Green Monday: What It Is, How It Impacts Retail, and Key Features

Green Monday, celebrated on the second Monday in December, is a pivotal day in the retail industry. It ranks among the United States’ busiest shopping days, drawing eager shoppers looking for last-minute holiday gifts and enticing deals.

Green Monday, introduced by the online marketplace eBay in 2007, earned its name due to the realization that the second Monday of December was consistently one of their most profitable sales days. This unique shopping event is often referred to as “Cyber Monday 2” in retail circles because of the substantial surge in online shoppers seeking last-minute holiday bargains.

The term “green” in Green Monday carries a dual meaning. It can symbolize the greenbacks spent during shopping or reflect the environmentally conscious choice of online shopping, which many consider more eco-friendly than traditional brick-and-mortar shopping.

While Green Monday might not enjoy the same level of fame as Black Friday or Cyber Monday, it’s increasingly becoming a significant marker of holiday sales. Giant retailers like Amazon, Target, and prominent big-box stores actively promote Green Monday, making it an essential date for holiday shoppers. Other retailers utilize this day to offer exclusive holiday deals, enticing customers and reducing inventory before year-end.

If you’re planning to send presents, keep in mind that Green Monday often falls just a few days before shipping cutoff dates. In 2021, the USPS suggested December 15th as the last date for domestic ground shipping. UPS ground shipping users needed to check the specific ZIP code’s cutoff date. For USPS Priority Mail and UPS Next Day Air, you had a bit more time until December 18th and December 23rd, respectively. FedEx’s ground shipping cutoff was also December 15th. In 2022, Green Monday falls on December 12th.

During the winter holidays, we encounter a multitude of catchphrases for major retail shopping days. Black Friday, perhaps the most well-known, marks the Friday following Thanksgiving, traditionally serving as the starting point for holiday shopping. It’s a day when many people have time off from work and are eager to make purchases. Both online and traditional retailers capitalize on the heightened shopping frenzy by offering special sales.

Originally, these sales were confined to the day after Thanksgiving, but now, many large retailers initiate sales before Thanksgiving and extend them beyond, often including Small Business Saturday. Retailers offer discounts both online and in physical stores. In a bid to outdo their competitors, some retailers even open their doors during the early hours of Black Friday. To stay competitive, some retailers keep their operations running on Thanksgiving, while others kick off their deals as early as November.

For some analysts and investors, Black Friday sales figures serve as a bellwether for the overall health of the retail industry.

Cyber Monday, the Monday following Thanksgiving, is when online retailers offer attractive discounts to entice shoppers to make online purchases. This day is often considered the online counterpart of Black Friday, as it’s geared towards online shoppers. In recent years, Cyber Monday sales have even surpassed Black Friday sales, making it a global phenomenon.

Cyber Monday sales typically coincide with Black Friday sales, catering to a broad spectrum of consumers. This strategy appeals to those who enjoy the excitement of in-store Black Friday shopping as well as those who prefer the convenience of online shopping.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), approximately 179.8 million consumers in the U.S. shopped during the five-day holiday weekend between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday in 2021, indicating a slight decrease from 2020 but still falling within the four-year average range.

Green Monday is a fixed date on the calendar, occurring on the second Monday of December each year. In 2022, Green Monday falls on December 12th.

The inception of Green Monday dates back to December 2007. eBay is credited with coining the term after identifying the second Monday of December as their most profitable sales day of the year.

Cyber Monday, following the Thanksgiving weekend, is an annual shopping extravaganza. On this day, online retailers offer enticing discounts, while traditional retailers provide exclusive, online-only deals.

Green Monday is a significant retail shopping day occurring on the second Monday of December, known for last-minute holiday shopping and attractive deals.

The term “green” in Green Monday can refer to the greenbacks spent on shopping and the eco-friendly aspect of online shopping compared to in-store purchases.

Green Monday, while important, is not as renowned as Black Friday, which traditionally marks the start of the holiday shopping season.

Green Monday is often referred to as “Cyber Monday 2” due to its emphasis on online shopping. It is distinct from Cyber Monday, which typically offers online deals the Monday after Thanksgiving.