Cyber Monday received its name in 2005 as a marketing term for the Monday after the United States Thanksgiving weekend.
The phrase was promoted by Ellen Davis of the National Retail Federation and Scott Silverman of Shop.org. It described a day when online retailers encouraged consumers to shop after the traditionally store-focused Black Friday period. At the time, many shoppers had faster internet access at work than at home, helping Monday become a notable online-shopping day.
Cyber Monday is not the same event as Black Friday, even though the two dates are linked. Black Friday traditionally emphasizes the Friday after Thanksgiving, while Cyber Monday emphasizes online promotions on the following Monday. Retailers now often run extended sales across the whole weekend, making the original distinction less sharp.