — and others you may be wondering about as Cyber Monday draws closer — we talked to experts about how to approach the event and how it compares to Black Friday.

When Cyber Monday began, it was known as a tech-heavy deals day, said Kristin McGrath, shopping expert and senior editor at RetailMeNot. And while almost all types of electronics are on sale during Cyber Monday — including small kitchen appliances, smart home products, audio equipment and gaming systems — deals now start on Black Friday or in the weeks leading up to it. Because of that, there’s no one product category that’s known for its Cyber Monday sales. It’s become a “catch all deals day,” McGrath said. Retailers of all types and sizes slash prices on products, so a little bit of everything is on sale.

That said, some of the best deals during the Thanksgiving shopping weekend are traditionally on apparel, toys and electronics, said Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights. In 2021, Adobe Analytics found that the strongest discounts during Black Friday and Cyber Monday were on electronics, computers, appliances, sporting goods and toys. You’re also likely to see strong sales around home items and beauty products. And while there may be a few brand-new deals on Cyber Monday — like a unique video game bundle or specific TV, PC or laptop models — there won’t be as many to choose from.

If you don’t need them immediately, you may want to wait on purchasing large appliances, mattresses and furniture until sale holidays like President’s Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day, experts told us. Most brands in those product categories offer better discounts during other sales events, giving you more options throughout the year.

To give you an idea of the types of products you’ll see on sale during Cyber Monday, we’re sharing a few products Adobe data shows were top sellers in 2021. These products were some of the most highly sought-after during the sale, so if you’re interested in buying them this year, snag them before they sell out.

AirPods Pro (1st Generation)

Apple products are often discounted during sales events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and AirPods, Apple Watches and Apple Pencils were all top sellers on Cyber Monday 2021. The first generation of AirPods Pro offers active noise cancellation and transparency modes, and comes with silicone tips in three sizes to customize the fit. A MagSafe Charging Case is included with these AirPods.

Nintendo Switch

Many shoppers have gaming systems on their lists while browsing Cyber Monday sales, especially if they’re looking to gift one during the holiday season. The Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite were both top sellers during Cyber Monday 2021, as were other gaming systems such as the Xbox Series X and Meta Quest 2. The Nintendo Switch is a handheld device you can play with on the go, or you can slide in into the included dock and connect it to a TV. The device also comes with two Joy-Con controllers for multiplayer gaming.

Just Dance 2022

Video games are another product shoppers look for on Cyber Monday, in part because they make great holiday gifts. Plus, you can find a variety of options for different consoles, including Playstation, Nintendo Switch and Xbox. Some of the most popular ones shoppers bought last year were Just Dance 2022, Mario Party Superstars, Spider Man: Miles Morales, FIFA 22 and Metroid Dread.

Hot Wheels Color Shifters 5 Car Pack

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are some of the best times to find toy deals all year, since it’s right before the holidays. In 2021, some of the hottest toys were Hot Wheels, Nerf toys, Baby Alive, Paw Patrol, Squeakee toys and Tamagotchi Pix. Hot Wheels Color Shifters set comes with five mini vehicles. When you dunk them in warm water, the cars change color, and you can then dip them in cold water to bring them back to their original shade.

Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3 Laptop

Shoppers added lots of laptops from brands like Lenovo, Dell and HP to their Cyber Monday shopping carts in 2021. This Lenovo Chromebook has a sleek, slim profile, as well as a 360-degree hinge that allows you to use it as a computer or tablet. It’s designed with a 11-inch touchscreen and 720-pixel webcam and, says the brand, has a 10-hour battery life, making it great for travel.

Sony X80J 55-Inch Smart Google TV

Sony and Samsung were two of the most popular TV brands during Cyber Monday 2021, Adobe says. This Sony model has a X1 4K HDR processor, which makes its picture smooth, clear and vibrant, according to the brand. You can watch movies, TV shows, music and more through a variety of streaming services, and the TV also works with Amazon Alexa once paired with compatible devices.

Because the line between Black Friday and Cyber Monday has blurred over the years — and because deals now start so early — many shoppers are wondering, is Cyber Monday still a “thing”?

Experts unanimously agreed that yes, Cyber Monday is still a thing. In fact, it’s historically the biggest day for online shopping every year, and Cyber Monday 2020 was the biggest day for online shopping in U.S. history. Shoppers who forget to shop during Black Friday get another chance on Cyber Monday, and many see Cyber Monday as their last chance to score the best discounts of the year. “A sense of urgency kicks in,” Pandya said. This incentivizes people to make purchases and finish crossing off everything on their lists before Tuesday rolls around.

Cyber Monday deals don’t just start early — they often end late, too. “Cyber Week” refers to the week after Cyber Monday, which is full of sales and deals from online retailers. Experts said consumers are more likely to shop early rather than shop late. But retailers allow deals to linger around after Cyber Monday so they can capitalize on those who forgot to buy something during the event, or who regret not making purchases sooner.

Originally, Black Friday and Cyber Monday were distinct events — one was for in-person shopping and another was for online shopping, which meant different products were on sale at different retailers. This is no longer the case. “As far as the past few years go, we’ve been seeing that Cyber Monday offers a lot of repeat deals from Black Friday,” Pandya said. “We’ve seen a couple instances where a Cyber Monday deal was slightly different or slightly better compared to Black Friday. But in the grand scheme of things, it’s a lot of the same.”

Since most brands offer deals through the Thanksgiving weekend, some try to make their Cyber Monday discounts stand out by offering shoppers the opportunity to get an extra 10% off through promo codes, for example. Other brands may lower their threshold for free shipping — perhaps you needed to spend $100 to get free shipping on Black Friday but only $75 on Cyber Monday. Other than the occasional special promo code or free shipping offer, though, Cyber Monday and Black Friday are very similar.

When early Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals go live in mid-October or November, discounts are usually between 5% and 15%, said Pandya. But deals get deeper as Thanksgiving weekend nears. Pandya said you’ll get the best discounts the week of Thanksgiving and are likely to see products between 30% and 50% off. Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you probably won’t see prices drop significantly — whatever the deal is on Black Friday will usually last through Cyber Monday. After Cyber Monday, any deals that stick around are weak, Pandya said.

No, you should not wait for Cyber Monday to start shopping, Pandya said. Many retailers begin their early Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals in mid-October or November, so if you don’t start shopping until after Thanksgiving, products — especially popular items — are likely to be sold out or there will be limited stock available. Think of Cyber Monday as your last chance to make purchases, Pandya said. You can pick up anything you forgot to buy earlier and browse sites one last time to ensure you didn’t miss anything you had your eye on.

Below are tips experts recommend keeping in mind while you’re getting ready to shop and save the most money during Cyber Monday sales. This advice applies to preparing for Black Friday, too.

• Make a shopping list and stick to it. This allows you to prioritize the products you’re looking for and can help you avoid impulse purchases, especially if you want to shop within a set budget.
• Consider shopping brands you may not be familiar with. If you’re looking for a specific item from a specific brand, you probably won’t want to compromise. But if you’re not brand loyal, experts suggested finding a handful of models that meet your qualifications — regardless of the brand — and comparing their prices before adding one to your cart. If you don’t limit yourself to only one brand (or only brands you’re familiar with), you’ll have a wider assortment of deals to browse.
• Weigh different payment options. Some credit cards offer cash back and rewards points at specific retailers — for example, shopping at Amazon or Walmart with their specific credit cards gets you a certain amount back every time you shop if you’re an Amazon Prime or Walmart+ member. Credit cards may even offer bonus promotions during the holiday shopping season, which Select’s money experts will keep you updated on as they’re announced. Additionally, if you’re looking for ways to finance a larger purchase, buy now, pay later apps may be of interest.
• Use price trackers and browser extensions. Some, like Honey and Cently, can automatically apply coupon codes to your cart at checkout. Other tools like PriceBlink allow you to compare prices across multiple retailers, and others — including Amazon Assistant and Karma browser extension — monitor prices and alert you when they drop for products you’re interested in.
• Research retailers’ price match guarantee policies. Some allow you to notify a retailer of a lower price at another competitor so they will match that price. But before participating in a price match program, be sure to read about any exceptions. For example, some retailers only price match for certain competitors, while others won’t price match competitors’ special Cyber Monday pricing.
• Pay attention to return policies. Retailers’ standard return policies may not apply to purchases made during Black Friday and other big sale events. Make sure you’re aware of return policies before you buy an item, especially if it’s something you’ll need to try on, such as clothes or shoes.

At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

• Kristin McGrath is a shopping expert and senior editor at The Real Deal by RetailMeNot. Her great loves are travel, shopping and shopping while traveling, which has made her a bargain hunter out of necessity. She specializes in helping shoppers make the best savings decisions, and getting the best deal on purchases big and small.
• Vivek Pandya is the lead insights analyst for Adobe who provides research analysis to senior marketing and e-commerce executives across industries.

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