ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Although Cyber Monday shoppers are expected to spend billions this year, some local residents say they still prefer to do a lot of their holiday shopping in person.
“We just opened up our online store, so it’s new,” said Denise Lopez, a sales associate at Rugged Cowboy, a clothing and apparel store with four locations, including CherryVale Mall. “So I feel it’s going to attract more customers. We are only located in Illinois so it will be easier for people in Wisconsin or other surrounding areas to come and shop online and be able to ship it to themselves instead of coming in the store.”
But, Lopez said even as online orders tick up during the holidays, she still expects to see a steady flow of foot traffic Monday, as a good percentage of her customers prefer a personalized retail experience.
“There are still a lot of people that are coming in wanting to try stuff on,” she said. “That way it’s easier to see if something fits you and things like that. It’s just easier to shop in-store.”
Rochelle resident Alexandra Sanders says for some items, she likes the simplicity of visiting a website, selecting what she wants, then waiting for her order to arrive on her doorstep.
“They’ll (give) more discounts doing it online,” Sanders said. “And you can choose one-day shipping.”
But, Sanders says she’s one who prefers to make the majority of her purchases in person, especially the items on her Christmas shopping list.
“I am going to get all my shopping done at the mall and some other places,” said Rochelle resident Alexandra Sanders. “I (was) done by Sunday.”
Meanwhile, Amazon, which holds its Cyber Monday event over three days, and retailers like Best Buy, Macy’s Target, and eBay, are expected to rake in a collective $11.6 billion Monday, topping the $9 billion the industry saw on Black Friday.