Five Holiday Shopping Trends to Mull Over for Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday is a week away. So what are the best deals and biggest trends?

Around this time of year, you can’t blame a consumer for thinking every day is Black Friday or Cyber Monday. After all, it sure seems that way.

Technically, Cyber Monday lands on Monday, Nov. 28, this year, but the deals on tech toys (and a ton of other non-tech consumer goods) are already out, in many cases.

“We've seen some Cyber Mondays boast more deals than Black Friday, and even during the years they fall slightly short, these start-of-the-week events still have strong offers worth checking out,” said Deal News consumer analyst Julie Ramhold.

Black Friday has also historically been a game of cat and mouse between consumers and retailers.

“Retailers draw shoppers into their stores with the promise of unbelievable discounts, while consumers sift through door-busters to find the few quality items that are actually good value,” said tech agency Reaktor's chief business officer, Michael Levitz. “This year is different, as there’s a glut of high-quality, excess inventory clogging up valuable shelves and warehouses.”

Big Deals

No matter when you start your Cyber-shopping, give these trends a close look as the holidays commence.

Clothing up to 50% off. “Cyber Monday is also best known for storewide discounts and expectations shouldn’t change with this economy.

“Some of the best storewide discounts range from 30%-50% off and can typically be found at popular branded clothing outlets starting on Sunday,” said Smarty chief executive officer Vipin Porwal. “This is where stacking other rewards opportunities to Cyber Monday purchases, like cash back and points can add up to saving substantial money for larger purchases.”

Apple iPads at a big discount. You never really know what Apple is going to discount for the holidays, but this year the iPad seems like a good bet.

“Last year, we saw refurbished iPad Air 2 models for as little as $170 on Cyber Monday, while 4th-generation iPad Pro 12.9" models were priced from $940,” Ramhold said. “If you don't mind a smaller screen, know that we also saw 2020 iPad Pro 11" models starting at $770.”

Some iPad Pro models may also come with gift cards worth $100. “Set up a smartphone alert for the iPad you’re looking to buy, so you don’t miss out on this deal,” Ramhold added.

Big box retailers starting early. Leading up to Cyber Monday, Walmart is launching its “Deals For Days” events each week, culminating in a Cyber Monday event on Nov. 28.

“Historically, Walmart offers better discounts on electronics, specifically TVs and laptops, during Cyber Monday than they do on Black Friday,” said TopCashback.com consumer expert Rebecca Gramuglia.

Other large retailers are following suit.

“In the past, Best Buy has offered deals on a variety of tech items for Cyber Monday, including tablets, video games, smartwatches, and tech accessories (i.e. phone cases, watch bands, etc.),” Gramuglia noted. “You can expect similar offers this year, including discounts over 50% off select items.”

Hit up Amazon. The digital retail giant blew the roof off 2021 Cyber Monday sales added 10.8% to total annual revenues for the company and looks to top that figure in 2022.

Amazon will pull all the stops to get that job done, with deep discounts on select Alexa devices for 70%, and Nordic Track S22i Studio Cycles at 40% off, Ramhold stated. 

“Also look for select Ring devices and bundles for up to 40% off and Amazon Fire TV devices for up to 50% off,” she added.

Get physical. The physical store made a comeback in 2022 and that means Black Friday will be all the more experiential this year.

‘After training consumers to buy online, retailers saw an explosion in costs associated with their online channels, including customer acquisition, shipping, and returns,’ Levitz told TheStreet. “Customer loyalty plummeted. Suddenly, physical footprints went from a liability to a valued asset, and many direct-to-consumer brands, like Warby Parker, raced to open new stores.”

Now, brands are transforming their retail locations into full brand-immersion environments, staffed with expert enthusiasts.

“These new shopping spaces are designed to upsell and cross-sell, to educate and inspire,” Levitz noted. “There’s no such thing as casual shopping anymore: consumers are on an intentional mission to accomplish a goal.”

Retail stores need to help customers achieve that goal in ways that are not just transactional, but inspiring, educational, and experiential too.

“The goal is to attract, retain and grow your customers,” Levitz added. “Coming out of the pandemic, the store can no longer be a place where shoppers simply see and pick up an item and take it home. That model can’t compete against the convenience of e-commerce.”

Be Careful Out There. Holiday shopping, especially high-profile dates like Cyber Monday, comes at you fast. So be prepared.

“It’s important to check the fine print on an item – whether it’s the return policy, shipping timelines, or anything in between – to make sure you’re comfortable purchasing the item,” Gramuglia said. “If you don’t read the fine print, you may end up having to keep a ‘final sale’ item that you would’ve likely returned, or you may have to pay shipping costs to send the product back.”

Additionally, if you’re on the prowl come Cyber Monday, make sure you don’t miss out on any deals by installing a free money-saving tool, such as the TopCashback Browser Extension, which notifies you when you’re on a site offering cashback and coupons.

“This can also save you time by instantly applying deals, and allows you to search cashback rates directly in the extension to see where you can save the most,” Gramuglia said.