Cyber Monday Gains Popularity As A Top Holiday Shopping Day, According To PriceGrabber Survey

PriceGrabbers’latest survey reveals that Cyber Monday (Nov. 26) will be even bigger this year with 41 percent of consumers planning to shop online, up from 37 in 2011. More consumers also plan to use their mobile device to shop that day.

Cyber Monday will celebrate its seventh anniversary in 2012, and consumer motivation for shopping on the day synonymous with the best online deals continues to grow in popularity, according to survey data from leading shopping comparison site PriceGrabber.com. Further results from PriceGrabbers third winter holiday shopping survey reveal that, when asked to select which days they plan to shop over the Thanksgiving weekend (choosing as many of the four days as they liked), 41 percent of respondents said Cyber Monday, a steady increase from 37 percent last year and 33 percent in 2010. Conducted from Oct. 1 to Oct. 24, 2012, the survey includes responses from 4,958 U.S. online shopping consumers.

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When the 41 percent of consumers who plan to shop on Cyber Monday were asked if they plan to shop more on Cyber Monday versus Black Friday (Nov. 23) this year, 58 percent said they plan to do so, 30 percent indicated they will shop the same amount on both days and 12 percent said they do not plan to shop more on Cyber Monday compared to Black Friday.

Consumers Will Shop On Cyber Monday For Discounts And Free Shipping

Shoppers plan to take advantage of retailer offers and incentives on Cyber Monday as they continually look for deals on holiday gifts this season. When the consumers who plan to shop on Cyber Monday were asked to select all of the reasons they plan to do so, an overwhelming 84 percent indicated that they wanted to take advantage of one-day deals, discounts and free-shipping offers.

This was followed by 31 percent who indicated a willingness to buy on Cyber Monday after looking for sales during Black Friday weekend, and 29 percent wanted to get their holiday shopping done early. Twelve percent indicated they wanted to spend Black Friday weekend speaking with friends and family about their gift lists, 7 percent noted that Cyber Monday is a tradition with family and friends, 5 percent said they consider it an excuse to take a break from work, and another 3 percent indicated that their office Internet connection is faster than the one at home.

Most Cyber Monday Consumers Will Shop From Home; Mobile Presence Increases

While Cyber Monday is often associated with employees returning to the office after the Thanksgiving weekend only to spend the bulk of the workday browsing for holiday deals online, PriceGrabbers’ survey data revealed that the workplace will not be the most popular location to conduct Cyber Monday shopping in 2012. When consumers who plan to shop on Cyber Monday were asked to specify from where they plan to shop, 83 percent indicated home, 11 percent said work and 6 percent will shop on the go from a mobile device. Consumers mobile shopping plans continue to increase this holiday season, up from the 4 percent of consumers that planned to shop from a mobile device on Cyber Monday last year.

Consumers Will Shop In The Morning To Grab The Best Deals Early

Cyber Monday consumers believe that the early bird gets the worm. When consumers who plan to shop on Cyber Monday were asked to indicate what time they plan to shop, 30 percent said in the early morning (5 a.m. to 8:59 a.m.), 29 percent said in the late morning (9 a.m. to 11:59 a.m.), 17 percent said in the evening (7 p.m. to 12 a.m.), 15 percent said in the afternoon (12 p.m. to 4:59 p.m.) and 9 percent said in the early evening (5 p.m. to 6:59 p.m.).

Industry forecasts predict growth in online holiday sales this season, and our survey data is in line with this trend, revealing strong consumer interest in online shopping on Cyber Monday to take advantage of retailer incentives, said Rojeh Avanesian, vice president of marketing and analytics of PriceGrabber.com. While most consumers plan to shop from a home computer on Cyber Monday, we anticipate that mobile shopping will continue to gain momentum, allowing even busy commuters to make the most of what retailers are sure to offer on Cyber Monday.

Clothing And Consumer Electronics Expected To Be Cyber Monday’s Most Popular Gifts

According to PriceGrabbers’ survey, consumers cite clothing and consumer electronics as the top gift purchases on Cyber Monday. Consumers who indicated that they will shop on Cyber Monday (respondents could select as many choices as they liked), 53 percent said that they will purchase clothing as gifts. This was followed by 47 percent who said they will purchase consumer electronics; 43 percent said they will buy computers, laptops, tablets or related equipment; another 43 percent indicated books, CDs, DVDs or video games; 34 percent said they will purchase toys; and 31 percent picked shoes.

For shrewd holiday shopping to fit your budget, visit http://www.pricegrabber.com to browse products, compare prices, read merchant reviews, find local deals, online deals, and more. Download the mobile application for smart shopping on the go.