Cyber Monday deals have turned the Monday after Thanksgiving into the biggest online shopping day of the year, with billions spent on electronics, fashion, travel and more.
In 2025, the focus is less on one-day flash sales and more on a full “Cyber Week” of rolling online promotions – but the core idea is the same: heavy digital discounts and free delivery designed to keep shoppers buying from their phones and laptops rather than in store.
How Cyber Monday started
Cyber Monday began as a marketing phrase used by Shop.org, an online arm of the National Retail Federation, to brand the Monday after Black Friday as a special day for internet bargains.
At the time many households still had slow dial-up connections, so retailers leaned into the idea that shoppers would browse in malls over the weekend and then complete their purchases online from their desks on Monday.
While it started in the United States, the idea spread quickly. Major retail markets such as Canada, the UK and parts of Europe, Latin America and the Middle East now run Cyber Monday campaigns, even though they do not celebrate Thanksgiving.
Cyber Monday deals and global spending trends
Online spending around Cyber Monday has scaled dramatically in the past decade.
Adobe Digital Insights reported that consumers spent $13.3 billion online on Cyber Monday 2024 alone, up 7.3% year on year, with peak buying of nearly $15.8 million per minute between 20:00 and 22:00.
Electronics, toys and apparel saw some of the deepest average discounts, often around 20–30% off list prices.
Forecasters expect 2025 to set a fresh record. Adobe Analytics projects US shoppers will spend about $14.2 billion online this Cyber Monday, roughly 6% more than last year, making it the single biggest e-commerce day of the season.
Globally, Cyber Monday now sits inside a longer “Cyber Week” or “Black November” trend, where retailers stretch promotions across several days or even the full month.
Data from various market studies shows that online sales in this period are growing faster than in-store sales, as more people rely on smartphones, free shipping and buy-now-pay-later offers to manage tight budgets.
Cyber Monday in South Africa and other markets
In South Africa, banks and payment companies report that the four-day window from Black Friday through to Cyber Monday now accounts for a significant share of November retail turnover.
Absa has projected around 10% growth in card spending over the 2025 Black Friday weekend (which includes Cyber Monday), while online retail as a whole grew about 35% in 2024 to reach roughly R96-billion, or 8% of total retail sales.
Local and global analysts also point to a behavioural shift. Instead of rushing to malls for once-off doorbusters, many shoppers now spread purchases across the whole Cyber Week, watching prices online and using comparison tools to track when genuine Cyber Monday deals appear.
Smart ways to get the best Cyber Monday deals
Because Cyber Monday deals run alongside aggressive marketing and rising online fraud, the smartest approach is planned and cautious rather than impulsive.
Consumer-protection agencies and banking associations offer several practical tips:
- Plan your list and budget first
- Decide what you actually need – for example, a laptop, TV or headphones – and set a maximum price.
- Having a list makes it easier to ignore random “flash deals” that don’t match your priorities.
- Track prices before Cyber Monday
- Use price-comparison sites or your own notes to check what an item cost in October or early November.
- If a Cyber Monday deal is only a tiny reduction, or the “original” price looks inflated, it may not be a real saving.
- Stick to reputable retailers
- Banks warn shoppers to avoid unfamiliar sites even if the discounts look incredible. If a deal seems too good to be true, it usually is.
- Check that the web address starts with https:// and shows the padlock symbol, which indicates an up-to-date security certificate.
- Use safer payment methods
- Wherever possible, pay with a credit card, virtual card or trusted wallet service rather than a debit card or instant EFT from your main account.
- Avoid merchants who insist on crypto payments or ask you to share card details by email, SMS or messaging apps. Legitimate retailers don’t do that.
- Protect your personal data
- The US Federal Trade Commission and other regulators remind consumers never to give out ID numbers, PINs or full card details in response to unsolicited messages.
- Be wary of “order problem” emails and fake delivery notifications – these are common phishing tricks used around Cyber Monday.
- Watch delivery times and return policies
- Before you check out, read the delivery window and return rules. With global supply chains under pressure, some items may arrive later than expected.
- A clear returns policy (including who pays for shipping back) is a good sign that the retailer is legitimate.
What Cyber Monday deals mean for shoppers in 2025
In 2025, Cyber Monday deals are less about one frantic day and more about a week-long online push where retailers compete on price, free shipping and flexible payment options.
For South African and global consumers facing tight household budgets, that can be an opportunity to save – but only if purchases are planned, prices are checked, and basic security steps are followed.
Approached carefully, Cyber Monday can still be a useful way to lock in genuine discounts on big-ticket items.
Treated as a rush to grab anything that flashes “sale”, it can just as easily lead to overspending, buyer’s remorse and exposure to scams.
