With the retail weekend of the year now here, the debate of Black Friday vs Cyber Monday has been reignited. So which one really offers the best discounts?
Just like how many of us aren’t aware of the origin of Black Friday, how Black Friday works vs Cyber Monday is not something shoppers tend to know much about. Every year, these huge sales start and we’re overcome with some of the best bargains of the year, without much thinking about whether one of the shopping days is better than the other for different stores and on different types of products.
Where Black Friday was once traditionally an in-store event, designed to help big retailers get the most out of the lead-up to Christmas, it’s now become as much of an online affair as a physical one – if not more. Especially in 2020, where things are looking a little bit different. Now everywhere from Boots to John Lewis and beyond are looking to take the majority of their customers online for Black Friday 2020 deals to better stick to social distancing guidelines, while making sure that everyone gets the discounts and bargains they want.
In the previous years, these reductions have included some of the best Black Friday baby deals and major reductions on kids’ favourites in Black Friday Disney deals. But which day is better for these sales – Black Friday or Cyber Monday? And which brands will be showcasing their best deals on Cyber Monday?
What is Cyber Monday 2020?
Cyber Monday is the first Monday after Black Friday and in 2020, it falls on November 30. It’s traditionally when online retailers take over, with buyers going from in-store shopping (in any other year apart from this one) to their laptops for amazing savings across electronics, clothes, kids’ toys and so much more.
The Argos Cyber Monday sale is a great example of this, as they’re highlighting reductions on kitchen appliances, perfect for the upcoming festive season, as well as much-loved electronics like games consoles and smart watches on Cyber Monday. Even though they also had a Black Friday sale, because Argos does most of their business online, they’re serving up some of the best deals this Monday.
But they’re not the only ones, sports brand Wiggle have a sale that is lasting into December as will the Tesco Black Friday sale. So Cyber Monday is set to be a real winner in 2020 for anyone looking for Christmas gifts in the lead up to the festive season or just searching to finally upgrade their winter essentials.
Black Friday vs Cyber Monday: What’s the difference?
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Aside from Black Friday being traditionally in store and Cyber Monday taking place online, there is another major difference between the two days. Normally, larger electronics, Apple products and big-ticket appliances are discounted on Black Friday, whereas smaller appliances and clothes are more likely to be reduced on Cyber Monday. But it’s certainly not an exact science and with more deals set to feature across stores in 2020 Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, there’s bound to be hoards of deals throughout the whole weekend. Some sales start even earlier, like the Amazon Prime Day which actually takes place on October 13 and 14 this year, and others continue well into December.
Research from Awin.com can also contribute to the debate of Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday. Their statistics suggest that people spend more on Black Friday, rather than Cyber Monday. In 2019, there was a growth in commission (which roughly translates to sales) on Black Friday by 25 percent compared to the previous year, but the increase on Cyber Monday was just 13 percent. Surprisingly, however, the biggest growth in sales in 2019 actually came from days outside of the big shopping weekend. For example, on the Thursday before Black Friday, sales increased by 38 percent and on the Wednesday, by 47 percent! Awin reckons this means that the focus on shopping over the sales period is moving earlier in the month than ever before.
The same research also suggests that more people are shopping on Black Friday than Cyber Monday, with just over 40 percent of sales tracked by Awin occuring over the Black Friday weekend in 2019, compared to just 21.7 percent on Cyber Monday. While under 50 percent of sales occurring on Black Friday might not sound like a lot, in the 24 hours of last year’s Black Friday alone, there were 24 sales per second which adds up to more than two million sales in total.
Are Cyber Monday as good as Black Friday?
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The discounted items might change between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with larger items set to be reduced on the first day of the sales and smaller items including clothes normally discounted on the Monday, how much money you can save tends to be similar on both days. Especially on technology and electronics. These deals from the likes of the John Lewis Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale, and the Amazon Black Friday sale tend to be almost identical.
As the managing director of Gekko, Daniel Todaro tells GoodtoKnow, “No, neither is better than the other, however, what it offers is an opportunity for physical retail to capitalise on a 24hr sales bonanza and those who trade solely online, the opportunity to do the same 48 hours later. Retailers with an omnichannel approach (a physical and online presence) are able to capitalise twice on the opportunity, offering different offers on each event.”
For those looking to swoop in on the best discounts and Black Friday reductions, Daniel says, “Be prepared. Go to store knowing what you want and don’t procrastinate as Black Friday offers are limited and only for that day. Stock will be limited and if it doesn’t sell out, the price will immediately go back up again ready for the Christmas sales. On Cyber Monday, check out items online creating your basket ready to refresh on the day and check out, if it’s a price you’re prepared to pay. Again, don’t procrastinate, these products will also be limited in quantity and priced to sell out.”
For more great deals, it’s also worth checking out the Amazon Prime Day which happens in October. While we reckon the online shopping giant will have some incredible bargains on technology over the early sale period, we already know that there are some fantastic deals on Amazon toys and games coming our way.
What brands are taking part in Cyber Monday 2020?
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Most of the brands who take part in Black Friday also take part in Cyber Monday, so shoppers can expect savings from their favourite shops and sites right through the weekend.
As noted, the deals from the Argos Cyber Monday sale are looking particularly good as the discounts range from cookery essentials to homeware, toys and more. For the same reason, the Tesco sale is looking fantastic, with some of our favourite kitchen appliances now up to half price and plenty of deals on games in the lead up to Christmas.
KitchenAid mixers have also taken a hit across the whole weekend with many reduced by hundreds of pounds in some cases, turning them from high-priced items into affordable deals. The same goes for NutriBullet blenders, now with reductions across sites like Amazon.
Fitness fanatics will love the Wiggle sale as the retailer has reduced their cycling and running clothes, equipment and more by as much as 55 percent. John Lewis has almost done the same as a big surprise, with reductions on their Sweaty Betty range along with loads of other key brands like Calvin Klein.
For those looking for clothes and accessories, we know that Topshop is taking 25% off everything on the site at the moment and New Look is handing out deals on coats with more than 60% off on the website.
Homeware essentials like throw pillows, curtains, duvets and more are coming from the H&M Cyber Monday sale for us this year. We particularly love this deal on blankets, perfect for cosying up with now the weather has taken a turn. Similarly La Redoute has some of the best deals we’ve seen on furniture like this Hiba dining room table and Rattan-style bed.
Black Friday vs Cyber Monday: Which one is better for clothes?
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In 2019, almost 50 percent more shops discounted their clothes on Cyber Monday compared to Black Friday and similar rates were seen on shoes as well. So while it’s not an exact science, we do reckon that if you’re in the market for a new wardrobe, you really need to scout around on Cyber Monday. But with deals flying off the shelves over the whole weekend, if you see your perfect winter coat or ideal pair of trainers on Black Friday then be sure to snap up the deal while it’s hot, as it’s unlikely to be reduced again the following week.
Daniel has over 20 years in the industry and currently works alongside brands like John Lewis, Currys PC Word and Google. He says this is because,”For all retailers, it’s the blow out they need to sell through existing ranges but more importantly, purge themselves of old stock that’s gone a bit stale. Don’t forget it’s a sale and by their nature, they are intended to clear the way for the next season of new and exciting products. However this year, a year like no other, we may find that the impact of the pandemic may create more bargains than normally available”.
Black friday vs Cyber Monday: Which one is better for electronics?
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Since the Black Friday sales began, electronics have been a huge feature and are famously deeply discounted in places like Argos and in the Wiggle Black Friday sales. But in recent years, as Cyber Monday has started to become more and more popular, there have been some fantastic deals on electronics from the Friday, right up until the Monday and in many years, beyond into December. So when it comes down to the debate of Black Friday vs Cyber Monday, there’s a few things to think about…
Last year at Amazon, shoppers saw products like the Echo Dot reduced by half on both days but deals on cameras came up big especially after the weekend. For instance, the Olympus PEN E-PL9 16 MP Compact System Camera with Electric Zoom was reduced from a huge £579.99 to £379 on Cyber Monday, but the discount was less on Black Friday. Elsewhere, Apple products were also a huge feature of Cyber Monday as stores like Currys PC World discounted items like Apply AirPods and the latest model of iPad by as much as £50.
As much as the bargains might come flying in on Black Friday, it seems that they are equally up for grabs on Cyber Monday, with reductions on larger items coming in first and then deals on smaller products arriving afterward. But as our expert says, it’s rarely a done deal so it’s best to be quick when you see the deals that you want as they’re not likely to be available for long.
Along with classics deals on electronics from the likes of Argos, this year we’re also expecting big things from the Tesco Black Friday 2020 sale if last year’s were anything to go by. So if you’re looking for cracking deals on electronics, games and consoles, we suggest you head over the supermarket’s website on Black Friday for some surprisingly good discounts.
Is Cyber Monday only online?
The name speaks for itself; Cyber Monday is a strictly online sale and the deals that you might find in shops on Black Friday are not guaranteed to stretch over the weekend.
‘Cyber Monday’ is a phrase created by Ellen Davis and Scott Silverman from the US National Retail Federation and Shop.org back in 2005, to try and move some retail offers online when the world wide web was still in its early years. At the beginning, it was designed to help smaller retailers compete with the big companies, but as expected, larger chains cottoned on quickly and jumped on the bandwagon.
But Cyber Monday still continues to be a major online affair for retailers who don’t have a store presence, as one of two days a year that they can expect customers to know they’ll be offering some real worthwhile deals.
So while the debate of Black Friday vs Cyber Monday rages on, we reckon that you’ll be fine either way – just strike while the iron’s hot!