No More Cyber Monday?

I'm recovering from another Black Friday spent scoping out the best deals and jump starting my Christmas shopping. But one of the curious things about this shopping weekend is what seems to be the death of Cyber Monday.

In case you weren't familiar with the term, Cyber Monday is the Monday following Thanksgiving, when people turn to the internet to fill the parts of their Christmas shopping list that Black Friday didn't cover. It's far enough away from Christmas that you don't have to worry about items arriving in time without paying extra for shipping. And it's after the craziness of the holiday weekend.

So why is Cyber Monday dead?

Because the internet is trying to steal Black Friday instead.

Most of the big retail chains have the same discounts online as in stores. And sometimes they offer more online-only deals. And many offer free shipping to sweeten the pot.

I'm a night owl, so instead of getting up early for Black Friday, I just stayed up. And browsed online while I figured out where I wanted to shop.

Kohl's was one place I wanted to go. They had a luggage set on sale, in my favorite color. I could have bought it online for the same discount, but I wanted to see how sturdy it actually was in person.

I got an email from ChristianBook.com. They had deals too - and I ordered a few novels I'd been wanting for a while (including Ted Dekker's Green).

And then I ventured onto Amazon. And hit the jackpot. Complete TV seasons for under $13 - and dozens of them. No mention of Cyber Monday anywhere.

So by the time I actually headed to the stores, I'd already spent plenty. I had a pretty good idea what I was getting people for Christmas. Now I just need to fill in the last few holes.

I spent less than $25 before coming home.

The one disappointment was the luggage set. Kohl's was sold out. And by the time I got home, Kohls.com was as well. Made me wish that I'd just stayed home and bought it.

So except for a few items like TVs, video game consoles, and clothes, you might be better off sitting down at your computer instead of braving the crowds.