Before Computers After Digital — Thanks for the cyber week

November 28, 2012 04:11 pm | Updated November 13, 2021 09:52 am IST

Once every year, technology magically transforms one week into a cyber week, claims a tech fan.

BC: Hi, did you finally buy that camera you were looking for?

AD: Yes, I had messaged my friend Mukund in the U.S. — he got me a fabulous Nikon camera on Black Friday.

BC: Huh?

AD: It’s the day after Thanksgiving Day, when the festive shopping spree begins…

BC: So what’s black about it?

AD: A few years ago, the shopping crowds and the traffic on that day gave the American authorities and the police such a tough time that they began referring to it as Black Friday…

BC: Sounds like the various sales we have here for New Year and Deepavali…

AD: The big difference is that a lot of action has shifted to the Internet — the online version is called Cyber Black Friday.

BC: Technology... and Thanksgiving!

AD: Absolutely. Millions thank technology for the websites and apps that indicate the best deals and the nearest outlets where they are available.

BC: I heard that most malls and outlets have begun opening shutters on Thanksgiving night…

AD: Yup, that’s why Thanksgiving Day is also known as Cyber Thursday.

BC: With people deciding to binge on deals instead, several turkeys must have felt relieved. Guess a Cyber Thursday would help beat the rush of a Cyber Black Friday…

AD: Absolutely, Friday gets pretty manic — many websites and apps crash because of the online traffic. That would explain why most avid shoppers decide to shop on Cyber Thursday. However, for those who are more interested in their Thanksgiving dinner, there are always Small Business Saturdays.

BC: What’s that — a day for small businesses to sell their products?

AD: That’s right. While this is mostly a local event, technology — as always — lends a shoulder to promote the event through social media. Small businesses are offered web pages and online advertising opportunities free of cost to reach out to potential customers, and to offer discounts and coupons…

BC: So what comes after — Cyber Sunday?

AD: Well, Cyber Sunday exists, but it’s a pay-per-view freestyle wrestling event. Instead of chasing deals, you’ll be watching hulks chase each other inside a ring. The idea is to relax and wait for Cyber Monday, which has become one of the most happening online shopping events of the year.

BC: Don’t people have to go to work after the long weekend?

AD: They do, and quite a few of them have tried to shop online from their workplace... There have been cases of employees being fired for shopping while at work.

BC: Imagine looking for deals over the weekend and looking for a job on Monday!

AD: You bet! And as a follow up to Cyber Monday, Australian companies have added another day to the online shopping spree, called…

BC: Cyber Tuesday. Look at the brighter side of it — at least you don’t have to get fired from work on a Monday.

AD: The real bright spot to the day is actually a concept known as Giving Tuesday — after all your splurging, you could get on to a social media site on Tuesday and donate to charity...

BC: A nice way to atone for one’s greed. Why do I get the feeling that you’ve missed out on something…?

AD: There’s a Cyber Wednesday too, thanks to companies that want to stretch the shopping bonanza for the entire week…

BC: Reminds me of the life of Solomon Grundy — the only difference is that by the end of the week, you would want to bury your credit card instead.

sureshl.india@gmail.com

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