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Cyber Monday Doesn't Really Exist?

Overhype

from the self-fulfilling-prophecy dept

Tue, Nov 29th 2005 3:04am — Mike Masnick
Like many others, I'm sure, last week I started hearing people talking about "Cyber Monday." I couldn't recall ever hearing of such a thing before. The idea was that the Monday after Thanksgiving, when everyone got back to work, was some huge day of online shopping -- the equivalent of "Black Friday" (the day after Thanksgiving) in the offline shopping world. The term even made it into "The Daily Show" Monday evening. So where did the concept come from? I'm sure it won't surprise many people to discover that it was all made up by a bunch of online marketers trying to boost online sales. They came up with the idea a couple weeks ago, and rushed out a press release last week -- and suddenly fiction was considered "fact." Of course, they could have picked a better day. Apparently, the Monday after Thanksgiving has traditionally been the twelfth busiest shopping day for online stores -- which seems a lot less interesting. Still, with all this attention, it appears that the concept of Cyber Monday may become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
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19 Comments

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  1. identicon
    AJ, 29 Nov 2005 @ 4:39am

    Ha, I guess its true

    It has to be true, I just picked up a netgear wireless router from newegg.com for 20 bucks after mail in rebates (too late now, their 30 after rebates, they took off the instant 10 dollars off)
    I guess it is true then, huh?

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Jared Anderson, 29 Nov 2005 @ 4:47am

    Re: Ha, I guess its true

    I was watching MSNBC when they mentioned cyber Monday and I was like wtf cyber monday??I thought it was pretty funny becuase clearly people need a specific day to get on the computer and buy something online.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    thecaptain, 29 Nov 2005 @ 5:03am

    No Subject Given

    Just more marketting bullshit.

    When are we as a society going ot rein in these bozos?

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 29 Nov 2005 @ 5:04am

    Wasn't that the point?

    Isn't that exactly what they were hoping for to begin with? On-line stores are trying to get into Holiday shoppers minds. Creating a Holiday of sorts around on-line shopping is a good way to achieve their goal.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    WollyHood, 29 Nov 2005 @ 5:22am

    Sacrifice Thursday

    I am sure you have all heard of this day, it follows Black Friday and Cyber Monday as the busiest day on which we must all sacrifice a marketing exec on the alter of conformity.

    Remember, only one per shopper. May not be sacrificed with other offers.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    sub ubi, 29 Nov 2005 @ 5:35am

    modem monday?

    if they had to make up a fake name for some non-existent occurrence, why Cyber Monday? do people even use the term "cyber" in association with other words anymore? well, aside from one word.

    maybe that was part of the plan, to use a semi-outdated word to give the phrase some credence. "oh cyber monday? we've been calling it that since '99. where were you?"

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 29 Nov 2005 @ 5:53am

    No Subject Given

    Agreed more marketing bullshit.

    Als try to avoid mail-in rebates - this marketing method has got to go away..soon.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    drew, 29 Nov 2005 @ 6:02am

    never heard of it...

    ...but i did get a Dell 2005FPW Ultrasharp Widescreen 20" LCD Monitor for $334 (normally $579)

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  9. identicon
    Sissy Pants, 29 Nov 2005 @ 6:03am

    Cyber Monday

    Isn't ever Monday the biggest shopping day of the year? What the hell else are we supposed to do at work on mondays.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  10. identicon
    LoneWolf, 29 Nov 2005 @ 6:54am

    how silly

    I heard this Cyber Monday thing on the radio after Thanksgiving leaving me rather confused as I'd never heard of such a thing. I was worried that somehow I managed to miss out on some internet celebration for all these years.

    A popular day for online shopping seems strange though. I buy everything online except food, and the major benefits are that things are cheaper, and I can browse and purchase items at any hour of the day or week. I was keeping an eye on BestBuy's "deals" people waited all night for. Many of them could be found or better online.

    Don't try that marketing crap on me. I'll buy stuff whenever I damned well feel like it.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  11. identicon
    the cpuguru, 29 Nov 2005 @ 6:57am

    Not Surprised

    If you recall, Hallmark (the card company) tried to do the same thing a few years back by printing special days on several calendars like "bosses day", "Secretary day", and so forth.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    TheBomb, 29 Nov 2005 @ 7:27am

    Cyber Monday

    Why did they make it monday though. We all know that for most electronics/computers/software and such that the hot day of the week is tuesday. Thats when all the new stuff hits the shelves. So why didn't they know this, monday should be called cyber thanksgiving.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  13. identicon
    ViciousCircuit, 29 Nov 2005 @ 7:38am

    Re: No Subject Given

    Mail in rebates = more money in my pocket.
    I don't see the problem.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  14. identicon
    princessfrozen, 29 Nov 2005 @ 8:21am

    No Subject Given

    Its crap. I wonder who made it up...*goes to Google for the press release.*

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  15. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 29 Nov 2005 @ 8:52am

    Re: Ha, I guess its true

    That's funny because Black Friday isn't even in the top 10 for the busiest shopping days of the year.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  16. identicon
    Bob3000, 29 Nov 2005 @ 8:57am

    Re: No Subject Given

    Apparently you are unaware of the thousands of people whose rebates get rejected or 'lost'. Plus the manufacturer makes you jump through hoops to get it. No thank you (-- nod to Digg)

    :-)

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  17. identicon
    The Cable Guy, 27 Nov 2006 @ 6:54am

    Cyber Monday

    The world is ran by Money! The retail market supplies most of this Money! We supply this Money to the retail market! If we can keep a few Duckets in our pockets I say let there be Cyber Monday! If we are going to buy why not save a little and maybe get two things that we want instead of one. We still give our Money to the man and get what what we want. I know it's hard to swallow but think about it; this is how commerence works. I'll see you all online...

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  18. identicon
    The Cable Guy, 27 Nov 2006 @ 6:55am

    Cyber Monday

    The world is ran by Money! The retail market supplies most of this Money! We supply this Money to the retail market! If we can keep a few Duckets in our pockets I say let there be Cyber Monday! If we are going to buy why not save a little and maybe get two things that we want instead of one. We still give our Money to the man and get what what we want. I know it's hard to swallow but think about it; this is how commerence works. I'll see you all online...

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  19. identicon
    DK23, 27 Nov 2006 @ 9:03am

    Good so its not just me

    I took the day off (for doctors visits) and I heard about this "cyber Monday" and thought, well since I was so sick on Friday maybe I still can get some good deals. I found NOTHING great, at least nothing unusually good. Thought it was to good to be true.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]


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