Cyber Monday draws locals to the computer, not the checkout lane

Ormond Beach Observer
Business

One local social media expert saw more online-shopping activity this Black Friday weekend than in-store hustle-bustle.

BY EMILY BLACKWOOD | STAFF WRITER

Cyber Monday signaled the end of the holiday's first major shopping weekend, and for many Ormond Beachers, that meant email inboxes full of purchase confirmations, instead of carts full of discounted merchandise.

With several stores offering online-only sales, a lot of locals opted for the sit-at-home-while-enjoying-a-cup-of-coffee shopping experience instead of the line-mayhem Black Friday one — at least according to Darlynn Nangano Tacinelli, owner of the Ormond Beach-based social media marketing company Little Blog Dress Media.

"I think that a lot of people are annoyed by how Black Friday isn't that special anymore," Tacinelli, who has worked in social media three years, said. "A lot of stores are opening up on Thanksgiving. I think a lot of people are offended by that, and I didn't see a ton of great deals for Black Friday. I think people are quite adjusted to sitting home on Cyber Monday. It was a little less anxiety. Even though all the emails came in, you knew you could just get to it by midnight and you would be okay."

Tacinelli said that even though the majority of Cyber Monday marketing is through email, she noticed a lot more social media promotions this year.

"I think it changed because there were some Facebook exclusives, and it just makes a lot of sense to tie in your social media to whatever you're doing for Cyber Monday," Tacinelli said. "Because it's internet-based and I think it makes a good connection if you are backing up your marketing efforts for Cyber Monday on social media."

Though the first unofficial holiday shopping weekend has ended, the rush is still on. Tacinelli thinks that this year's lack of shopping days before Christmas is to blame. Still, nothing signals the start of the holidays like a good sale.

"I think it gets people in the mood to have these notable days like Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday," she said. "(It) really gets people in the mindset to get their shopping in order, or at least get themselves a game plan."