What eCommerce Retailers Should Expect for Cyber Monday 2021

As online shopping has become an increasingly important source of revenue for businesses, Cyber Monday has become possibly the most important day of the year, especially for e-commerce sellers.

The first official Cyber Monday occurred in 2005 to have a day dedicated to online sales that were separate from Black Friday events.

In 2020, shoppers spent an estimated $34.4 billion during Cyber Week and around $10.8 billion by the end of the day on Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday 2020 is currently the largest online shopping day in U.S. history.

Each year, the lines between Black Friday and Cyber Monday get a little bit more blurred. In fact, Black Friday 2020 saw approximately $9 billion in online sales, making it the second-largest online shopping day after Cyber Monday 2020.

In 2019, Black Friday surpassed Cyber Monday as the busiest online shopping day for the first time. While Cyber Monday saw 83.3 million online shoppers, Black Friday saw 93.2 million.

Earlier sales and extended sales for Black Friday have put an increased amount of pressure on online retailers to start their sales earlier and keep them running for longer than just the day of Cyber Monday.

2020 saw a massive increase in online sales throughout the year, largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite this, Cyber Monday was still a huge success, even in a year where online shopping had been in high demand already.

After last year’s shipping delays and shortages, many shoppers are worried about seeing the same thing happen again this year. 

Here’s what you can expect to see from Cyber Monday 2021.

E-Commerce Crucial for Business Success

Even as more and more people nationwide get vaccinated against Covid-19, concerns about increases in cases or new variations of the virus have led many businesses to proactively shift their holiday retail plans toward online sales rather than in-person sales.

Some of the biggest in-person retail stores, including Target, Kohl’s, Walmart, and Best Buy, have already announced their plans to close their stores on Thanksgiving day this year.

In years past, stores would open late at night on Thanksgiving day to get a head start on Black Friday sales. In more recent years, stores were even opening during the day on Thanksgiving.

Just like last year, many businesses plan on relying on online sales to carry them through the holiday season. 

e-Commerce businesses without physical stores may see an increase in competition against big in-person retailers as their doors close and they turn towards online sales for a larger part of their revenue this year.

Experts predict that Cyber Monday 2021 will once again be the busiest online shopping day of the year.

Holiday Shopping Done Earlier

After the shipping delays and inventory shortages faced by retailers and shoppers last year, surveys show that 50% of shoppers in the U.S. will finish their holiday shopping before Cyber Monday this year.

About five percent of American shoppers report that they have already finished their holiday shopping for the year, and another 12% announce their plans to finish holiday shopping by Halloween.

This is not surprising, given the supply chain issues businesses have been facing over the past year. Customers want to be sure that their gifts arrive in time for the holidays.

Because of this, shoppers are willing to pay more now rather than wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals to purchase holiday gifts.

This leaves online businesses with two main options: move holiday sales campaigns up earlier to match the shift in the shopping window, or find a way to ensure customer satisfaction while keeping holiday sales campaigns on the original schedule.

It may be tempting to move up your Cyber Monday sales, but the best thing to do is to rely on strong customer service to boost sales, even if your business faces delays or shortages.

This takes stress off your business and your employees by keeping campaign plans on schedule, and it ensures that customers are happy and therefore more likely to purchase from you in the future.

Listing Mirror is Here to Help

Cyber Monday should be an exciting opportunity for your e-commerce business, not an additional stressor.

Our multi-channel listing software is designed to simplify your business processes and contribute to your ability to create the most positive customer experience possible.

We provide a range of support services for your business, integrations with popular e-commerce platforms, inventory support, listing data support, and easier orders and fulfillment.

Are you looking for a way to save time this year and focus your efforts on preparing for your strongest Cyber Monday yet?Contact us today and see how we can help your e-commerce business make the most out of Cyber Monday 2021. Click the button below to start your free trial!

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