Forty-six percent of Americans plan to shop online on Cyber Monday, Nov. 28, instead of in-store on Black Friday, finds CouponCabin survey; avoiding crowds, saving gas, taking advantage of better deals cited

Cindy Allen

WHITING, Indiana , November 16, 2011 (CouponCabin) – While some shoppers revel in the thrill of Black Friday shopping trips, others are content to click their way to savings. According to a new CouponCabin.com survey, nearly half (46 percent) of U.S. adults plan to shop online on Cyber Monday, November 28, the Monday after Thanksgiving, instead of in-store on Black Friday. These Cyber Monday shoppers said they plan to shop online so they can avoid crowds (35 percent), take advantage of the better deals online (27 percent), save money on gas (21 percent) and cut back on in-store impulse shopping (11 percent). This survey was conducted online nationwide by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin.com from October 25-26, 2011 among 2,115 adults ages 18 and older.

In addition to avoiding the Black Friday in-store pitfalls and taking advantage of the great savings online, shoppers plan to hit the Web on Cyber Monday to give themselves the gift of time. More than four-in-ten (44 percent) Cyber Monday shoppers said that shopping online that day will save them a lot of time, while an additional 42 percent report it will save them at least some time.

“The benefits to shopping on Cyber Monday surpass convenience and really lie in the amazing deals to be had online that day,” said Jackie Warrick, President and Chief Savings Officer at CouponCabin.com. “More than half of U.S. adults we surveyed said they plan to shop online that day, while 24 percent of those who are employed said they will do their shopping while they work. No matter where or how you plan to take advantage of online Cyber Monday deals, be sure to have a plan of attack to ensure you don’t miss out.”

The majority of Cyber Monday shoppers will be firing up their laptops to purchase electronics (e.g., TVs, DVD/Blu-ray Disc players, computers) and entertainment (e.g., video games, movies/TV series on DVD or Blu-ray, books) on November 28, at 55 percent and 54 percent, respectively. In addition, Cyber Monday shoppers said they plan to purchase:

Clothing, shoes and/or accessories – 47 percent
Toys – 33 percent
Gift cards – 17 percent
Sporting goods – 13 percent
Jewelry – 11 percent

No matter what shoppers plan to buy, there are tons of deals to take advantage of on Cyber Monday. How can shoppers ensure they get the best discounts on the Web? Warrick offers the following tips:

Save on shipping – If you’re starting your holiday shopping on Cyber Monday, think about shipping gifts directly to the friends and family on your list. Many sites will offer free shipping that day, and by shipping directly to your recipients, you’ll cut out any shipping costs on your end. Plus, many sites will giftwrap the item and include a personal note in the box!

Plan your attack – If you know there’s a certain product you want to buy, make sure to create a list of sites where it’s available. Once Cyber Monday arrives, make your way down that list comparing prices, taking notes as you go, to ensure you’re getting the deepest discount possible.

Get social – Follow your favorite stores on Twitter, Facebook and their blogs to stay up-to-date on savings as they happen on Cyber Monday. Don’t forget to also follow coupon sites like CouponCabin.com, where deals and offers will be posted constantly that day via Twitter and Facebook.

Survey Methodology:

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin from October 25-27, 2011 among 2,115 adults aged 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore, no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact: Allison Nawoj, anawoj@couponcabin.com.

About CouponCabin.com

CouponCabin is a leading online destination for coupons including online coupon codes, printables, grocery coupons and more. Shoppers have saved nearly $250 million since 2003 and with the largest selection of coupons guaranteed to work, CouponCabin.com is the best place to start searching for savings. The average user saves $19 in just 80 seconds on the site. With customized email newsletters, browser savings alerts, new coupon alerts and more, shoppers will never miss out on a great deal with CouponCabin.com. For more information, please visit http://www.CouponCabin.com.

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