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Petition for a 2-Hour Break for Cyber Monday!

Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, 103 million Americans will shop online. And while most people don’t work on Black Friday, Cyber Monday falls on a workday. As a result, people who are hungry for those online deals often shop for them while at work in their cubicles.

We are requesting that employers give everyone two hours of shopping time on Cyber Monday so they don’t have to hide it anymore. To sign the petition, click here.

Petition for a 2-Hour Break for Cyber Monday!

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Cyber Monday Petition – Why This Matters:

People do their Christmas shopping at work whether or not they have permission to do so. 50% of people shop online from their office during the holiday season. Of these people, 13% spend less than a half-hour each day, 16% spend 30 minutes to one hour per day, 15% spend one to two hours per day, 16% spend more than two hours a day, 28% don’t know how long they spend and 12% have web policies that restrict this.

However, not all professions are created equal when it comes to shopping at work. The professions in which employees are most likely to shop at work are sales (63%), financial services (62%), info tech (57%), health care (52%), transportation (50%), manufacturing (46%), leisure and hospitality (42%), and retail (39%).

Younger workers are also more likely to use company time for personal Internet surfing: 76% of those ages 18-24, 67% of ages 25-34, 60% of ages 34-44, 53% of ages 45-54, 44% of ages 55-64 and 19% of ages 65+.

On top of that, employee behaviors are shifting. With companies increasingly monitoring web traffic, employees are moving more and more toward using their personal devices for the task. Only 27% used personal devices in 2014 for online shopping at work, but this jumped to 42% in 2016.

28% of managers have even fired an employee for using the Internet for non-work-related activity. Unfortunately, each company lost time and money by needing to hire a new employee.

What we are asking:

Rather than have employers struggle to get employees to stay focused amidst an Internet full of distractions, it would be in everyone’s best interest to permit a two-hour work break for employees to seize their favorite deals during Cyber Monday.

Why we are asking:

Your employees are dedicated. They are going above and beyond the call of duty, engaging with work tasks outside of the office. 87% of people read business emails outside working hours. 80% check their email before they get into the office. 50% check their email during vacation. On average, this accumulates to about an extra 30 days of work time per year.

As the digital age shifts the boundaries between work time and personal time, a two-hour reprieve for employees is a small step toward compensating them for the time they spend managing incoming messages.

It would also be a gesture in the spirit of the season, a move that Scrooge would make *after* he’s been visited by the three ghosts.

What you get:

And if the warm, fuzzy feeling of generosity is not enough, here are some tangible benefits for granting this two-hour shopping break on Cyber Monday:

Creating a culture of transparency, including open communication about Internet behavior, affects your bottom line. Companies with a culture of open communication had 270% higher 10-year total shareholder returns, and 99% of professionals preferred a workplace based on honesty.

Employees need more than just money to make them feel valued. 69% of employees would work harder if they felt better appreciated, and 65% of workers would prefer a better boss over a pay raise.

When rewarding employees, the small stuff adds up. 90% of workers say a fun work environment is very motivating, and 70% of workers say meaningful recognition has no dollar value. Studies even show that rewards like free pizza rank higher than a cash bonus; a cash bonus resulted in a 4.9% increase in productivity while free pizza increased productivity by 6.7%.

Permitting a two-hour break for Cyber Monday shopping will boost the productivity and focus of your staff. Workers who take breaks are known to be more productive, and this would be a move toward monotasking, which promotes focus and higher cognitive performance.

Employees care about work-life balance, and nearly 40% of them wish their employer cared more about it. In fact, work-life balance is one of the highest-ranking factors in job satisfaction worldwide.

Happy employees outperform competitors by 20%. It’s that simple.

What now?

If you want your company to benefit in these important ways, sign the Cyber Monday petition here.

 

Sources:
http://fortune.com/2015/12/01/online-shopping-work-fired/
http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2015/11/shopping_online_at_work_this_h.html
http://fortune.com/2015/12/01/online-shopping-work-fired/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/check-work-email-hours-survey_us_55ddd168e4b0a40aa3ace672
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/samanage-survey-shows-employees…
https://www.bluesteps.com/blog/honesty-most-profitable-policy-executive-career.aspx
https://www.tinypulse.com/blog/sk-employee-recognition-stats
http://www.forbes.com/sites/tykiisel/2013/01/30/82-percent-of-people-dont-trust-the-boss-to-tell-the-truth/#c6628a64d6b4
http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/6084-employee-happiness-without-raise.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/01/free-pizza-more-motivational-than-cash-if-you-want-staff-to-work/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mind-the-manager/201306/new-employee-study-shows-recognition-matters-more-money
https://www.fastcompany.com/3027496/work-smart/8-reasons-why-you-should-definitely-take-that-lunch-break
http://blog.accessperks.com/employee-engagement-loyalty-statistics-the-ultimate-collection#satisfaction
http://www.snacknation.com/blog/employee-happiness/
https://www.ipswitch.com/about/news-and-events/ipswitch-news/ipswitch-network-management-division-survey-reveals-42-percent…

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Make Black Friday a National Holiday

For holiday shoppers and anyone looking for a great sale, Black Friday is a big deal. Most Americans (61.7% of them) have shopped online or in person during the holiday weekend.

And while it’s a significant event for shoppers who are seeking the sales, it’s even more significant for the retail industry. 30% of the year’s retail sales happen between Black Friday and Christmas. For specialty retailers, such as jewelers, this can be as high as 40%.

For a day that’s important to so many people and businesses, we’re asking that it be made into a national holiday. To sign the petition, click here.

Make Black Friday a National Holiday

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The statistics show that Black Friday is already a significant event for shoppers. 1 out of 3 American adults goes shopping on Black Friday. 72.8% of the weekend’s in-store shoppers shop on Black Friday. 73.1% of the weekend’s online shoppers shop on Black Friday.

Why are they shopping? 57% of Black Friday shoppers find the experience to be fun. 50.4% shop because the deals are too good to pass up. 31.2% shop because it is a tradition.

And if you’re wondering how much they’re spending, 233 million shoppers have spent $50.9 billion on a single Black Friday. On average, each person spends nearly $300.

Here’s Why It Should Be a National Holiday:

48% of the country already observes Black Friday as a paid day off. The states that already celebrate Black Friday are Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Washington and West Virginia. Nationalizing the holiday will give retailers in all states a chance for economic prosperity.

Black Friday has been spreading internationally, with both governments and retailers promoting it as a shopping day. The countries that recognize Black Friday are Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Panama, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Making Black Friday a national holiday would help U.S.-based retailers stay competitive internationally.

Who Said Yes?

Our independent survey polled Americans about making the day a national holiday. Here’s who said yes: 58% of those age 18 to 24, 49% of people age 25 to 34, 41% of respondents age 35 to 44, 39% of all age 45 to 54 and 26% of those age 55 to 64.

When we further parsed the data, we found these subgroups who also said yes: 57% of women ages 18 to 24, 68% of parents, 75% of moms and 70% of people ages 25 to 34 who make more than $50,000 a year.

Moms and dads are more likely to be in favor of the national holiday. It would mean starting the holiday season with family time and getting a head start on buying the gifts Santa will give.

How We Got Here:

In 1863, Thanksgiving was named a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. As of 1932, retailers traditionally waited until the day after Thanksgiving for Christmas advertisements. But in the 1950s, the police in Philadelphia began using the term “Black Friday” to describe the many suburban shoppers who would travel into the city after Thanksgiving. Worried that Black Friday had negative connotations and that people would stop coming into the city to shop, there was an effort to rebrand the term in 1961.

By the 1980s, the event was becoming more widespread, but retailers in Cincinnati and Los Angeles were still unaware of the term in 1985. In the year 2000, a phenomenon called “Christmas creep” began, and stores started to ignore the unwritten rule to wait until after Thanksgiving to promote holiday shopping. Notably, Lowe’s began setting up Christmas trees by Oct. 1. In 2008, the first Black Friday death occurred when a stampede of Black Friday shoppers trampled a worker at a Long Island Wal-Mart. Just as holiday sales were being advertised earlier to capture more shoppers, the stores were opening their doors earlier and earlier. In the late 2000s, they opened on Friday at 4 or 5 a.m. In 2011, stores were opening at midnight. It jumped to 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day in 2012 and 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day in 2014. Recently, sales have begun early Thanksgiving morning.

With the country’s economic policy committed to growth, Black Friday as a national holiday would allow more people to take advantage of the holiday shopping day, which would result in greater success for the retail industry.

Sources:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/9-stats-about-black-friday-that-will-blow-your-min..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/21/black-friday-shopper-statistics…
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/11/black_friday_2014_by_the_numbers.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Friday_(shopping)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)
http://money.cnn.com/2014/11/28/news/black-friday-history/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_creep
http://blackfridaydeathcount.com/
https://nrf.com/media/press-releases/thanksgiving-weekend-shopping…
https://nrf.com/sites/default/files/2015%20NRF%20HSK_102015_Final.pdf
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2015/11/29/151-million-people-shopped-over-black-friday-weekend/

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How Much Does the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Cost

For many, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the kickoff of the holiday season. Now in its 90th year, the Manhattan spectacle is a tradition with a big audience. The live broadcast attracts 50 million TV viewers, and 3.5 million spectators watch it in person, pushing the total number of people in Manhattan to more than 5 million.

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade infographic

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While the job of putting on the parade may prompt images of Maureen O’Hara performing Doris Walker’s character in Miracle on 34th Street, executing such a parade actually takes the effort of 8,000 people, including more than 4,000 Macy’s employees who volunteer on Thanksgiving morning.

The Makings of a Parade

  • 17 giant character balloons as well as other, smaller balloons
  • 27 floats
  • 10,000 parade marchers, including 1,000 clowns, 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers, and members of 12 marching bands from around the country
  • Celebrity appearances and music groups
  • Mini performances of 5 Broadway musicals
  • The Radio City Rockettes
  • And only 1 Santa Claus

Balloons

Some say the balloons are the highlight of the parade. With the largest balloons measuring 5 or 6 stories tall, they sure do make a statement. Snoopy, a well-loved character, has been in 38 parades, more than any other character. Each balloon requires 50 to 90 volunteer handlers and uses 300,000 to 700,000 cubic feet of helium. The minimum helium cost is $510,000, and notably, Macy’s is the world’s second-largest consumer of helium, trailing only the U.S. government.

The height at which the balloons can be flown is determined by a calculation of balloon size, volume of helium, gross weight and wind. Wind is the biggest concern when handling the balloons. While the narrow streets of New York City protect the balloons with predictable airflow most of the time, when a balloon approaches a street intersection, handlers must navigate unpredictable crosswinds that usually come from the west.

Construction

Floats and balloons are constructed at the Macy’s Parade Studio in Moonachie, N.J., where 26 sculptors, carpenters, metal workers and painters work year round. One float can take between four and nine months to go from sketch to completion. And a single float can include 100 to 200 pounds of glitter.

To get from New Jersey to New York City for the parade, balloons can be deflated for shipment. But floats must be constructed to collapse down to a width of 8.5 feet so they can fit through Lincoln Tunnel. And the preparations are more than just balloons and floats; about 700 new costumes are designed each year.

It’s Time for the Parade!

Balloons are inflated between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Wednesday. Then, from midnight to 8 a.m., the floats are set up. Many spectators arrive before 6:30 a.m. to line up for a spot with the best view. In just two hours’ time, 200 costume fitters dress 2,000 balloon handlers, 400 kids, 300 float escorts and 900 clowns. The parade begins promptly at 9 a.m., following a 2.5-mile route that ends at the Macy’s storefront in Herald Square.

When It’s Over

After the parade ends, it takes just 15 to 20 minutes to deflate each balloon and pack it up for transport back to the warehouse. Costumes are packed into about 10 truckloads, and the laundering of these costumes will take about a month to complete.

But even before the parade is over, the work has begun on next year’s event. Marching bands are notified two years before their parade performance, with a representative taking a trip to the high schools and colleges to let them know in person.

Money and Costs

Macy’s, a company with annual revenues of more than $10 billion, is tight lipped about the total cost of the parade, but some of the expense is offset by having corporate sponsors for balloons and floats. Here’s what we know:

For new balloons, sponsoring companies pay $190,000, which includes construction and a parade fee. Repeat balloons cost sponsoring companies a $90,000 fee. Each float costs Macy’s approximately $30,000 to $100,000 to construct. The costumes that are in storage total $2 million in on-hand assets, including the custom-made outfits for Santa and Mrs. Claus. Broadway shows that performed in the parade saw a $300,000 jump in advance ticket sales after their parade performance.

Financial Roundup

Annual Costs

  • Helium: $510,000 minimum
  • Floats: $810,000 to $2.7 million
  • Property taxes: $138,573
  • Salaries: $51,433 is the salary for one studio coordinator
    (There are 26 full-time staffers working year-round on parade prep and construction)
  • = $1.5 million to $3.4 million

Assets

  • Studio in New Jersey: $6.9 million
  • Costumes: $2 million
  • = $8.9 million

Freebies

  • 4,000 Macy’s volunteers
  • Marching bands
  • Broadway performers
  • NYPD

A Look Back at Parade History Highlights

  • 1924: Although it took place on Thanksgiving Day, the first parade was called the “Macy’s Christmas Day Parade.” That first year included live animals like camels, goats, elephants and donkeys; horses pulled the floats. About 250,000 spectators attended.
  • 1925-1926: The parade added live lions, tigers and bears.
  • 1927: The name was changed to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The live animals were replaced by giant balloons because the animals frightened children. The first balloons included Felix the Cat, The Dragon, The Elephant and Toy Soldier.
  • 1933: This was the only year in parade history when Santa Claus led the parade instead of ending it. Also, it was the first year the parade was recorded on newsreel and then later screened in theaters.
  • 1942-44: The parade was cancelled because of World War II.
  • 1947: The movie Miracle on 34th Street was released, including the parade as a significant part of the plot.
  • 1948: The parade was telecasted for the first time by NBC.
  • 1957: The Radio City Rockettes appeared in the parade for the first time.

 

Sources:
http://fortune.com/2015/11/24/macys-thanksgiving-parade-numbers/
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/realestate/how-many-people-can-manhattan-hold.html
https://www.yahoo.com/news/secrets-of-the-macy-39-s-1303459097149494.html
http://www.wsj.com/articles/broadway-shows-battle-to-perform-during-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-1448314024
http://time.com/money/4125880/macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-2015/
http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/11/macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-expert
http://www.businessinsider.com/what-are-the-macys-balloons-made-of-2015-11/…
http://time.com/money/4125880/macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-2015/
http://time.com/money/4125880/macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-2015/
http://www.nyctourist.com/macys_More_History.htm
http://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-other/macys-thanksgiving-day-parade2.htm
https://www.buzzfeed.com/keelyflaherty/facts-you-probably-never-knew-about-the-macys-thanksgivin
http://heavy.com/entertainment/2015/11/macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-facts…
http://gonyc.about.com/od/thanksgiving/tp/2011-Macys-Thanksgiving-Day-Parade.htm
http://mentalfloss.com/article/29284/how-are-balloons-chosen-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/record-number-cops-will-guard-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-n469961
http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/info/news_releases0/2015/august/fy16_helium_sale_and0.html
https://www.reference.com/science/difference-between-1-mcf-1-mmcf-natural-gas-8647efa637dbb147
http://www.realtytrac.com/property/nj/moonachie/07074/140-state-st-hm/145045089
https://www.glassdoor.com/job-listing/float-technician-thanksgiving-day-parade-seasonal-macy-s
https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Macy-s-Studio-Coordinator-Salaries-E1079_D_KO7,25.htm

 

Related Links:
Macy’s Coupons
Black Friday Deals
Cyber Monday Coupons

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Cost Analysis of Your Favorite Movie Weddings

Whether it’s walking down the aisle in Princess Buttercup’s gown or getting an entire chorus to sing “All You Need Is Love” after your first kiss, you’ve probably dreamed of how your own wedding could be just like the ones in the movies. That got us thinking: How much would it cost to throw some of our favorite movie weddings?

 

For the full infographic, read on!

Ebates Movie Weddings Infographic

First off, we gathered estimates of how much the iconic weddings from our favorite movies would have cost in their respective time periods. In 19th-century Denmark, the wedding festivities of “The Little Mermaid” would’ve set you back approximately 43,297 krones, which is equivalent to $64,496. Vito Corleone’s wedding for his daughter in the 1945 film “The Godfather” was $46,730. Next, fast forward in time to 1987, when getting hitched in “The Wedding Singer” would’ve been $7,763. In 1991, the “Father of the Bride” would be shelling out $34,365 to get his daughter hitched. The “Kill Bill” wedding, in 1999, was a bargain at $500. Then again, they never really made it to the reception. The event all six seasons of “Sex and the City” was building toward in 2008 would’ve been $229,869. Saying “I do” in “I Love You, Man” in 2009 came out to $48,061. Perhaps our most expensive wedding is “The Princess Bride,” which took place in the Renaissance Era and cost 20,000 ducats, which is equivalent to just under $3 million!

The average cost of a wedding today in the United States, excluding the honeymoon, is approximately $32,642. Catering alone costs $68 per guest. With that figure in mind, let’s see how much each of the movie weddings would have cost based solely on the number of guests in attendance: “Kill Bill,” $748; “The Little Mermaid,” $5,100; “Meet the Fockers,” $6,936; “I Love You, Man,” $9,560; “The Graduate,” $9,656; “Father of the Bride,” $10,200; “The Wedding Singer,” $11,900; “It Happened One Night,” $12,376; “The Best Man,” $12,240; “The Princess Bride,” $14,960; “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” $16,320; “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” $16,864; “Wedding Crashers,” $20,400; “Love Actually,” $21,080; “Bridesmaids,” $21,800; “Sweet Home Alabama,” $24,840; “Sex and the City,” $30,600; and “The Godfather,” $37,400.

Next we compared where these weddings took place. In “Love Actually,” “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding” and even “Kill Bill,” the couple decided to exchange vows the traditional way, in a church. The average cost to get married in a church, based on our movie wedding estimates, came out to $32,161.

Some of our on-screen couples decided to go no farther than their own backyards, as was the case with “It Happened One Night,” “Father of the Bride” and the memorable Corleone Estate of “The Godfather,” filmed on Staten Island. The average cost of the backyard weddings from our collection of films came out to $66,565.

Other movie weddings took place in unique locales, like “Sex and the City” in the New York Public Library or “Bridesmaids” in the scenic Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia, California. We even learned from “The Little Mermaid” that the perfect place to marry a mermaid is on a ship. Our average cost for a movie wedding at a venue: $86,013.

So who actually made it down the aisle? Couples in “The Little Mermaid”; “The Godfather”; “Father of the Bride”; “My Best Friend’s Wedding”; “The Best Man”; “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”; “Love Actually”; “Meet the Fockers”; “Wedding Crashers”; “Sex and the City”; “I Love You, Man”; and “Bridesmaids” all were pronounced husband and wife. Meanwhile, fate or just cold feet halted couples in: “The Princess Bride,” “It Happened One Night,” “The Graduate,” “The Wedding Singer,” “Kill Bill” and “Sweet Home Alabama.”

What’s the worst way to crash a wedding, you may wonder? In “The Princess Bride,” it was dashing heroes coming in for the rescue, while assassins stopped the wedding and gave the bride something to avenge in “Kill Bill.” Perhaps the crasher we all remember is Dustin Hoffman’s character in “The Graduate,” banging on a glass panel, screaming, before escaping with the bride. Hopefully your wedding has a far better outcome — and it’s death that makes you part, not Dustin Hoffman.

 

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Source List

http://qz.com/228518/the-venerable-80-year-tradition-of-the-insanely-expensive-american-wedding/
http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/weddings/Weddings+Through+The+Decades-258745.html
http://www.bridalguide.com/planning/weddings-through-the-ages
http://celyn.drizzlehosting.com/mrwp/mrwed.html
http://www.seeing-stars.com/Locations/WeddingSinger.shtml
http://www.movie-locations.com
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259446/locations
http://ir.xogroupinc.com/investor-relations/press-releases/press-release-details/2016/Wedding-Spend…
https://www.sovereignman.com/finance/why-dost-thou-whet-thy-knife-so-earnestly-8453/
http://www.apmex.com/spotprices/gold-price

 

 

Related Links:
DIY Wedding Makeup Tips
Budget Bridesmaids Dresses
Ways to Save on a Wedding
Wedding Planning Deals
Wedding Inspiration

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Theme Park Thrills Revealed: Get the Best Bang for Your Buck

Summer… it’s fast approaching, and that means it’s almost time to load up the kids, fly them across the country and give them a vacation that will make them love you forever. We’re talking about the theme park experience!

According to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, there are more than 400 theme parks operating in the United States today. That means it won’t be easy to pick out the best one to take your family to. There are a ton of factors to consider, from ticket cost to park size to how much they’re going to overcharge you for a bottle of water inside the park. Well, we want to help. That’s why we’ve put together a breakdown of 10 of the biggest theme parks in the country. Use it to figure out which one will give you the best bang for your buck and give your family the best vacation ever.

Theme Park Comparisons - Ebates

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Disneyland: Built in 1955 under the direct supervision of Walt Disney himself, this was the place that transformed theme parks from one-day pit stops into multi-day experiences you could build a whole vacation around. Disneyland features some of the most famous, family friendly rides in the world, including Splash Mountain, The Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and Dumbo’s Flight. It also features nearly all the characters your kids love right now, with chances for them to meet their favorite Avenger, Jedi or princess waiting around every corner. It’s hard not to make some amazing family memories at Disneyland, and the people at Disney know it. You’ll be lucky to get away with spending less than $1,000 a day at this park on a family of four, especially with half the attractions now relegated to a second park: Disney California Adventure. Get ready to pony up for a second ticket if you want the full experience.

Walt Disney World: Disney’s Florida park is a few hundred times bigger than its California counterpart, and that extra size is reflected in its extra expensive ticket prices. Is the added space worth the additional cost? It all depends on your family’s tastes. Disney World lacks some of Disneyland’s more popular attractions, including the kid-favorite Cars Land. You can also forget about any appearances by your favorite Marvel characters (Disney doesn’t have the theme park rights to them in Florida). However, there are a ton of unique attractions, including the Test Track which, at $300 Million, is still the most expensive coaster ever built. They also have a 600-acre animal preserve and the soon-to-be-opened Avatar Land.

Universal Studios: While Universal Hollywood is technically bigger than Disneyland, a majority of its space is taken up by the Studio Tour, a tram ride that takes you across the Universal Backlot. If you come from a family of film buffs, it might be worth the visit, but if they’re more interested in the traditional theme park experience, Universal doesn’t have quite so much to offer. With fewer than 20 rides and attractions total, you could traverse the entire park in just a few hours. Of course, you may still find your kids begging to go if they’re big Harry Potter fans; the newly opened Wizarding World of Harry Potter offers every wannabe wizard his or her very own acceptance letter to Hogwarts. Smaller muggles can jump on The Flight of the Hoppogriff if they want a fun first roller coaster experience, while those with advanced degrees in witchcraft and wizardry can try Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey which combines 3D movies and animatronics to give you the full Hogwarts experience. Just be warned, the new attractions are so popular that people are reporting having to wait in line over five hours to get on.

Busch Gardens: With two locations — one in Williamsburg, Virginia, and one in Tampa, Florida — the Busch Gardens parks offer their visitors a slightly more adult theme park experience. The Tampa park is Safari themed with dozens of wildlife attractions. The Williamsburg park has a European theme with sections modeled after villages in England, France, Germany, Italy, Scotland and Ireland. But both parks’ true attractions are their rides; Busch Gardens features some of the most innovative and thrilling roller coasters in the world. While each park also has a kid-friendly Sesame Street area, the scary coasters and readily available beer (this is a park owned by a beer company, after all) make them a much better vacation for an older crowd.

Knott’s Berry Farm: Built on the site of an old berry farm (that’s how it got the name, folks!), Knott’s is an ideal park for families looking to strike a balance between entertainment for all ages and affordable prices. Tickets are only $72 for adults and $69 for kids — one of the cheapest on our list. The rides also range from completely kid-friendly to absolutely terrifying; there’s something for every level of thrill seeker in your family. The hotels are also shockingly cheap, with a four-night stay running you less than $700 (breakfast included). The park’s one big drawback is its location. Situated in Buena Park, California, there are no other tourist locations in the immediate area. So if you want to do anything on your vacation besides tour the park, you’ll have to pay for extra transportation.

Cedar Point: Located on the coast of Lake Erie in Ohio, Cedar Point calls itself the Roller Coaster Capital of the World. And even though it only has the second-most coasters in the world, that title is still hard to dispute. Amusement Today has named it the best theme park in the world for 16 consecutive years. It’s also the only park in all the globe to feature coasters in all four height classes (kiddie coaster, hyper coaster, giga coaster and strata coaster), including the Top Thrill Dragster which holds the American speed record for coasters at 125 miles per hour. This may not be the ideal park for a family visit, but with tickets costing only $39.99 apiece, it’s the perfect park for a group of teenagers or young adults on their first solo vacation.

Hersheypark: Built in 1903, this is the oldest park on the list. Tickets only cost $32 a day, and there are more than 70 rides and attractions, including a fully-functioning zoo, making this a great vacation spot for families on a budget. The big draw, however, is the chocolate. Anyone obsessed with Hershey’s will be in heaven touring its factory or indulging in the exclusive sweets and snacks available in the Hershey’s Chocolate World Visitor’s Center.

Six Flags Magic Mountain: There are 19 different Six Flags parks operating today, but this is the only one that can boast of having the most roller coasters in the world. With 19 separate coasters, all designed with a huge range of speeds and heights, this is another great park for thrill seekers of any age. They even have a Looney Tunes themed drop ride called Sylvester’s Pounce House, which allows younger riders to experience a less intense free fall. Located in California — just outside of Los Angeles — it makes a great day trip for families visiting the West Coast.

Six Flags Great Adventure: Situated in New Jersey right between New York and Pennsylvania, Six Flags Great Adventure is an ideal vacation spot for families that can’t travel too far from the East Coast. But its location doesn’t mean it lacks anything in size. In fact, Great Adventure is the second-largest theme park in the world after Disney World. It comes complete with a full water park and wildlife preserve to go along with its more traditional attractions and rides, including the Kingda Ka which, at 456 feet, is the tallest coaster in the world. And, like Magic Mountain, the tickets are very affordable; they’re less than $60 a day for kids and adults.

Legoland: Do your kids love Lego? Do they really, really love Lego? If the answer is yes, then you could give them the vacation of their dreams by taking them to this park inspired by their favorite building blocks. But keep in mind you’ll be sacrificing all your adult vacation fun; more than any park on this list, Legoland caters mainly to children. All the rides and attractions are designed with little riders in mind, the most intense one being described as a “family coaster.” The tickets aren’t cheap, with both adults and kids costing more than $100. But it might be worth it if your child has always wanted to see a Lego model of Mount Rushmore.

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Balloons on a blue background

 

Source List
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_World
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Flags_Magic_Mountain
https://media.universalorlando.com/resources/factsheets/…
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g32655-d78694-Reviews…
http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-trb-disneyland-disneyworld-20150812-htmlstory.html
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/offers-discounts/tickets-savings-days/

 

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The Money Behind Our Most Beloved Movie Proms

Prom! It’s the most magical time in a teenager’s life. Or at least it’s supposed to be. More often than not, prom night ends with lame decorations, dashed expectations and nasty hangovers. But there’s one place where prom night is always as awesome and epic as it is in your imagination: the movies. From blood-soaked queens to time-traveling teens, the movies have given us some truly memorable prom scenes over the years. They’re the proms we only wish ours could be like. But why wish? You can have a prom just like the one in your favorite movie, if you’ve got the money to spend. That’s why we decided to do a cost analysis of our favorite movie proms.

(Full disclosure: Not every scene we looked at was a prom scene. But we just couldn’t imagine doing this list without including school dances like the Enchantment Under the Sea dance from “Back to the Future” or the Spring Fling from “Mean Girls.”)

Cost Analysis of Movie Proms - Ebates

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Party Like It’s 1999

We looked at 16 different school dance scenes for this list, starting in 1928 when Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed jitterbugged their way into the school pool in “It’s a Wonderful Life” and waltzing all the way to 2008 when Bella and Edward shared their first dance at the end of “Twilight.” That’s 80 years of proms. Aside from the rising cost of tickets (The cost of prom tickets was just $16 in 1928; by 2008, it had jumped all the way to $200.), the biggest thing we learned is that if you want a prom like in the movies, then you’ve got to party like it’s 1999! 1999 was a magical year that featured more iconic prom scenes than any other year on the list. It was the year Julia Stiles told Heath Ledger “10 Things I Hate About You,” Rachel Leigh Cook proved to her whole school that “She’s All That” and a group of friends got their first slice of “American Pie.” So if you want the most guaranteed shot at some awesome prom action, then you’ll want to break out the Spice Girls CDs and put on your finest TRL-inspired fashion, because 1999 was the year when prom truly ruled.

Location, Location, Location

The good news for anyone trying to replicate a favorite movie prom is that the location fee is probably going to be pretty cheap. Eleven of the 16 proms we examined took place in a school gym, which can usually be secured for free. However, if you do want to recreate the look of your favorite off-campus movie prom, you can. Many of the locations used in movies like “Pretty in Pink” and “Footloose” are still available to rent today, if you’ve got the money. Three of those scenes took place in some iconic and expensive hotels that will charge you more than $25,000 for a single night of entertainment. The Ebell of Los Angeles, where everyone found out Drew Barrymore wasn’t a teenager but actually an undercover reporter in “Never Been Kissed,” will charge you $30,000. The Millennium Biltmore Hotel from “Pretty in Pink” will run up a $28,354 tab. And the Century Ballroom in Seattle from “10 Things I Hate About You” costs $25,000.

Of course, hotels aren’t the only place you can have a memorable off-campus prom. If you want to recreate the rule-breaking barn prom from the end of “Footloose,” you can rent out the Lehi Roller Mills in Utah for just $4,250. Or if you want a supernatural prom underneath gray Seattle skies, just like Edward and Bella, you can rent the same inn where “Twilight” went to prom. The View Point Inn is the cheapest on this list, costing you only $3,333 for the night.

Wherever you decide to host your prom, just remember: Most of these proms are memorable because of what happened at them, not where they happened. Let’s just hope you have something as memorable as a musical performance by your “Back to the Future” son at your prom!

Class Act

Another cost-cutting benefit of most of your favorite movie proms is that they use DJs as the entertainment, not live bands. DJs are relatively cheap to rent for the evening, and in most cases, you can probably just find a student at your school who will do the job for free.

Unfortunately, if you do want to hire a band that appeared in one your favorite prom scenes, it’s going to be tough. Some of them, like Marvin Berry and the Starlighters from “Back to the Future” or Johnny Casino and the Gamblers from “Grease,” were entirely fictional. Other bands, like Letters to Cleo from “10 Things I Hate About You,” have since broken up and won’t perform again for any price. However, there is one movie prom musician who is still performing to this day: Usher. His character sang and spun records at the prom in “She’s All That,” and he’ll come perform at your prom too, if you have $150,000 to cover his fee.

Best Night Ever?

There are a lot of things you can buy to replicate your favorite movie proms, but there are certain things that money just can’t get you. At the end of the day, these dances weren’t memorable because the prom committee had hundreds of thousands of dollars to shell out on the fanciest hotel in town. They were memorable because they featured beloved characters, insane adventures and a few overly choreographed dance routines. And, of course, a few of the cooler couples getting lucky. But not as many as you’d think! More of the movies on this list feature couples breaking up at prom than ending up together. Only a few lucky couples, like George and Elaine from “Back to the Future” or Blake and Andie from “Pretty in Pink,” get to share a first kiss at the end of prom. And we only see one couple from all 16 movies actually going all the way on prom night: Jim and Michelle from “American Pie.” Most of the couples end prom broken up, like Danny and Sandy at the end of the dance scene in “Grease” or Kit and Patrick from “10 Things I Hate About You.”

So maybe movie proms aren’t all that different from real-life proms. Anyone’s night can end in dashed expectations, no matter how much money they have to spend. The important thing is to have fun and party, because it’s up to you to make prom the best night of your life.

Source List – links to referenced sites.
http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2014/03/paying_for_prom_how_much_did_y.html
http://www.movie-locations.com
http://www.womangettingmarried.com/ebell-los-angeles/

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Running on Empty: A Cost Analysis of Movie Road Trips

According to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association there are more than 4 million miles of road in the United States, and if you’re an adventurous motorist, they can take you to some pretty exciting places. Maybe that’s why the great American road trip has become such a staple of American cinema; there are endless stories to be told on the open road, from men trying to return to their families like “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” to women trying to escape theirs, like in “Thelma and Louise,” or from two friends searching for the perfect trip in “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” to two friends searching for the perfect cure for the munchies in “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.” Movies have reminded us time and time again that if you want something, it’s out there somewhere; you just have to put some serious time behind the wheel to get it.

Of course, movies also like to remind us that these trips almost always come with their fair share of unforeseen accidents, adventures and incidents, and most of them will end up costing you a lot more than your time. Travel can be awfully expensive, so that’s why we’ve put together a list of our favorite movie road trips and compared them by cost. Hopefully this will help you out next time you end up on the highway with a dead relative strapped to your roof or stuffed in your trunk.

Movie Road Trips Infographic

 

For our analysis, we started with 10 of the most popular road trip movies ever made:

  • National Lampoon’s Vacation
  • Tommy Boy
  • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
  • Easy Rider
  • Road Trip
  • Planes, Trains and Automobiles
  • Little Miss Sunshine
  • Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
  • Thelma and Louise

Right away, it seems that a good way to cut costs on a road trip is to make it a two-person affair. Seven out of these 10 movies only feature two protagonists — usually best friends like Harold and Kumar or Thelma and Louise, but sometimes they’re forced together like Neal and Del in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” The only trips to feature more than two travelers are “Vacation,” “Road Trip” and “Little Miss Sunshine.” And while these all turned out to be amazing bonding experiences for friends or families, the effort of moving multiple people really blew up the cost. Nowhere is this more clear than in the types of vehicles used. Harry and Lloyd from “Dumb and Dumber” managed to travel 700 miles on a mini bike that got 70 miles to the gallon. They may have looked silly scrunched up on a bike meant for one, but they saved some serious cash. Clark Griswold, on the other hand, needed an entire Queen Wagon Family Truckster to transport his clan from Chicago to Los Angeles. This gas-guzzling station wagon ran at a measly 17 miles to the gallon. Add that to the fact the movie was released at the height of the OPEC oil crisis in the early 1980s and you have to wonder if that trip to Wally World was really worth it.

The Griswolds also traveled the longest distance to reach their destination, trekking a grand total of 2,395 miles. But they’re trailed closely by Harry and Lloyd, who traveled all the way from New Jersey to Aspen in order to return Mary Swanson’s forgotten briefcase. Those 2,144 miles are a long way to go for a random act of kindness (and to screw up a kidnapping ransom!). The other trips on our list don’t come anywhere near the distance covered by these two, with most of them falling well under 1,000 total miles. But that doesn’t mean they’re any less eventful. Harold and Kumar’s trip was by far the shortest, only 70 miles from Hoboken to New Brunswick in search of their favorite hamburgers. But in that relatively short span of road, they encountered everything from an escaped cheetah to Neil Patrick Harris. Or look at Neal Page in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” What started as a two-hour plane trip from New York City to Chicago turned into a multi-day journey into a pit of human frustration, complete with derailed trains, disappearing rental cars and an annoying travel companion who followed him every step of the way. At the end of the day, distance barely seems to matter on these trips; it’s all the obstacles in the way that you’ll really remember.

And if any of these movies are even the slightest bit true, you will face a lot of obstacles too. Some of them might be really bad; hopefully you don’t end your road trip getting blown up by angry hillbillies like in “Easy Rider” or flying off a cliff like in “Thelma and Louise.” But you could end up losing your hubcaps like Clark Griswold when he was giving directions to a group of duplicitous strangers, an extra expense that tagged an additional $160 to the price of his trip. Or you could blow your budget by accidentally running up a charge of $1,560 worth of Las Vegas room service, like the heroes of “Fear and Loathing.”

Of course, some additional expenses might be totally worth it. Harold and Kumar may not have been planning on spending $86 on fast food at the start of their trip, but by the end of it, they had certainly earned it. Or you could spend $257,000 on a brand new Lamborghini like Harry and Lloyd did. OK, it was probably a tad expensive, but perfect for blending into an affluent town like Aspen. Plus, it’s easy to spend that kind of cash when it’s coming out of someone else’s briefcase. (Just make sure you include an IOU.)

Road trips can be costly propositions, but whatever you end up spending, you always make up for it in amazing memories. So next time you want to bond with your family or friends, see some amazing places or chow down on the perfect burger, remember that the open road is out there waiting for you. You just have to get in your car and drive.

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Source List –
http://www.artba.org/about/transportation-faqs/#9
http://energy.gov/eere/vehicles/fact-835-august-25-average-historical-annual-gasoline-pump-price-1929-2013
http://www.automobile-catalog.com/make/ford_usa/ltd_usa_4gen/ltd_usa_4gen_country_squire/1979.html
http://order.whitecastle.com/
ebay.com
http://maps.google.com

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Infographic: Making the Most of Airline Perks

If you’re in the air often, you know flying can be a trying necessity of travel — often punctuated by crying children, cramped legroom and other not-so-luxurious aspects of airplane culture. However, you can sweeten the deal somewhat by making the most of your hours in flight. Let’s explore the best airline perks and rewards available so your time aloft can be put to work.

Making the Most of Airline Perks - Ebates

 

Points Pointers

The first thing most people think of when they consider “travel payback” is rewards programs, which can offer anything from free future air travel to various other perks in return for your time spent in their seats. The usefulness of rewards programs tends to be subjective, however, based on your style of travel. Determine where you travel and how often, then consider the following:

  • Number of daily flights the airline offers and where it flies: An airline that doesn’t fly to your favorite destinations is useless.
  • When do you wish to fly? Many travelers like to use their points or rewards during popular holiday periods. Frankly, this can be a crapshoot — but if you’re willing to wait to book one to two weeks before the holiday, airlines tend to release extra award seats then.
  • Ease of earning a free flight: How many different ways can you earn points? Flights, hotel stays, general charges on your credit card?
  • Ease of using your points: What are the blackout dates? How long before points expire? Can you combine points with cash for flights? Are the rules for point usage confusing?
  • General quality of the airline: It goes without saying, but some airlines’ customer service just can’t get off the ground. Is it worth it to fly an airline you personally dislike, even if the perks are good?

A Few Tips to Speed Up Rewards

When accumulating awards points, the one thing everyone wants to do is figure out how to accelerate the process. Consider the following:

  • Fly multiple legs: Forgoing direct flights is a bit of a drag, but if you have the time, you’ll accumulate more points for each leg of your journey than if you flew nonstop.
  • Beg your company to upgrade you: Flying business or first class will earn you more miles by far. Tell your boss you deserve it, right?
  • Research reward credit cards: Some are airline-specific, and some just offer generic point rewards that can be applied to many things (shopping, etc.). Cards like American Express offer simple, generic programs that link to travel with points earned per dollar spent. Or try Southwest’s Rapid Rewards Visa, which partners with companies such as Hertz and Hyatt. If you travel internationally, consider a card geared toward that, such as British Airways’ Visa Signature. It offers perks like no foreign transaction fees and plenty of international reward flight options.
  • Link your rewards programs: A hotel chain-related credit card with high reward gain for property stays, such as the Starwood Preferred Guest AmEx, allows you to redirect hotel and car rewards toward your flights.

Loyalty Programs: Good, Better, Best

It’s worth it to compare airline-specific perks programs when determining which carrier you’d like to give your loyalty (and dollars) to.  Most of the major airline loyalty programs offer the basic perks: free preferred seating, free checked bags (the number you can check free varies, however) and priority check-in/security/boarding.

But if you’re looking for something more, here are a few extra perks to add to your arsenal:

  • Delta SkyMiles: No same-day change fee at 50,000 miles.
  • United Mileage Plus: Discounted same-day change fee.
  • Southwest Rapid Rewards: Free drink coupons and free Wi-Fi on 50 flights per year.
  • JetBlue True Blue: No change fees or cancellation fees for both you and your companions.
  • Alaska Mileage Plan: Free premium drinks and movies, and no change fee.
  • Hawaiian HawaiianMiles: Free unlimited TV and lounge access.

Loungin’ Around

Layovers elicit a universal ugh. But layovers in an airport lounge with free cocktails, food, Wi-Fi and TV make those boring hours go by much faster. Wondering how to score access? We’ve got the goods on how to get in.

  • Attain premier status: This is for those who fly one airline exclusively, as many of the major carriers offer lounge access for frequent flying members.
  • Put your credit card to work: Airline rewards credit cards, as well as some of the basics (such as AmEx Platinum), offer reduced-cost or free day passes. Check to see if it’s included in the annual fee — and if the annual fee makes sense for your budget. If the fee is too high for your personal comfort, say nay.
  • Beg, borrow or swap: Believe it or not, you can swap day passes on travel forums or purchase them at low prices on eBay or Craigslist.

Which lounges are the best?

Look for unique features, such as:

  • The children’s play area at the AA Admirals Club in Los Angeles (Terminal 4)
  • The multi-level space with private showers at the United Club in Houston (Terminal E)
  • The high-tech entertainment zone and a la carte meals at NYC/JFK’s Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse (Terminal 4)

While we can’t do anything about the seat recliner in front of you or the armrest hog in the middle seat, we hope our tips have given you a blueprint on how to navigate the most lucrative payback for flying the friendly skies. Bon voyage!

 

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Prices and Cash Back percentages are subject to change. 

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Infographic: Comparing the Costs of Pets

There are few things more rewarding than owning a pet. Animals provide comfort and companionship, and they make any household much happier.

It’s tough, though, to know exactly what you’re getting into financially when deciding to adopt a pet. Many factors come into play, such as the cost of pet supplies, food, veterinary care and more.

Read on to learn about all of the expenses involved in caring for the most common pets.

Comparing the Costs of Pets - Ebates

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Cats

The adoption rate for the average furry feline usually ranges between $0 and $200. Pricing depends on the breed of the cat and any special needs it may have. The yearly cost of cat food averages out to about $120 for regular food but can rocket up to $500 for fancier or special brands.

When it comes to veterinary care, the first year of exams will cost anywhere between $50 and $100. Every year after that will cost about $50 to $400. Those prices won’t necessarily break your bank, but be mindful of emergency vet care; that can cost up to a staggering $2,000. Spaying and neutering your cat is considerably less expensive. Certain places will do it for free, and the most it will cost is generally around $200. It should be noted, however, that it is usually $25 to $30 extra to neuter your kitty if it is in heat and $50 to $100 more if the cat is pregnant.

Waste management can cost a little more than the average pet: litter boxes are about $20, kitty litter (two bags a month) runs about $15 and a generic scooper starts at $5. Boarding your kitten usually costs between $20 to $100 a day, per cat, and cat-sitters charge about $16 a visit.

When it comes to training, the average cost is nothing but a whole lot of hissing and scratching (seriously, don’t attempt to train your wonderfully independent cat. It’ll have none of it).

Dogs

The adoption rate for the average dog usually ranges between $0 and $500, depending on availability and breed. It usually costs $120 to $500 a year for generic dog food and between $840 and $1,000 a year for higher-quality or specialty dog food.

The first year of doggy vet care is ultimately a bit more expensive than cats’, ranging from $45 to $200. Every year afterwards costs anywhere between $20 and $100. Emergency care, though, can cost up to $2,000, the same as cats. Spaying and neutering your dog is considerably more expensive than your average cat. It can cost anywhere between $35 and $200, plus $25 extra if it’s in heat and $50 to $125 if pregnant.

Waste management is pretty affordable when it comes to dogs: One pack of doggy waste bags, purchased twice a month, will cost $10 to $20, and professional waste cleanup services generally cost about $10 to $15 weekly. Depending on the establishment and services offered, boarding a dog will cost anywhere from $50 to $100 a day, per dog, and it’ll be, on average, $15 to $25 per day to hire a dog walker. Training your dog will usually cost $30 to $250 in the first year, and up to $200 every year afterwards.

Fish

Purchasing fish is a relatively cheap investment. Depending on the species, your average freshwater fish will cost anywhere between $1 and $25. The deepest investment comes with the fish tank and its setup. A small to medium freshwater tank usually costs between $100 and $200, gravel costs about $15, decorative tank plants cost about $35 and the filter will cost around $40.  Food for the average freshwater fish costs a mere $20 a year.

Rabbits

The adoption price of a rabbit is generally inexpensive and, depending on the particular store and breed, ranges between $5 and $50. Depending on its size and complexity, your rabbit’s cage and/or enclosure will usually cost anywhere from $30 to $200. When feeding your rabbit, you can opt for hay or pellets, or you can do both. Hay generally costs between $7 and $30 monthly, and pellets around $10 a month. Waste management is relatively inexpensive for rabbits: Wood pellets cost about $4.50 a month and wood shavings are $10 for five bales every two months. Veterinary care ranges from $40 to $100 yearly, and you can expect between $100 and $150 for emergency visits.

Birds

Depending on their size and breed, birds can cost anywhere from $20 to a whopping $3,000. Also depending on size, birdcages cost anywhere between $60 and $1,000. For smaller and more generic breeds, bird feed usually costs around $9, but for larger or more exotic breeds, feed can cost up to $20 a pop. Veterinary care isn’t too pricey, and exams usually range from about $50 to $100.

Hamsters

Hamsters are a pretty cheap (and cute) investment, and their purchase rate is generally between $0 and $10. Hamster cages often cost around $30, with hamster water bottles selling for around $8 and hamster wheels around $15. Bedding will usually cost $15 in total. Food is pretty inexpensive as well, costing $12 for a typical 5-pound bag.

No matter the costs, pets provide the best form of companionship and love. Shop for supplies for your furry and non-furry friends at these stores to earn Cash Back: PetSmart, Pet Fancy, BarkBox, and Pet Plus.

Sources:
http://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Costs_of_rabbit_ownership
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=15+1794&aid=1516
https://www.petfinder.com/pet-adoption/cat-adoption/annual-cat-care-costs/
http://veterinarybusiness.dvm360.com/slideshow-top-5-most-expensive-cat-breeds
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/03/01/savings-experiment-cats-versus-dogs/
http://pets.costhelper.com/spay-neuter-dog.html
http://www.care.com/pet-care-pet-care-cost-p1145-q7401.html
http://www.poop911.com/california/rancho-cucamonga-pasadena…
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/feeding.htm
https://www.aspca.org/adopt/pet-care-costs
http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/spending/T063-S001-the-cost-of-owning…
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=16+2168&aid=1525

 

 

Prices and Cash Back percentages are subject to change. 

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Infographic: Cyber Monday Hour by Hour

You know Cyber Monday is a huge shopping day, but do you know exactly what time you should log on to score what you’re looking for? Here’s a breakdown of the key Cyber Monday shopping trends that online shoppers have created from 2012 until the present year.

Cyber Monday Shopping Hour by Hour - Ebates

2012

  • Cyber Monday shopping peaked at 11 a.m. EST, with another strong spike at 9 p.m.
  • These peaks are most likely due to commuting patterns of people working traditional hours; they shop online while at work and again when they’re home.
  • Cyber Monday sales increased by 30.3% from 2011.
  • 18% of online shoppers used a mobile device to shop online, an increase of more than 70% from 2011.

2013

  • Like in 2012, average peak browsing time was 11 a.m. EST.
  • Afternoon browsing peaked around 1 p.m.
  • These numbers likely mean that shoppers were browsing during work hours and on their lunch breaks.
  • Use of mobile and tablet devices nearly doubled to 30% of all site traffic.

2014

  • The best deals were in the morning, with an average discount of 23%.
  • 67% of all online deals were posted before 5 p.m. EST.
  • Average peak browsing time was 9 p.m.
  • Mobile and tablet devices accounted for 41% of all site traffic. These numbers represent a move away from lunchtime laptop (or desktop) browsing and toward “at home” browsing on mobile devices in the evening.
  • Cyber Monday shopping was at its lowest at 5 p.m.

Before Cyber Monday

With more retailers offering deals on and even before Thanksgiving, we’ve seen a large uptick in pre-Cyber Monday and even pre-Black Friday shopping. So make sure you’re keeping an eye out for deals in the days leading up to Thanksgiving!

  • In 2014, mobile web shopping at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day accounted for 50% of retail traffic.
  • Also in 2014, the Monday before Thanksgiving, Nov. 24, saw a 100% year-over-year uptick in activity.

Did You Know?

  • Cyber Monday sales have increased every year since its inception in 2006.
  • Sales have grown by 14% or higher each year.
  • In 2014, Cyber Monday was recorded as the most popular shopping day of the season.
  • In 2014, retail traffic reached 13 million pageviews per minute, up 16% from 2013.

So What Should I Do?

  • Know that evening is the busiest online shopping time, so you’re competing with more shoppers and items are more likely to disappear faster.
  • If you’re shopping for a specific item, shop in the morning. You’re competing with fewer people and more items will still be in stock.
  • Shop after 10 p.m. EST on Cyber Monday if you’re just browsing or buying a variety of items. The rush will be over and retailers just may be willing to further discount items that haven’t sold.
  • Keep an eye out for deals starting the Monday before Thanksgiving — or even before. Online deals aren’t just relegated to Cyber Monday anymore!

Happy shopping!

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Sources:
https://www.akamai.com/us/en/about/news/press/2015-press/akamai-releases-2014-online-holiday-shopping-trends-and-traffic-report.jsp
http://www.fierceretail.com/story/holiday-web-traffic-peaked-cyber-monday-2014/2015-03-30
https://blogs.akamai.com/2012/11/huge-traffic-volumes-on-black-friday.html
https://blogs.akamai.com/2015/04/black-friday-and-cyber-monday-rum-insights—part-i.html
http://dealnews.com/features/About-Half-of-Shoppers-Will-Buy-Cyber-Monday-Deals-While-at-Work/1484785.html
http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/01/news/economy/cyber_monday_shopping/

Prices and Cash Back Percentages are subject to change.