Cyber ​​Monday is the name given, in the marketing context, to the Monday immediately after Thanksgiving. The term was first used in 2005 by Ellen Davis, vice president of the National Retail Federation, on November 28, 2005. "Cyber ​​Monday" was created by marketing companies to motivate customers to shop online.

One of the stories associated with the origin of Cyber ​​Monday is that on the Monday after Thanksgiving, employees went back to work and bought online what they had not been able to buy at Black Friday's physical stores.

Traders noted that there was a significant increase in online purchases on the Monday after Thanksgiving, prompting them to promote more promotions and discounts at their online stores. Since 2005, the trend has been repeating itself and profits are currently in the order of billions of dollars.

Cyber ​​Monday is exclusively online and that's the one reason it's so popular. While on Black Friday customers have to go to the shops, wait several hours in the queue to open the doors and often fight for the products they intend to purchase, in the case of Cyber ​​Monday they can do their shopping in the comfort of their homes.

In Portugal, the term was used for the first time in 2009. With the increasing use of mobile devices and big brands investing in e-commerce, it becomes increasingly relevant to give importance to occasions like Cyber ​​Monday.

If you are a customer, search for the brands that have joined Cyber ​​Monday and evaluate if the discounts pay off. As in the case of Black Friday, care should be taken to avoid falling into false discounts. Searching for prices in advance is a great way to ensure you are buying a cheaper product.

DECO (Portuguese Consumer Protection Association) has made available a tool that allows you to evaluate price changes in the last 30 days for many products. The tool determines if the price of a certain product is really an opportunity or if the rebate is a fraud. Use it and do not be fooled.