Green Monday, emerging on the second Monday of every December, is an annual shopping event that marks an increase in late holiday shopping activities. The term, established by eBay in 2007, emerged from recognising a surge in online sales during this period. While it may lack the recognition of Black Friday or Cyber Monday, Green Monday plays a significant role for both consumers and retailers, offering superb deals on a wide variety of products.
Green Monday's inception lies within eBay, who trademarked the term in 2007 after recognising that the second Monday of December was one of their peak sales days. Often referred to as Cyber Monday 2 due to its high volume of online shopping, Green Monday provides a last-minute shopping bonanza for consumers. The term ‘green’ could denote both the green of the dollar, and the environment-friendly aspect of online shopping compared to visiting physical stores.
Although dwarfed by Black Friday and Cyber Monday in recognition, this shopping event has become a crucial part of holiday sales. Larger retailers and online giants such as Amazon and Target heavily promote Green Monday, whilst other retailers may capitalise on the day to offer holiday deals, reducing merchandise before the year concludes. In 2024, Green Monday will be on Dec. 9.
In the United States, holiday shopping traditionally kicks off after Thanksgiving, with Black Friday sales starting the shopping season. Increasingly, many major retailers extend their sales periods, offering deals several weeks before and after Thanksgiving.
Key shopping events within the holiday season include Black Friday, where both online and brick-and-mortar retailers offer discounted items and extended store hours. Small Business Saturday, designed by American Express in 2010, supports local and small businesses post-Thanksgiving. Then, there's Cyber Monday, characterized by myriad online shopping deals. Recent years have seen Cyber Monday sales outperform Black Friday.
The National Retail Federation forecasts a 2.5% to 3.5% rise in the retail sales for the 2024 winter holiday season, compared to 2023. Green Monday was first observed in December 2007, when eBay coined the term after identifying it as one of their largest sales days. Often overshadowed by Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Green Monday nonetheless represents a key shopping day that can provide consumers with massive savings.