The term “Cyber Monday” was coined in 2005 by a marketing team at Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation. It’s not clear whether they meant to establish a new shopping phenomenon or just used a catchy phrase to describe a trend that was already taking place. “77% of online retailers said that their sales increased substantially on the Monday after Thanksgiving, a trend that is driving serious online discounts and promotions on Cyber Monday,” the press release stated. The media seized on the concept in a big way, and Cyber Monday became a “thing.”
It’s fun to reflect back on what was happening in 2005 when Cyber Monday was born. Back then, in the internet’s dark ages, few people had access to high-speed internet in their homes. They only had access to 
reliable high-speed service at work and so just as the guys dispense with all pretense of work each year on the day they complete their March Madness NCAA basketball brackets, shoppers took advantage of high-speed at the office on the Monday following Thanksgiving to begin their Holiday shopping.
Many online retailers saw an unexpected jump in sales. Some of the increase likely would have happened anyway. Some was undoubtedly 
attributable to the buzz. And some resulted as people got used to the idea of using their credit cards to shop online.
Fast forward 12 years, and Cyber Monday is now a holiday shopping tradition right up there with Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. Now if you are planning to participate in Cyber Monday, I’d like to leave you with a thought.
I happen to have a line of casual wear and home goods at Bealls. The Bradenton-based department store happens to have an online catalog that includes my line. So as you visit cyber stores tomorrow, remember me and my line of wearable art. You’ll find it here.
