We don’t know about you, but we can already feel the excitement and anticipation for Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the air. A lot of people have been saving up since summer to take advantage of all the awesome deals that businesses are preparing to offer on November 29.
Black Friday typically happens during the whole month of November, and it’s a great time to buy tech items like laptops, smartphones, speakers, headphones, and TVs. However, right after Black Friday comes Cyber Monday and it can be confusing to figure out which event offers the best deals.
In this article, we’re going to help you differentiate between the two so you can figure out how to find the best specials.
History of Black Friday
A lot of people are curious about how Black Friday started and there isn’t a lot of information available about it out there. The most popular theory is that Black Friday started like this: Retail stores noticed that sales would spike on the day after Thanksgiving as shoppers would scramble to start Christmas shopping early.
Retail stores saw it fit to take advantage of this situation by organizing major sales that allowed them to turn massive profits over this time period. However, this historic site has another story which it claims to be the more accurate account.
The site states that the term “Black Friday” was created by Philadelphia police as a way to describe the chaos that ensued during the annual Army-Navy football event which would happen on the day after Thanksgiving. Only in the early 1980s did retailers start embracing this term and co-optic it for commercial purposes.
While Black Friday will take place on the 29th of November this year, there will be plenty of deals to take advantage of before that date.
Cyber Monday has its origins in 2005. While online shopping had already gained enough popularity to become normalized, shoppers still required extra motivation around this time of the year. This is when online stores started their own version of Black Friday but called it Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday is so-called because the Internet was known as cyberspace back in the day.
Online retailers chose Monday based on research data which showed that people prefer shopping at the office where they had access to high-speed connectivity and fast computers.
Keep in mind that Monday is often the most macabre day at the office so people saw it as a much-needed respite from the humdrum of office life and based on the lucrative results offered by the first few Cyber Mondays, the event sort of just stuck.
Differences between Black Friday and Cyber Monday
What differentiates Black Friday from Cyber Monday is the fact that the former allows you to shop for specials at brick and mortar stores while the latter is all about online sales and discounts.
Whether you shop on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, you’re bound to come across a lot of great deals when it comes to tech devices and electronic appliances. With that said, there are certain purchases that should ideally be made on a Cyber Monday.
For instance, fashion lovers and anyone that’s looking for general deals other than tech gadgets will do well to save their coin until Cyber Monday.
Cyber Monday is also great for buying small appliances like microwaves, blenders, juicers, kettles, etc.
The good news is that most retailers start their deals on Black Friday and continue on into Cyber Monday. This means that you have a chance of getting even better deals on Cyber Monday on the same items that you would’ve bought on Black Friday. The only downside is that there’s a possibility that the item might sell out by Cyber Monday if you choose to wait for it.
Our recommendation would be to definitely buy items that you really like on Black Friday instead of waiting for Cyber Monday. Better to get the item at a significant discount than wake up to find it sold out by Cyber Monday.
As we said, most people have been planning for Black Friday the whole year so items sell out fast – sometimes within minutes.
How to Prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2019?
If you want to get the best out of Black Friday and Cyber Monday then you must prepare ahead of time. The first rule of preparation is to figure out what it is that you want to purchase and where you’re going to purchase it from.
The easiest way to do this would be to create a wish list of all the items that you’re after. It can be retailer-specific but that’s not a necessary requirement. The most important thing is to be specific about the actual items that you like. We suggest that you get it down to the make and model if you can.
It’s also important to figure out what type of budget you’re working with. Are you looking for a budget-friendly soundbar or are you looking to get a high-end smartphone on a special deal?
A lot of big-box retailers will start advertising their Black Friday specials from midnight, November 29th. Our advice would be to chug a lot of coffee or energy drinks so you can stay up all night on Thursday. You don’t want to be late for the best deals!
When it comes to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s important to not fall for the hype. Keep in mind that brands will go out of their way to make you feel as if you’re missing out. Expect to see headings like “Prices not to be repeated again!”, “Opportunity of a lifetime!” It goes on…
While both Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer amazing deals, you can just as easily find the same (if not better) deals all throughout the year if you know what to look for. The best way to get the most out of both events is to do your research beforehand, budget properly and make sure that you’re buying stuff at the right price for you.
What do you get from three nerds (Joe, Ray, and Paul) that decide to create a functioning tech gadget review site? The first is data-driven arguments lasting way into the night. You can read more…
What do you get from three nerds (Joe, Ray, and Paul) that decide to create a functioning tech gadget review site? The first is data-driven arguments lasting way into the night. You can read more...
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