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Cyber Monday brings deals home

Online retailers offer big discounts today

By Jeff Smith, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 26, 2007 at 12:05 a.m.

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Now that you're through the first round of post-Thanksgiving sales, it's time for Cyber Monday - the Internet version of Black Friday.

Today, online retailers in Colorado and nationally are offering an unprecedented number of discounts, special deals, one-day sales and free shipping offers.

Shop.org, the national association for online retailers, coined the term Cyber Monday in 2005, after noticing a trend of consumers shopping on the Internet the Monday after Thanksgiving.

BusinessWeek magazine quickly weighed in, calling Cyber Monday a "marketing myth" representing only the 12th-biggest online shopping day of the year.

It may not be the biggest online shopping day, but Cyber Monday is gaining momentum, with e-commerce companies now marking the day with special promotions. Cyber Monday accounted for $608 million of sales in 2006, up 25 percent from $484 million the year before, according to ComScore Networks.

"That media hype really gets people thinking about the holidays," said Laila Mahmud, public relations coordinator for Denver-based eBags.com, an online bag and luggage retailer.

Mahmud said eBags' peak selling days tend to fall during the second week of December. But Cyber Monday is a strong sales day, too, she said, with consumers often starting to do their online research and shopping - sometimes at work - "based on what they saw at the bricks and mortar" stores on Black Friday.

This holiday season, eBags has a partnership with PayPal that enables consumers to delay payments by 90 days, which may be attractive for those purchasing high-end luggage, Mahmud said. EBags also is planning 20 percent discounts on most items today and has been running a promotion for $25 off the next order.

Dave Carlson, chief executive officer of Centennial-based All AboardToys.com, also said the biggest online sales days tend to come between Dec. 3 and Dec. 10, hitting a peak about two weeks before Christmas. But he also takes Black Friday and Cyber Monday seriously, saying All AboardToys.com will be promoting one-day specials, Elmo giveaways and a $1,000 shopping spree.

AllAboardToys specializes in toys, clothing and bedding of popular characters such as the Care Bears, Disney Pixar Cars, Hannah Montana and Thomas the Tank Engine.

A key to attracting customers is to make sure the company is on Internet search engines such as Google and Yahoo!, Carlson said, "so people looking for stuff online can find us."

The online retailer also decided for the first time this year to experiment with a 16-page direct-mail catalog for the holiday season.

"So far, so good," Carlson said.

Nationally, large chains such as Home Depot are putting a lot of effort into Cyber Monday.

"On Monday, we'll have special online deals for one day only," said Paula Drake, spokeswoman for the home-improvement products chain. "We did it last year (for the first time) and had the highest amount of traffic on that day of the entire year."

Even companies that don't focus on consumers are recognizing the value of promoting online holiday deals.

Boulder-based Organic Vintners, which sells organic wines, is offering $2 and $3 discounts for holiday wines promoted prominently on its Web site, Organic vintners.com.

"Our consumer business is less than 1 percent. We sell mostly through distributors," said Colleen McCafferty, marketing director.

She said there are regulatory and logistical issues as well. For example, the company can ship wines to only 17 states. So holiday online sales are more of a "side thing."

Consumers using their computers to shop online would be wise to comparison shop and know the seller's reputation, according to Steve Loyola, president of BestWebBuys.com, an online price comparison site.

Some Colorado-based online retailers

Retailers in Colorado increasingly are marking CyberMonday and the holiday season in general with discounts and special deals, including free shipping.

* AllAboardToys.com Centennial-based toy company

What's the deal: Free shipping on orders over $49 (vs. $69 year-round). Look for one-day specials, Elmo giveaways, a $1,000 shopping spree promotion, hot toys.

* eBags.com

Denver-based bag company

What's the deal: Get $25 off your next order when you spend at least $75. Free shipping for orders over $75. 20 percent discounts on most items. Also, Pay- Pal checkout, which includes an option to defer payments for 90 days.

* Enstrom.com

Grand Junction-based chocolate company

What's the deal: Featuring peppermint cookie bark (available Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, while supplies last), holiday gift baskets

* eToys.com

Denver-based eToys Direct Inc.

What's the deal: Free shipping today for orders over $99, "hot" toy list. (Memolink.com also lists top toys)

* MyTwinn.com

Doll maker owned by Denver-based eToys Direct Inc.

What's the deal: 20 percent discount off holiday dresses ends today

* onlynaturalpet.com Boulder-based natural pet product company

What's the deal: Holiday gift items for dogs and cats

* www.organicvintners .com

Boulder-based seller of organic wine

What's the deal: Holiday wine specials, $2-$3 off

Want to see more online deals?

These sites will show you bargains from all over the Web:

* Cybermonday.com * dealnews.com * gottadeal.com

Facts about Cyber Monday

* The term was coined in 2005 by Shop.org as the Internet version of Black Friday. Historically, online sales haven't been the highest on Cyber Monday, but that may be changing as online retailers increasingly offer special promotions on that day.

* Cyber Monday accounted for $608 million of sales in 2006, up from $484 million the year before, according to ComScore Networks.

* BBO Seidman says Cyber Monday will account for 12.3 percent of holiday Internet sales this year.

* 72 percent of online retailers are planning special promotions for Cyber Monday this year, up from 42.7 percent two years ago, according to BizRate Research.

* One-fourth of online retailers plan to offer free shipping, 28.9 percent are planning one-day sales, and 30 percent are planning specific deals, according to BizRate Research

Safe shopping

Steve Loyola, president of BestWebBuys.com, an online price comparison site, offers the following online shopping tips:

* Make sure you have installed the latest anti-virus software and patches.

* Go into your Internet settings and delete your "cookies." Internet cookies, which store bits of information, often are used by retailers to track a repeat shopper's buying patterns. Some retailers set prices higher for a repeat shopper than a new shopper.

* Shop early enough to guarantee the shipment will arrive on time.

* Make sure you're on a secure site before giving out your credit card information, and print and save the confirmation of your order. One way to be sure the site is secure is by looking for a closed padlock icon at the bottom of the browser window.

Sampling of deals from national online retailers

* Circuitcity.com: Free shipping on orders over $24 or 24-minute in-store pickup

* Figleaves.com: 20 percent off intimate apparel until Tuesday

* Geeks.com: Up to 80 percent off computer products

* Homedepot.com: Special Cyber Monday sales

* Ice.com: Online jewelry store offering free shipping

* Overstock.com: Free shipping on some items, discounts and clearance sales, gift recommendations

Comments

  • November 26, 2007

    10:47 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    RockyMountainBillyGoat writes:

    It turns out, based on extensive analysis, that today is not in fact "cyber Monday". That distinction is more accurately awarded to the last Monday which goods can be shipped and arrive by Christmas. You can look into my firms analysis of this issue here: http://www.expertsem.com/2007/11/21/w...
    The hype on today's sales are far overblown.