The annual day-long Cyber Monday sales event followed Thanksgiving weekend Mon. Nov. 28, allowing individuals worldwide the ability to shop for all types of gifts at the click of a button. Cyber Monday thrives on exclusive online promotions, offered only during those select 24 hours. For example, clothing store Free People cut the prices of select styles in half for customers, offering free shipping as an added bonus.

Many stores remained closed on Thanksgiving day, opting instead to open the following morning, on Black Friday. The loss of that day contributed to millions of people flocking to Cyber Monday deals instead, as reported by ABC News. Around 10 million more Americans participated in online shopping than going in store on Black Friday, according to Fortune.

For many shoppers, Cyber Monday is a time to take advantage of one-day deals just in time for the holidays. Senior Mayme Loyd spent around $300 on Cyber Monday deals this year.

“A lot of the stuff I bought [on Cyber Monday] I had been waiting to buy for almost a year,” Loyd said. “Buying stuff on Cyber Monday allows me to get great deals and I justify myself with the idea that I am saving money by waiting for days like Cyber Monday or Black Friday.”

Shopping online allows customers the chance to easily compare prices between different websites and brands, which can be made difficult when shopping in store, according to ABC News. This opportunity to decipher where to spend money wisely, especially when shopping for gifts around the holidays, facilitates a money conscious mindset.  

According to The Washington Post, approximately 55 percent of visits to retail websites on Black Friday were made by mobile devices. Also, this Cyber Monday earned $3.45 billion, beating the previous record according to USA Today. This majority displays the growing amount of shoppers capitalizing on the discount opportunity while on the go.

“I definitely like Cyber Monday more [than Black Friday] more mainly because I know what I want to order, and going from store to store can be exhausting,” Loyd said. “I just like to add to cart and pay.”