Green Monday: What It Is, How It Works, FAQs

By Laura Green
Updated November 21, 2023
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Ebony Howard
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What Is Green Monday?

Green Monday is one of the retail industry's busiest shopping days, It represents the day many shoppers rush to purchase last-minute holiday gifts and take advantage of deals. Green Monday occurs on the second Monday of every December. The term Green Monday was reportedly created eBay (EBAY) as a way to represent the rush of last-minute online shoppers along with "the value and savings" the site offers its users.

Key Takeaways

  • Green Monday is the second Monday in December and one of the busiest retail shopping days in the United States.
  • eBay claims it created the phrase in 2007 after it realized that one of its biggest sales days was the second Monday of December.
  • The winter holiday season includes the year's most profitable retail sales days: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Green Monday.

Understanding Green Monday

Online site eBay claims to have coined the phrase Green Monday in 2007 after it realized that the second Monday in December was one of its most profitable sales days. Green Monday is also known as Cyber Monday 2 in retail circles due to its high volume of online shoppers seeking last-minute holiday deals.

The term green in Green Monday can refer to green for dollars or environmentally green for those who consider online shopping a more eco-friendly endeavor than racking up deals in brick-and-mortar stores.

Green Monday is eclipsed by Black Friday and Cyber Monday in terms of popularity, but this retail event is becoming a marker of holiday sales. Green Monday is promoted by big-box stores and online shopping giants like Amazon (AMZN) and Target (TGT). Other retailers may simply offer holiday deals on that day to reach holiday shoppers and reduce merchandise before the end of the year.

Green Monday 2023 is Dec. 11.

Green Monday vs. Other Retail Days

Green Monday occurs in December—just weeks before Christmas. But the holiday shopping season typically begins after the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. Sales were traditionally exclusive to the Friday after Thanksgiving. Now some large retailers offer sales weeks before and for several days after Thanksgiving.T

And there is no shortage of catchphrases for the major retail shopping days that occur near the holiday shopping season. For instance:

  • Black Friday happens on the Friday after Thanksgiving when many people start their holiday shopping
  • Small Business Saturday encourages the support of small businesses the day after Black Friday
  • Cyber Monday, which refers to the Monday after Black Friday, is typically meant for online retail shopping

Black Friday

Retailers offer discounts online and in-store on Black Friday. Many open their doors during the predawn hours on Black Friday. To keep up with the competition, some retailers keep their operations going on the Thanksgiving holiday, while others begin offering deals earlier during November.

Many people are off of work and eager to spend money. Online and traditional retailers capitalize on this busy shopping day by offering special sales. Some analysts and investors look at Black Friday sales numbers as a litmus test of the overall health of the entire retail industry. 

Sending Presents

If you had packages to send out for the 2022 holiday season, Green Monday was less than a week before shipping dates kicked in that year. According to the USPS, Dec. 17, 2022, was the last date to send domestic packages using regular ground shipping. UPS ground shipping users needed to check the company's website for its ZIP code's cutoff date. USPS Priority Mail and UPS Next Day Air users could wait as late as Dec. 19, 2022, and Dec. 22, 2022, respectively. FedEx's cutoff for ground shipping was Dec. 14, 2022.

Small Business Saturday

As noted above, Small Business Saturday occurs each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and immediately after Black Friday. The event was established by American Express in 2010 to help drum up support for small businesses that suffered during the financial crisis.

Small Business Saturday is geared toward businesses, such as mom-and-pop shops, restaurants, grocery stores, small businesses that operate online, and those that provide services like salons, mechanics, caterers, makeup artists, pet groomers, and cleaners.

Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday describes the Monday following Thanksgiving when online retailers offer above-average deals to entice consumers to shop online. It is like Black Friday, but for online shoppers. Cyber Monday is now a global phenomenon, and in recent years, sales on that day have exceeded Black Friday sales.

Cyber Monday retailers often have Cyber Monday sales occurring at the same time as Black Friday sales. This tactic targets all types of consumers, those who enjoy the hustle and bustle of Black Friday shopping and also those who prefer to shop online.

Approximately 196.7 million consumers in the U.S. shopped during the 2022 five-day holiday weekend between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday, up almost 17 million compared to 2021, and the highest since 2017, according to the National Retail Federation.

When Is Green Monday?

Green Monday occurs on the second Monday in December each year. In 2023, Green Monday takes place on Dec. 11.

When Did Green Monday Start?

The first Green Monday was in December 2007. eBay maintains it created the name after it figured out that the second Monday in December was one of its biggest sales days of the year.


What Is Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday takes place on the Monday following the Thanksgiving weekend. Online retailers give discounts on this day and traditional retailers offer exclusive, website-only deals.

The Bottom Line

The holiday shopping season gives retailers a big boost. Black Friday is the day that typically sees the biggest rush. But there are other special days that offer consumers big deals. Green Monday takes place each year on the second Monday in December. Reportedly established by eBay, this day generally marks the rush for people trying to get some last-minute shopping done online.

Article Sources
Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy.

  1. eBay. "It's so eBay Being Green (Monday)."

  2. eBay. “eBay Launches Last-Minute Deals Starting on the 10th Anniversary of Green Monday.”

  3. Office Depot. "How Small Businesses Can Get Their Share of the Green on "Green Monday."

  4. National Retail Federation. “Record 166.3 Million Shoppers Expected During Thanksgiving Weekend.”

  5. National Retail Federation. "Winter Holiday FAQs."

  6. U.S. Small Business Administration. "Small Business Saturday."

  7. United States Postal Service. “Prepping for the Holidays With Important Dates.”

  8. UPS. “2022 Year-End Holiday Schedule.”

  9. FedEx. “2022 Shipping Deadlines for Holiday Packages.”

  10. American Express. ”Shop Small With American Express."

  11. Insider Intelligence. “US Holiday Shopping 2021.”

  12. National Retail Federation. “Record 196.7 Million Consumers Shop Over Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend.”

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