Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t what they used to be.
The holiday season has officially begun, and shoppers have opened their wallets—but the two major shopping days were quite different than in years past.
Data from Black Friday sales suggested that the days of lining up outside a shop to be the first in a store are officially over. According to a National Retail Federation survey, 109 million customers shopped online, compared to 99 million in-store. Still, shoppers spent a record amount on the day: $3.4 billion, a 22 percent increase over the year before. It was also the first day mobile devices were responsible for more than $1 billion in sales.
While Black Friday enjoyed record-breaking sales, results for Cyber Monday were bleak. The day was thought up by the National Retail Federation in 2005 to drive e-commerce shopping following Thanksgiving weekend, but thanks to online discounts put forth by retailers before the holiday, customers aren’t sitting on the edge of their seats waiting to see Monday’s deals.
As retailers and brands try to get a clear picture of the customer journey, it’s becoming increasingly evident that there’s no one path to purchase for shoppers this year. To get a better idea of how New Yorkers are approaching the holiday shopping season, Glossy stopped five of them on a recent day in the city to get insight on whether or not they’re being drawn to holiday deals. (Hint: They’re not.)
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Nick Gillett, 30
Works in hospitality
How are you planning to shop for the holidays?
I’m pretty new to New York, so I’ll be mainly strolling around, going into stores that catch my eye. If it’s a brand that I know, I’ll try to find it online for cheaper.
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So, online you’re seeking a better deal?
When I shop online, I’ve thought about it for a lot longer—and then I’m just hunting for a good deal, and I’ll buy it. But I prefer to shop in-store. In saying that, I also hate a big sale in a department store. It’s too busy, and I find you get a bit flustered. Like, there’s so much stuff on sale, so you think it’s great value—but you don’t actually need it.
Describe your shopping habits.
I’m a very impulsive shopper. I’ll go into a store, and if I like something, even though I don’t need it, I’ll just end up buying it. And if I get good service—if I’m having a good chat with the shop associates—I’ll sort of feel like I sort of need to buy it.
Did you shop on Black Friday or Cyber Monday?
I had a little wonder [on Monday] to check out the deals, and then I ended up buying something full-price.
Jessica Gayo, 26
Works in retail
What are your holiday shopping plans?
I like to do online shopping—I get better deals, and I can avoid lines and crowds of people. And with online shopping, I can just get it shipped directly to them. I usually shop online with brands where I know the quality and material. I also like Etsy because you can look up similar brands from different stores, and Need Supply.
Did you shop on Black Friday?
No, I was working. I didn’t even shop on Cyber Monday. I feel like closer to the end of the holidays is when you get the better deals. I feel like Cyber Monday is a just a way to get people to shop when it’s not really a deal yet. It’s just hype.
Katie Hatch, 44
Works in design
How do you plan to shop for the holidays?
I’ll shop mostly online, except for small maker fairs where friends are making ceramics and jewelry.
Are Black Friday deals your thing?
Absolutely not. I did not shop on Black Friday. The sort of things that I want are not available in those moments. I buy things that are very essential for people, like perfect socks, underwear, or very special or handmade items. Those things aren’t on sale at Best Buy. I do go online to search for deals on designer fashion, though.
Do you have a preference of desktop or mobile?
Mobile, because some of my favorite places have great apps, and I don’t like being at a computer. That represents work or being tied down or something.
What about the size of the screen?
It’s frustrating. I wish it was slightly bigger, but I don’t want a bigger screen, so those are the tradeoffs.
Julien Cavaille, 32
Works in fashion PR
Christmas is creeping closer. How will you be shopping?
I’ll be shopping in downtown New York, a bit in Brooklyn, in different stores around Crosby Street in SoHo, on West Broadway, a bit in the West Village and in Williamsburg.
Do you normally shop in-store?
Yes, for gifts as I want to make sure I see the product before. For myself, I do 50:50—but for gifts, it’s mostly in-store. Fashion is mostly in-store, and beauty is online.
Did Black Friday deals draw you in?
Absolutely not. I was working that day. I don’t really buy on sale, I just buy when I see something.
Julian Farina, 27
Works in retail
How do you plan to shop for the holidays?
Mostly all online, it’s just easier. The deals were good this weekend. I did some Black Friday shopping online, and I have things picked out for mostly everybody. For my mom and dad, I’ll probably shop at some boutique, but for my sister and seven-month-old niece, I just picked out a bunch of cute baby clothes online.
So you braved Black Friday?
I bought a Clarisonic (face brush) on Amazon. I also got some baby clothes from Lousia Via Roma’s online store.
Did you go to those specific places because of the deals?
For my sister, I was looking for a specific product, and I just went to specific websites where I could find it the cheapest.
