Shoppers look to snag deals on Cyber Monday
Posted Dec 2, 2013 06:49:02 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Millions of holiday gifts will be purchased on Cyber Monday — the Monday following the U.S. Thanksgiving weekend on which retailers offer deep discounts to online shoppers.
Cyber Monday made its debut in 2005 and has quickly become one of the biggest online shopping days of the year. It’s also an international marketing term used by retailers all over the world.
Best Buy started its Cyber Monday sale at 10 p.m. Sunday with discounts on televisions, tablets and other items. GAP and Banana Republic are offering 40 per cent off, while Old Navy is offering discounts of 30 per cent.
Statistics Canada estimates Canadians spent $18.9-billion online in 2012 — up 24 per cent from the last survey conducted in 2010.
Canadians who ordered online spent on average $1,450 on 13 separate orders, with 82 per cent buying from a Canadian company, 63 per cent from the U.S., and 21 per cent from another country.
Shipping company FedEx is expecting $22-million packages through its global network.
Below are some tips when shopping online:
- Make sure the site you are ordering from is secure — “https” should appear in the URL and there should be a small padlock icon in the address bar when making payments.
- Ensure your security software is up-to-date.
- Use a different password on each website you order from.
- Be extra vigilant when shopping online using a tablet or mobile device.
Meanwhile, Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos revealed on CBS’ 60 Minutes Sunday night that he wants to start using mini-delivery drones called “octocopters” to deliver packages within 30 minutes.
Bezos said the experimental drone-based air delivery service, called Amazon Prime Air, could be ready to use in around five years. He said the drone aircraft can carry objects of up to five pounds within a 16-kilometre radius of an Amazon distribution center.
In terms of how it would work, an Amazon employee would simply enter a delivery recipients’ GPS address and send the drone out.
It’s not yet known whether Canadian delivery is part of Amazon’s plans; however, the online retailer will have to comply with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s Airspace rules for unmanned aircraft.
