What Is Cyber Monday? How Online Holiday Shopping Took Off
Black Friday may get the headlines for crowded stores and doorbuster chaos, but Cyber Monday has become one of the biggest shopping days of the year without requiring anyone to leave the couch.
Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving, when retailers offer online deals and limited-time discounts to holiday shoppers. What started as a marketing term has grown into a major retail event and a big part of how people shop during the holiday season.
As online shopping took off in the early 2000s, retailers noticed that online sales tended to spike on the Monday after Thanksgiving, and they wanted a name for the trend.
At the time, one theory was that people were returning to work after the holiday weekend and shopping online from their desks, where internet connections were often faster than what they had at home. Whether that was the whole story or not, the pattern was clear: Shoppers were still in gift-buying mode, and online deals made it easy to keep going.
Who Coined the Term Cyber Monday?
The term “Cyber Monday” was coined in a 2005 press release from Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation (NRF). The term was proposed by Ellen Davis, a PR executive at the NRF at the time. “It’s a random bit of cocktail party conversation I like to bring up sometimes,” Davis told Fast Company. “It’s surreal to think that I’m associated with a term that has taken off like this.”
Before settling on Cyber Monday, the team considered the name “Black Monday” to match the already-established Black Friday—but that name was already tied to the 1987 stock market crash.
Online sales on the Monday after Thanksgiving had been steadily increasing in the early 2000s. Retailers, always eager to promote the holiday season, responded by offering special promotions and discounts on that day. Experts lacked a definitive reason for the spike in sales but suspected it was a combination of better internet access at work, leftover shopping lists from the weekend, and the looming pressure of holiday gift-giving.
What started as a catchy marketing term quickly became an industry-changing phenomenon—and a new kind of holiday tradition.
From Cyber Monday to Cyber Week
One big reason Cyber Monday became so popular is that shopping online is more convenient than driving to the stores and waiting in line for a product (that may or may not already be sold out). No one has time for that.
Instead, Cyber Monday made it easy to browse the hottest deals from your favorite stores on your phone or laptop—from anywhere. For a lot of shoppers, it was a welcomed alternative.
Retailers also helped turn Cyber Monday into a bigger event by offering deeper discounts, flash sales, and online-only promotions. Over time, the day grew from a one-day shopping push into something closer to Cyber Week, with deals stretching across several days.
How Cyber Monday Changed Online Shopping Forever
Cyber Monday helped change the way people think about holiday shopping. It showed that online retail could compete with (and often outperform) traditional in-store events like Black Friday.
It also helped normalize the idea of shopping online for everything from electronics and clothing to gift cards and streaming subscriptions. These days, buying gifts with a few taps feels like the norm. In 2005, that still felt new to most shoppers.
And while plenty of people still enjoy the Black Friday experience, Cyber Monday has become a go-to option for anyone who prefers less chaos and more clicking.
Cyber Monday FAQ
What is Cyber Monday? Cyber Monday is an online shopping holiday that takes place on the Monday after Thanksgiving. It was created to promote internet-exclusive deals and is now one of the biggest e-commerce events of the year.
When was the first Cyber Monday? The first official Cyber Monday took place on November 28, 2005, after the National Retail Federation observed a trend of consumers shopping online the Monday following Thanksgiving weekend.
Why was Cyber Monday created? Cyber Monday was introduced as a marketing initiative to encourage people to shop online. At the time, retailers noticed increased web traffic and sales on the Monday after Thanksgiving, likely due to people returning to work and using high-speed internet connections.
How has Cyber Monday changed over the years? Since 2005, Cyber Monday has evolved from a single-day event into a week-long shopping phenomenon. It’s been fueled by changing technology, consumer preferences, and the growth of major online retailers. (We’re sure you’re acquainted with Amazon.) Today, it’s a key driver of holiday sales and a cornerstone of digital commerce strategy.
Explore Digital Marketing at UT Permian Basin
The University of Texas Permian Basin offers an online undergraduate Certificate in Digital Marketing that helps students build skills in areas like digital branding, e-marketing, and e-commerce.
If you want to better understand the strategies behind online shopping trends like Cyber Monday, UTPB’s online program can help you build practical knowledge for the digital marketplace.
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