A record shop storefront in Evanston. Photo: Nick Number / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Shoppers who skipped Small Business Saturday can still spend at Evanston stores today. Cyber Monday, Dec. 2, is typically one of the year’s biggest online shopping days, and a number of independent Evanston retailers with web storefronts are running their own promotions.
The term Cyber Monday was introduced by the National Retail Federation in 2005. Researchers at comScore later reported that U.S. shoppers spent about $1.735 billion online on Cyber Monday in 2013, up 18 percent from the year before. Big national sites collect most of that, but several Evanston merchants are competing for a share.
Cyber Monday began as a National Retail Federation marketing label. Ellen Davis of the federation used it in a press release dated Nov. 28, 2005, citing research that the Monday after Thanksgiving ranked among the busiest online shopping days of the year.
Clothing and outdoor gear
Maya Papaya & Tony Macaroni is taking 10 percent off and shipping free site-wide with the code CYBER13. Uncle Dan’s, the outdoor store, is using the same code for 10 percent off an entire order. Lollie, a clothing shop, is offering 10 percent off with the code SHOPSMALL. Hot Mama also sells online.
Jewelry, crafts and hobbies
Ayla’s Originals, a bead and jewelry boutique, is offering free shipping or a $75 gift card for $60. Other jewelry sellers with online shops include Ali’s Collection, Anomaly by Amy and See Jane Sparkle. Vogue Fabrics is offering 30 percent off fashion fabrics featured in past issues of its mail-order catalog with the code Cyber30, and Dave’s Down to Earth Rock Shop is also online.
Food, toys, home and more
Lou Malnati’s is offering 5 percent off a four-pizza pack or 10 percent off a six-pack with a promotional code. The Spice House, Leonidas and Belgian chocolatier Piron are among the food sellers online, and Happy Husky Bakery sells pet treats. Flowers 4 Dreams has 15 percent off any bouquet ordered Monday.
Becky & Me Toys offers free shipping on orders over $75, and Oliver’s Trains & Toys also sells online. For the kitchen, MightyNest takes $20 off orders of $100 or more with the code Mighty20, and Corrado Cutlery has an online store. Used music seller 2nd Hand Tunes and Comix Revolution round out the list.
The promotions are the merchants’ own, and terms may vary by site.
Daniel Okafor covers business, startups and the Innovators section for The Evanston Edge.
