Black Friday is gone and Cyber Monday is a memory. How was it for you?

In Chief Marketer’s informal “Daily Special” poll last week, 36% of respondents said they’d be out fighting the crowds on Black Friday, compared to 7% last year. Twenty-four percent said they’d be shopping online (versus 46% in 2008), while 39% said they’d be in a tryptophan induced coma (also 46% last year).

As for me, I went out early Friday morning….well, early by my standards. I’m not a “hey, it’s 3 a.m., let’s go to Walmart!” kind of gal. I’m a “hey, it’s 7:15, I’m up and don’t have anything else to do for a few hours so what the heck, I’ll go for a drive” kind of gal. I hit Target and picked up some doorbuster specials, including a $49 sound dock for my iPod, which was much more reasonable than the $300 one I had been coveting. (Hey, I was the one out and about early. No reason I shouldn’t get a little something.)

Feeling confident, I hit Gymboree, bought a bunch of clothes for the kids at 50% off and then blissfully did my food shopping in a grocery store that was like a ghost town because everyone was at the mall.

So for me, Black Friday was fab. For retailers, results seem to be mixed. Early results in our current Daily Special poll show that results are evenly split between above 2008, level with 2008 or dismal.

As for Cyber Monday, I personally sat this one out, as I took advantage of online deals over the weekend. But many consumers entered the fray, taking advantage of deals. Published reports are predicting that it could set new records for retailers like Amazon and Walmart.

Looking for truly sound data, I polled my own panel of experts on Monday, i.e. my friends on Facebook, to find out what they were doing.

Many, not surprisingly, are planning to spend less this holiday season (”To the point of perhaps creating gifts from pasta, Krazy Glue, & glitter,” wrote one fellow sister in the editorial craft).

Many with kids are trying to cut back (”with two in college this year….enough said!) although one admitted to likely spending a bit more than last year (”but not necessarily by design”). Some are trying to keep spending flat with 2008.

And many avoided the crowds on Friday at all costs. One cousin was skeptical that the deals were really all they were cracked up to be. “The sales will still be there before Christmas,” she wrote. “Are you really saving money?”

Several shopped online over the weekend, but didn’t necessarily go bananas for the Monday mania. “I’ve done most of my shopping (weeks ago) but will check for online deals tonight in the hopes of spending less than last year!” wrote another editor friend. (I know a lot of editors for some strange reason.)

What about you? How was the weekend from a personal and professional perspective? Is Santa filling your coffers with cash—or coal?

Black Friday is gone and Cyber Monday is a memory. How was it for you?

In Chief Marketer’s informal “Daily Special” poll last week, 36% of respondents said they’d be out fighting the crowds on Black Friday, compared to 7% last year. Twenty-four percent said they’d be shopping online (versus 46% in 2008), while 39% said they’d be in a tryptophan induced coma (also 46% last year).

As for me, I went out early Friday morning….well, early by my standards. I’m not a “hey, it’s 3 a.m., let’s go to Walmart!” kind of gal. I’m a “hey, it’s 7:15, I’m up and don’t have anything else to do for a few hours so what the heck, I’ll go for a drive” kind of gal. I hit Target and picked up some doorbuster specials, including a $49 sound dock for my iPod, which was much more reasonable than the $300 one I had been coveting. (Hey, I was the one out and about early. No reason I shouldn’t get a little something.)

Feeling confident, I hit Gymboree, bought a bunch of clothes for the kids at 50% off and then blissfully did my food shopping in a grocery store that was like a ghost town because everyone was at the mall.

So for me, Black Friday was fab. For retailers, results seem to be mixed. Early results in our current Daily Special poll show that results are evenly split between above 2008, level with 2008 or dismal.

As for Cyber Monday, I personally sat this one out, as I took advantage of online deals over the weekend. But many consumers entered the fray, taking advantage of deals. Published reports are predicting that it could set new records for retailers like Amazon and Walmart.

Looking for truly sound data, I polled my own panel of experts on Monday, i.e. my friends on Facebook, to find out what they were doing.

Many, not surprisingly, are planning to spend less this holiday season (”To the point of perhaps creating gifts from pasta, Krazy Glue, & glitter,” wrote one fellow sister in the editorial craft).

Many with kids are trying to cut back (”with two in college this year….enough said!) although one admitted to likely spending a bit more than last year (”but not necessarily by design”). Some are trying to keep spending flat with 2008.

And many avoided the crowds on Friday at all costs. One cousin was skeptical that the deals were really all they were cracked up to be. “The sales will still be there before Christmas,” she wrote. “Are you really saving money?”

Several shopped online over the weekend, but didn’t necessarily go bananas for the Monday mania. “I’ve done most of my shopping (weeks ago) but will check for online deals tonight in the hopes of spending less than last year!” wrote another editor friend. (I know a lot of editors for some strange reason.)

What about you? How was the weekend from a personal and professional perspective? Is Santa filling your coffers with cash—or coal?