Get ready for the most anticipated sale season of the year!
Now that Thanksgiving is approaching, many people around the world are giddy with excitement as they impatiently wait for the significant event that follows – Black Friday! Retailers and online shoppers alike will be going all out on their discounts and promos, enticing buyers to splurge and buy to their heart’s content. In accordance to this, let us discuss the history of the mega sales event that we have come to know as Black Friday (and also Cyber Monday).
What is Cyber Weekend?
Cyber Weekend originally sprouted from Black Friday, which falls on the first Friday after Thanksgiving. Whereas Black Friday mainly focuses on retail sales, the weekend that follows usually urges consumers to shop online instead, with countless e-vouchers and discounts promoted by online sellers on different e-commerce platforms, hence earning its name “Cyber Weekend”.
Cyber Weekend then extends to Cyber Monday, in which the anticipated online sales will be continuing till the Monday that follows right after the weekend. With an event as major as this, it would be a shame for small business owners or e-commerce sellers to miss out on this huge opportunity.
Fret not! Pixlr is here to help you take full advantage of this event. Being the biggest sale season of the year, you will need a thorough preparation to make sure your products and brand stand out from the rest of your competitors.
Check out our latest Black Friday templates here.
Black Friday
Though Black Friday is now coined as a marketing gimmick by retailers, its true origin story is quite unexpected. Back in the 50s, the Philadelphian police force used this term to describe the chaos that ensured on the day after Thanksgiving, as many shoppers and tourists flooded into the city to witness the annual Army-Navvy football match.
Due to the uncontrollable crowd and traffic, the Philly cops were forced to deal with long shifts and were unable to take the day off. By 1980s, the term has spread nationwide, with retailers having found a way to shift the term’s negative connotations away and reinvented it, making it an event that people can react positively to.
Now, the occasion marks the starting period of Christmas shopping, with people utilizing the mega discounts to buy gifts and mainly electronics, resulting in a boost of profit for retail stores.
Cyber Monday
Beginning in early 2000s, the term Cyber Monday was originally invented as an extension of the Black Friday sales. The event falls on the first Monday that follows Thanksgiving, and true to its name, Cyber Monday urges consumers to shop solely online.
First launched in 2005 with the intention of promoting online retail, Cyber Monday has contributed to the massive growth of online shopping particularly in the United States. With the generous discounts offered online, Cyber Monday’s revenue amounted to a record of $9.4 billion by 2019.
What’s the difference?
As mentioned before, the most apparent differentiator between Black Friday and Cyber Monday would be the shopping location. Whereas Black Friday focuses on in-store shopping experiences, Cyber Monday gives buyers the freedom to skip the overbearing queueing, and rushed crowd instead.
Whereas Black Friday is mainly used for electronics shopping, Cyber Monday sales are utilized more freely, with buyers’ shopping ranging from furniture, clothes and Christmas gifts.
How much do people spend?
In 2020, it was found that shoppers spent $6.3 million per minute online, with an estimated amount of $27.50 per person. Traffic to affiliate site blackfriday.com also gained a massive hike, in which it increased by 96%.
Smartphone purchases accounted to 40% of spending too, with Amazon’s conversion rates soaring to $34.5 billion. In total, the revenue of Black Friday in 2020 amounted to $188.2 billion worldwide.
Are you excited for Cyber Weekend?
Having read this huge numbers, are you thrilled on the upcoming shopping spree? Make sure to get the best deals and be quick! Also, be on the lookout for SOMETHING BIG coming from Pixlr this Black Friday, bringing you more surprises and attractive deals!
