Ecommerce Retailers Gear Up For Cyber Monday

In fact, November 27, the Monday after Thanksgiving, is expected to be one of the biggest online holiday shopping days again this year.

Online retailers have good reason to focus on the office crowd, as the number of people who will shop online for holiday gifts from work is expected to surge to 61.0 million people this year, up from 51.7 million people last year, according to a recent Shop.org survey conducted by BIGresearch. In fact, more than half of consumers (50.7%) with Internet access at work plan to do some holiday shopping online from the office, up from 44.7 percent last year. Young adults with online access at work are the most likely to shop, with almost three-fourths (71.5%) of 18-24 year-olds and two-thirds (66.4%) of 25-34 year-olds planning to browse or buy online from the office this holiday season.

While some shoppers are undoubtedly shopping during working hours, employers find most people shopping online during their lunch hours or before and after work.

"Online retailers typically see huge surges in website traffic during traditional lunch hours," said Scott Silverman, Executive Director of Shop.org. "Shopping at work can be a great way for many consumers to complete holiday buying without having to worry about sneaky gift recipients looking over their shoulders."

On Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving, online retailers will be unveiling an array of promotions to demonstrate what websites have to offer this holiday season. There will certainly be a lot at stake: according to the Shop.org/Shopzilla eHoliday Mood Study, conducted by BizRate Research, Cyber Monday was the second biggest shopping day of the holiday season last year. (December 12, which was one of the last days online retailers offered free standard shipping, was first.)

Online Retailers Create One-Stop Shop for Cyber Monday

This year, online retailers have banded together for a cause to create one place where shoppers can find the best Cyber Monday deals. At CyberMonday.com, which launches today, nearly 400 online retailers will be posting holiday promotions and special savings both for Cyber Monday and throughout the holiday season. CyberMonday.com, powered by Mall Networks, was created as a one-stop shop for consumers looking for the best Cyber Monday promotions.

"When consumers started calling us last year asking which retailers were offering Cyber Monday promotions, we decided it was time to provide one central location for shoppers to find the best holiday deals," said Scott Silverman, Executive Director of Shop.org. "This year, online retailers have come together to create one place where shoppers can find the most enticing Cyber Monday promotions. And not only will people find the best bargains at CyberMonday.com, they will also be supporting a scholarship fund created to help students who are pursuing retail careers."

In addition to providing consumers with special savings and discounts, CyberMonday.com has a higher purpose. When shoppers make a purchase through CyberMonday.com, retailers will provide a percentage of that sale to Shop.org. All of the proceeds received by Shop.org from the website will be donated to Shop.org's Ray M. Greenly Scholarship Fund, which helps students pursuing careers in eCommerce. Ray Greenly was a Vice President at Shop.org before passing away from cancer in 2005.

About the Surveys

The poll on consumer shopping at work was conducted for Shop.org by BIGresearch from November 1-8, 2006. The survey, which polled 8,090 consumers, has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.0 percent. The Shop.org/Shopzilla eHoliday Mood Study, conducted by BizRate Research, was designed to gauge consumer behavior and online retailers' success during the winter holiday season. The poll of 104 online retailers, all members of Shop.org, was conducted January 10-12, 2006.

Shop.org is the network for retailers online. Its 600 members include the 10 largest retailers in the U.S., and 70 percent of the Internet Retailer Top 100 E-Retailers. It's where the best retail minds come together to gain the insight, knowledge, and intelligence to make smarter, more informed decisions in the evolving world of the Internet and multichannel retailing. Founded in 1996, Shop.org became a division of the National Retail Federation in January 2001. Shop.org programs and activities include benchmarking research, events and networking communities.