Festivities and sales go hand in hand. Giving a discount on the products during any national or international occasion attracts a huge number of customers. This benefits the company financially and also the customers to get products at suitable, cost-effective prices. The two biggest sales of the year are – Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Key Takeaways
- Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving that marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season, with retailers offering discounts on various products. In contrast, Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving dedicated to online sales.
- Black Friday sales occur in physical stores, while Cyber Monday sales occur online.
- The difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday lies in the shopping mode, with Black Friday being a physical shopping event and Cyber Monday being an online shopping event.
Black Friday vs Cyber Monday
Black Friday is a day following Thanksgiving, known for in-store shopping with major discounts and deals on various products. Cyber Monday, is the Monday following Thanksgiving, primarily focused on online shopping, where retailers offer significant discounts and promotions on their websites and e-commerce platforms.
Black Friday is one of the biggest sales which occurs every year on the fourth Friday of November, followed by the day of Thanksgiving. Black Friday marks the beginning of the festive season, i.e., Christmas and New year Eve. Every year a huge number of customers purchase electronics, household, clothing, personal care items, and many more products due to the big offer on the products.
While Cyber Monday is also one of the biggest sales, it focuses on online purchases benefitting small retailers and also the ones who have started their fresh small businesses. Cyber Monday is followed by three days of Black Friday.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Black Friday | Cyber Monday |
|---|---|---|
| Occurence | Day after thanksgiving. | Three days after black Friday. |
| Origin | In the year 1869. | In the year 2005. |
| Medium | Physical shopping in shops and malls. | Online shopping from home. |
| Benefits | It only benefits big retailers like Walmart, Kohl’s, etc. | It benefits small businesses and retailers as well as big retailers like Amazon, Flipkart & Alibaba express, etc. |
| Preference | Customers nowadays do not prefer Black Friday much due to the huge crowds it creates. A lot of customers prefer spending time with their family and shopping in the weekend sitting at home. | Cyber Monday fulfills that demand successfully with huge offers. |
What is Black Friday?
The term Black Friday was first coined in the year 1869 on the 24th of September, and it has no relevance with big holiday shopping. The actual reason behind Black Friday is that, in the 1950s, the day after Thanksgiving, the streets and markets in Philadelphia were crowded with traffic and a huge number of people in the stores shopping for Christmas Eve.
Big retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, Kohl’s, and Target Corporation have the Black Friday sale every year. Black Friday is the biggest sale in the United States, followed by Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Romania, India, Germany, France, Australia, and many other countries.
Black Friday marks the beginning of Christmas and New year Eve unofficially. A lot of shopkeepers or dealers open their malls and stores early in the morning, and even before the day starts, a massive number of customers make a crowd in front of these malls and stores to grasp the Best Deals.
Some of the large dealers advertise about Black Friday online, too, through coupons and offer a discount in advance to provide customers time to understand sales and schemes for their purchase.
What is Cyber Monday?
Ellen Davis and Scott Silverman proposed the term Cyber Monday on November 28, 2005. Cyber Monday is followed by Black Friday for online transactions on the fourth Monday of November after Thanksgiving in countries like the United States, Canada, Romania, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and India.
Retailers brought up this innovative idea to uplift people to shop online and support small businesses. Online shopping is the biggest platform of physical shopping in today’s time. The Cyber Monday sale is grand and profits more than the Black Friday sale.
Cyber Monday is completely based online, and it benefits small retailers to a great extent. It is the best time to profit for small businesses by advertising their products & by giving online offers on their products. Big companies like Amazon, Alibaba Express, Flipkart, and many others companies provide great discount schemes on online products like cell phones, household items, toiletries, personal care items, cosmetics, clothing, shoes, electronic appliances, etc. These big online platforms also allow small retailers to sell their products.
Customers enjoy Cyber Monday for many reasons. Many people want to spend time with their family during the holiday and do not want to go to the market just to get some negotiation on the items, while many people also don’t want to stand and wait in the big crowd that forms on Black Friday. Cyber Monday provides customers with a convenient, crowd less way to shop and spend on some or many great deals. Many dealers now offer free shipping as a spur to shop on Cyber Monday, making online shopping even more appealing.
Main Differences Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday
- Black Friday is a physical sale, whereas Cyber Monday is an online sale.
- Black Friday is after the day of Thanksgiving, whereas Cyber Monday is three days after Black Friday.
- Black Friday benefits big retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, and Kohl’s, whereas Cyber Monday benefits small businesses and retailers along with big retailers.
- Black Friday unofficially commences at the beginning of Christmas Eve, whereas Cyber Monday is followed by Black Friday.
- Cyber Monday is favored by customers more than Black Friday as it helps customers to shop at home during the weekend.
- https://www.inderscienceonline.com/doi/abs/10.1504/IJEMR.2013.052884
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698912001233
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Chara Yadav holds MBA in Finance. Her goal is to simplify finance-related topics. She has worked in finance for about 25 years. She has held multiple finance and banking classes for business schools and communities. Read more at her bio page.
The article does a great job explaining how Black Friday and Cyber Monday differ and how each sale benefits retailers and consumers, both in-store and online.
The comprehensive comparison of Black Friday and Cyber Monday is very informative. The emphasis on the historical origins of these events provides valuable context to their significance in the retail industry.
An interesting and comprehensive comparison between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s quite enlightening to read about the origin of Black Friday and the major differences between the two major shopping events of the year.
Absolutely, Mark. I find the historical origin of Black Friday very intriguing. The transition to online shopping during Cyber Monday is truly revolutionary as well.
The detailed comparison provides a solid understanding of the evolution and significance of these sales events. It’s clear that both Black Friday and Cyber Monday are key to the retail industry’s annual success.
The detailed comparison of Black Friday and Cyber Monday provides valuable insights into the evolution of retail sales and consumer preferences over the years. The historical background offers a compelling context for understanding these events.
This article effectively outlines the distinctive features of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, shedding light on their origins, customer preferences, and significance for retailers. The comprehensive comparison offers valuable insights for both consumers and businesses.
The article effectively highlights the unique benefits and preferences associated with both Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Moreover, the insights into the historical background add depth to the discussion.
I found the breakdown of the major differences between Black Friday and Cyber Monday very enlightening. The emphasis on how each sale caters to different customer preferences is quite interesting.
The article’s detailed explanation of Black Friday and Cyber Monday provides a thorough understanding of these retail events. The historical context and contrast between physical and online shopping is particularly insightful.