Author: Carol Vanzyl

Black Friday seems as much of an American tradition as getting together with family and friends on Thanksgiving. Thursday, we sit around the table eating turkey and sharing what we are thankful for, and Friday, we run around like a headless chicken trying to find the best deals on Black Friday. So why do we need a Cyber Monday?

Since the pandemic, it feels like Black Friday started earlier and continues well into the holiday season. Amazon already started in October with an added Prime Day. But if you seemed to have missed the boat on Prime Day and Black Friday, don’t worry because you can still take advantage of Cyber Monday!

Find it Online

The days of waiting in line are long gone! Now, you can click on an app on your smartphone, and you have an entire online shop in the palm of your hand. There are, however, retailers that only have in-store deals, which gets some of the online shoppers out of the house, but it has to be incredible deals for them.

Shopping online has simplified our lives, but with the convenience, it opened doors for fraudsters to take advantage of some innocent shoppers looking for the following Black Friday deal. And with Cyber Monday that follows behind Black Friday, it’s another day to scam more shoppers on a deal shopping hype.

Cyber Monday is not such a Hype anymore

Black Friday has always been the hype for retailers to roll out the year-end sale to clear the stock room, but the tech stores rolled out Cyber Monday to get in on the action. Unfortunately, most retailers have decided to keep deals going from Black Friday throughout the weekend, ending with less excitement for Cyber Monday.

It means you will find great deals the entire weekend, making Cyber Monday a typical working day for most. But if you still want to get in on the action, you could consider the following:

Price Tracking

Whether you start shopping in October on Amazon’s Prime Day or Black Friday and throughout the weekend until Cyber Monday, it might be a good idea to stay up to date with prices. Ultimately you want to be sure you are getting the best deal or discount, don’t you?

Make a Shopping List

Yes, as you would make your usual monthly grocery list, you sit down when you are calm and thinking straight and make a list of what you want instead of just going crazy and becoming a shopping monster.

And if you want to stay safe online while you tick items from your shopping list as you are clicking away, then there are a few apps to ensure you have a positive shopping experience.

What’s the Difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

Although everyone seems to think Cyber Monday is a digital thing, several deals on Black Friday, known as “doorbusters,” are only available for those brave enough to set foot in-store to grab those deals. These deals are advertised online, but to score on the excellent Samsung Curved 78-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV at the Amazon warehouse, you must show up! But even when Cyber Monday arrives, you might not find the same worthwhile deal.

But honestly, that could go both ways. Come Cyber Monday, you can find only the best deals online that you couldn’t get anywhere on Black Friday. Still, you are likely to find great shipping deals on Black Friday, where online shoppers can save when it comes to delivery.

Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday

So which day offers you the best deals? Black Friday has been around since 1869, encouraging retailers to end the year on a high note with solid profits. As online shopping has become a trend, Black Friday deals evolved into a shopping spree for many from as early as October.

And right on Black Friday’s heels is Cyber Monday, which in 2005 was founded by the National Retail Federation for online-only deals to help shoppers save time from standing in lines on a Black Friday.

It started with Black Fridays being an in-store discount shopping experience, whereas Cyber Monday focused on online shopping deals. However, with the expanding eCommerce stores to curb the shopping dilemma during the pandemic online shopping nowadays is the way of life for many. Therefore there is little difference between the two, just an extension of online and in-store deals for the entire week and weekend.

Is Cyber Monday in the past?

For years Cyber Monday was a hit for online shoppers, and the excitement was high for all those shoppers that missed out on the in-store Black Friday deals, but eCommerce killed it for retailers that scored on Cyber Mondays. So with more online discount deals starting earlier every year, is Cyber Monday even a thing anymore?

The answer is yes, according to various retail analysts.

According to D.A Davidson’s retail analyst Michael Baker “Cyber Monday has grown in importance, peaking last year because people were reluctant to go to stores.” 

It gained popularity with people returning to work on a Monday and using their high-performance office computers to find the best deals they missed on Black Friday. And this might shock some, but Cyber Monday is on the top 10 list of the busiest shopping days during the holiday season.

Success or Failure?

But if retail analysts think Cyber Monday is still a thing, why do we doubt it? Maybe it is because we don’t see the point of online sales being hyped up on Cyber Monday. We have enjoyed discounts on Prime Day during October, Lightning Deals in November, and Black Friday flash sales the entire weekend. 

So, what can Cyber Monday offer us more that we haven’t seen for almost two months?

It is what it is, I guess…

Whether I think it’s cool or not doesn’t matter because, at the end of the day, the numbers add up. So we can accept what the statistics show us, or we can just embrace an extra shopping day to spend more money we didn’t budget or max out our credit cards. 

But on a serious note, I hope you survive all the great deals, don’t overspend, and shop responsibly. Because let’s face it, none of us want to start the new year knee-high in debt. Happy holidays and may all the gifts you hope for end up under your Christmas tree this year!

Black Friday has all of us in a shopping frenzy one way or the other, with the expectation that we will save loads of money on everything we purchase. But unfortunately, that is not the way the cookie crumbles. 

Each year there are newsfeeds and videos of people camping out in front of retailers counting down the hours and minutes for the doors to open so that they can be first in line for the best Black Friday deals. 

Ultimately I wonder if Black Friday is not just another marketing tactic that creates an illusion of huge savings where there are little to none. We must ask ourselves if the market is driven by consumer behavior or if there is another component driving a Black Friday day.

Scammers Love the Internet

Thanksgiving is a time of year that can make many of us vulnerable, and Black Friday is the day after. Although we want to believe the best of others during this time, some scammers abuse that vulnerability in us!

There are various ways scammers utilize Black Friday to take advantage, and you need to be suspicious of any signs from retailers you don’t know. It could save you time and money.

Common Types of Scams

• Email scams: phishing emails
• Money transfer scams
• Courier fraud
• Social media scams

Social Black Friday

Many social media networks have become part of our lives and seem the norm for almost anything from work to shopping. Therefore it makes sense why so many retailers partake in Black Friday campaigns on social platforms.  

Limited Sales/Countdowns

Instagram accounts are on a reel with countdown posts to excite followers about what is coming. Once we are all reeled up, they start with limited sales for one day, or some even offer an hour flash sale. Nothing sells faster than a product with a time limit!

Black Friday Giveaway

Facebook pages enjoy featuring giveaway posts, and let us be honest, who doesn’t love something FREE?! There is no better way for retailers to get rid of shelf stock that didn’t sell a season, especially when followers aren’t interested in it anymore.

Telegram Channels

Since the launch of smartphones, very few don’t have their phones with them 24/7. We use our phones for work and play. Telegram features many channels for shopping, and with push notifications, you are updated whenever there is a flash sale or a discount day. It makes it convenient for retailers to keep consumers up-to-date with Black Friday deals.

Subscription Incentives

Retailers don’t only embrace social media channels, but they turn to email marketing as well to promote Black Friday deals. Using previous social media marketing campaigns to motivate email subscriptions is a suitable lead magnet.

Black Friday Apps 

Getting caught up in the Black Friday hype can make us anxious and frustrated. We must be aware of so much, from scammers to impulsive shopping. It can be overwhelming for anyone (even experienced) shoppers. The times have changed, and so have the technology, and with that, many apps can be beneficial to look into, from browse extensions to price-checking apps.

The Economic Pinch

In reality, the COVID-19 pandemic had wiped out 113 straight months of job growth which had an enormous impact on household spending. The pandemic damaged the nation’s industrial production, which impacted consumer spending and left enterprises to start investing in digital technologies.

Even though the pandemic is not as big of a health threat as it was during 2020/21, we are still impacted by economic factors, which some big tech companies have proven. 

Tech Workforce Cuts

• Meta 13%
• Twitter 50%
• Snap 20% (Snapchat parent company)
• Intel 20%
• Netflix 450
• Amazon10K

Black Friday Reality Check

Yes, I am optimistic that no one on earth wants to miss out on the biggest and best deals that Black Friday discounts will offer us. But in reality, we need to be realistic about what we can afford to spend and whether it is a ‘want’ item or a ‘need’ item. 

The responsible thing to do is to sit down and make a shopping list with – Necessity and Nice to Have columns, basically like a pro and cons list, but the difference is this one will save you money and regret. Once you have completed your list keep ONLY the necessity list and work out a budget accordingly. Having a list and budget allows you to make price comparisons, simplifying your shopping even more!

We have all been impacted by the pandemic in some way or other, and Black Friday might offer us the best deals this Friday, but that doesn’t mean it has to leave us with debt over the holiday season.

Keep Your Eye On The Prize

There is no reason to get discouraged, get into bed, and hide from all Black Friday deals. Yes, some retailers might use it as another marketing ploy to get you to spend, whether it is an actual discounted price or not. And there is always a fraudster lurking only to find someone vulnerable to scam out of their hard-earned money. But in reality, that can happen any time of the year.

I am sure there are enough Black Friday articles to guide you through any concerns you might still have before the Big Day arrives. It will be beneficial to take it to heart and spend ‘ONLY’ what your budget allows and who knows, you might score all the way this Black Friday as long as you don’t get caught in the dark!

Many are flocking to online stores for the best deals this Black Friday, and when it comes to online shopping, there are a few apps that simplify bargain-hunting and price comparison for customers. I know the frustration of missing out on a great deal, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Why not simply use your calendar or get notified of flash sales? Well, let me guide you on the options out there to do this.

Amazon has built up high trust with shoppers, and if you throw the benefits of Amazon Prime into the mix, it is an excellent place to connect to and stay up-to-date with any Black Friday flash sales.

Get Notified of Flash Sales for Black Friday

The Amazon app simplifies your life by notifying you when flash sales start. Let’s get started:

1. Open the Amazon app.
2. Go to the menu.
3. Tap Settings.
4. Then notifications.

5. Turn on watched and waitlisted deals.
6. Find an upcoming deal and add it to your watchlist.
7. You can claim deals once they are live, but be sure to check them out before expiration.

Lightning Deals

Black Friday flash sales can be overwhelming for most of us, especially if you haven’t yet decided what it is you want to buy. However, Amazon has simplified this with their Today’s Deals on the site. Although this is where you can find fantastic Lightning Deals on any given day, you don’t want to miss out on these on massive shopping days such as Black Friday and Prime Day.

But don’t get caught up in the excitement. Not all these deals are always worth your money or time. On most days, only some of these deals are available on a few pages, and narrowing down what is relevant to you can be challenging. Don’t despair. Let me share a few tricks and tips to guide you on what to expect during these flash sales.

What are Lightning Deals

These are limited-time promotions on Amazon, which are even more limited to one per customer. There are set quantities to these deals, and once the promotion ends or the item is sold out (whichever comes first), the flash sale is over.

How to find Lightning Deals 

You can find these deals throughout the Amazon site, but the easiest way to find them is to go to the Today’s Deals section. Underneath the “Deal type” filter, there should be an option to select “Lightning deal”, which narrows down your options. On the Prime Day page, you can also find big event deals.

How do Lightning Deals work?

There is a particular starting time for these deals and only one per user until the end of the promotion. The promotion period can last for 4 to 12 hours or until all promotion deals are claimed. But you need to note that to redeem the discount, you only have 15 minutes to complete the order once it has been added to your cart. The discount expires unless you claim unless dean a time limit. Be careful not to do impulsive Black Friday shopping here!

Lightning Deals the Good and the Bad

If you have noticed, the downside to these deals is that they leave you with little to no time to conduct price comparisons on deals. But how can you know if you are paying too much for an item or getting a dud?

Firstly I recommend reputable shopping sellers, and if a product looks too good to be true, it probably is. But that being said, there are some excellent deals if you know what you want or need.

Prime Day Lightning Deals

Something to be aware of is that these deals are exclusive to Amazon Prime members on Prime Day. During these flash sales, there are more new deals every 5 minutes than on regular Lightning deal days.

There have been global complaints yearly from shoppers surrounding the chaos of Prime Day. They may not be impressed by missing out on deals or frustrated with the site crashing.

Black Friday Lightning Deals 

These deals are similar to the regular ones. However, there tends to be even more than you will find on Prime Day Lightning Deals. Prime members reap the benefits here and are notified of early access to select deals.

Black Friday deals feature better Lightning deals than any other time during the year. These deals pop up more in your notifications, and all Amazon shoppers benefit from Black Friday deals.

Amazon Prime Membership Benefits

There are many benefits to becoming a Prime member, such as shopping, shipping, streaming, and more.

Shopping 

• Try before you buy available from eligible stock across accessories, shoes, baby clothing, kids’, women’s and men’s. You can try it over seven days and only pay for the items you keep.
• Deals & Discounts, compliments of Amazon Family.
• Early access to Lightning deals.

Shipping

• Prime shipping benefits.
• Free Same-day delivery.
• Release-date delivery.
• No-rush shipping options to earn rewards for future purchases.

Get notifications for Amazon Black Friday flash sales!

Everyone loves a great bargain, and during Black Friday flash sales, the numbers seem to keep climbing for online stores but are they beneficial for online shoppers? 

Like most things, shopping responsibly during these events is the way to go. If you plan accordingly and opt-in for notifications, you can update your calendar and ensure you know what flash sales are happening, where, and when. Once you are all set up, stay up-to-date and informed and focus on your shopping list.

And if you want to be ahead of the Black Friday flash sale rush, you can do price comparison research on everything on your shopping list and be ready for any time-limited deal without shopping impulsively!