Cyber Monday peaked on Monday with some of the year’s steepest online discounts on electronics, gaming, smart devices and digital services as e-commerce sites reported heavy traffic.
Retailers extended their Black Friday deals with fresh online offers, with the biggest price cuts appearing on laptops, smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, consoles and gaming accessories.
Significant discounts were also available on smart TVs, robot vacuum cleaners, security systems, software, online courses and subscription services. Large international retailers including Amazon, Walmart and Target continued their extensive promotional packages, giving consumers a second chance to buy technology and everyday products.
Cyber Monday, which first appeared in 2005 through Shop.org, now works alongside Black Friday to boost smaller e-commerce stores and extend the sales cycle for another day.
Consumer groups highlight digital pitfalls
Consumer organisations said the most common problems involved incorrect prices, high shipping costs, limited availability and cancelled orders. Checking the actual previous price is crucial, as transparency in price history determines whether a discount is genuine.
Guide to safe and smart online shopping
Experts recommend shoppers make a list of needs to avoid impulse purchases and verify real prices by comparing them with historical data.
They also advise buying from reliable e-commerce sites with full contact details and secure connections (https), and reading exchange and return policies carefully as they do not always apply during sales periods.
Shoppers should use secure payment methods, avoid unknown websites and never share sensitive banking information.
Traps to avoid
Consumer groups stressed that discounts above 70% rarely reflect reality, particularly in the Cypriot market. Fake e-commerce sites appear most often in high-demand categories such as toys and cosmetics, whilst flash sales can lead to rushed decisions and unnecessary purchases.
Checking return terms and confirming site security before payment are essential to avoiding problems, they said.
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