Washington, November 23, 2009—Holiday shoppers looking for bargains aren’t
likely to be disappointed when they learn what retailers have planned for
Cyber Monday. According to Shop.org’s eHoliday Survey, conducted by
BIGresearch, nearly nine in ten (87.1%) retailers will have a special
promotion for Cyber Monday, up from 83.7 percent last year and 72.2 percent
in 2007. The most popular promotions are expected to be specific deals
(42.9%), one-day sales (32.9%), and free shipping on all purchases (15.7%).
Half of retailers (50.0%) will distribute promotions and deals to shoppers
through a special Cyber Monday email.*
“Retailers have a very acute sense of the importance of Cyber Monday in
kick-starting holiday sales and have been planning their promotions for
months,” said Scott Silverman, Executive Director of Shop.org. “It seems
like companies up the ante every year for Cyber Monday, and many holiday
shoppers are eagerly anticipating the bargains that await them this year.”
Cyber Monday, a term coined by Shop.org in 2005, began after retailers
noticed a trend of people shopping online on the Monday after Thanksgiving.
Today, Cyber Monday is viewed as the ceremonial kickoff to the online
holiday shopping season, when shoppers flood websites expecting robust
promotions and many retailers highlight some of their most compelling
holiday offers.
While online retailers will feature promotions and savings on their own
sites, more than 700 companies have come together again this year to feature
their Cyber Monday deals in one place. At
CyberMonday.com, which
launched three years ago, retailers will be posting holiday promotions and
special savings both on Cyber Monday and throughout the holidays.
CyberMonday.com, powered by Mall Networks, was created by retailers as a
one-stop shop for consumers looking for the best Cyber Monday promotions.
In addition to hundreds of special offers, some of which will be exclusive
promotions only available on the site, CyberMonday.com will feature a Deal
of the Hour on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year, highlighting a
different retail promotion every 60 minutes. (Most retailers participating
in Black Friday Deals of the Hour will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 24;
Cyber Monday Deals of the Hour will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 29.) Offers
will include free shipping specials, dollars off, percentages off, and free
gifts with purchase.
All CyberMonday.com proceeds received by Shop.org benefit its
Ray M. Greenly Scholarship Fund, which helps students pursuing careers
in retail. Ray Greenly was a Vice President at Shop.org before passing away
from cancer in 2005. More than $900,000 has been raised for the scholarship
fund through CyberMonday.com.
Over Half of People with Internet at Work Will Shop at the Office
This year, 53.5 percent of workers with Internet access, or 68.8 million
people, will shop for holiday gifts from work. As in previous years, some
employees are more likely to make a dent in their wish lists than others.
According to the survey, three-fourths (73.8%) of young adults 18-24 with
Internet access will shop at work, and men are more likely to shop from work
than women (56.3% vs. 50.8%).
“Although employers may cringe at the thought of their workers browsing or
buying gifts online at work, there is a potential bright side,” said Phil
Rist, Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, BIGresearch.
“Employees who spend ten minutes at the office completing their holiday
shopping online are likely to be much more efficient than those who use
extended lunch breaks waiting in line at the store and fighting holiday
traffic on the way back to work. “
About the Surveys
The Shop.org eHoliday Study, conducted by BIGresearch, polled 70 retailers
and was conducted Sept. 14 – Oct. 6, 2009. The poll on consumer shopping at
work was conducted for Shop.org by BIGresearch from November 3-10, 2009. The
survey, which polled 8,692 consumers, has a margin of error of plus or minus
1.0 percent.
BIGresearch is a
consumer market intelligence firm that provides unique consumer insights
that are gathered online utilizing very large sample sizes. BIGresearch’s
syndicated Consumer Intentions and Actions survey monitors the pulse of more
than 8,000 consumers each month to empower its clients with unique insights
for identifying opportunities in a fragmented and changing marketplace.
Shop.org, a division of the
National Retail Federation, is the world's leading membership community for
digital retail. Founded in 1996, Shop.org's 600 members include the 10 largest
retailers in the U.S. and more than 60 percent of the Internet Retailer
Top 100 E-Retailers. It's where the best retail minds come together to gain the
insight, knowledge and intelligence to make smarter, more informed decisions in
the evolving world of the Internet and multichannel retailing. Shop.org programs
and activities include benchmarking research, events and networking
communities.
*More than 20 retailers have shared their
Cyber Monday promotions in advance with Shop.org, including press contact
information at each company. Contact
Margaret Little for retailer PR information
###
National Retail Federation