The two days of discounts seem to be a copy of each other. Originally, however, the differences were quite pronounced. Here's what's changed
For many, they're one duplicating the other. Two identical "celebrations" repeated within days of each other. Instead, although they may appear similar, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two appointments born at different times and for different purposes.
Of course, the points of similarity and contact are many. Few people know, for example, that both are directly related to Thanksgiving (Black Friday is celebrated the day after Thanksgiving, Cyber Monday falls on the following Monday). Beyond timing issues, however, Black Friday and Cyber Monday don't have much else in common. Let's find out why.
When Black Friday was born
In the post-World War II era, Black Friday was the day dedicated to resting after Thanksgiving. Starting in the 1980s, retailers began taking advantage of this "free day" by offering deep discounts on merchandise on display, effectively kicking off the holiday shopping season.
The Origins of Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday was born in 2005, at a time when shoppers needed to be encouraged to buy online. Unlike today, where everything can be purchased (and is purchased) online, at the beginning of the new millennium e-commerce was still seen with a lot of distrust. Cyber Monday was born with the aim of replicating the success of Black Friday (then linked almost exclusively to promotions and sales in physical stores) in the "virtual" world of the Internet.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday: the differences
Substantially, nowadays there are no major differences between the two days dedicated to shopping. Originally, however, the two appointments were "complementary": Black Friday was born in the physical world, Cyber Monday in the online one. Today, this clear division has gradually faded, with Black Friday becoming more and more the protagonist of discounts and online purchases. Of course, many offers remain "segregated" in physical stores, but many prefer to buy from a smartphone or PC rather than go to a store.