Is Cyber Monday Only Online? How In-Store Sales Fit In Now

Mostly, but not strictly. Cyber Monday was built as an online event and most of its biggest offers still live on websites and apps, yet several national chains now bring part of the sale into their stores as well. This year it lands on Monday, November 30, right after Thanksgiving on the 26th and Black Friday on the 27th, so what really matters is how each retailer runs its own version.

A name that started at office desks

Cyber Monday dates back to 2005, when the retail industry put a name to something it had already noticed: online orders picked up on the Monday after Thanksgiving, as people returned to work and finished their holiday shopping on a computer.

That's why the day is still tied to the idea of shopping online. If you're already planning for November 30, the Cyber Monday page on Discoup gathers brand promotions in one place and fills in as new offers go live.

What the big chains actually did in 2025

The clearest sign that the online-only idea has loosened came from Target, which first brought Cyber Monday pricing into its stores in 2016. Its 2025 event ran mainly on Target.com and in the Target app, with select offers also available in stores.

Kohl's said its Cyber Monday deals would be available both online and in stores.

Walmart took the opposite route and kept its Cyber Monday sale online-only, after running its Black Friday event in stores and on the web through the weekend.

How to tell whether a deal will be on the shelf

The wording on a retailer's deal page usually tells you enough.

• "Online only" or "exclusively on the website and app" means the shelf price may be the regular one.
• "Select offers in-store" means some items carry over, not all of them, so check the specific product you want.
• "Online and in stores" is the broadest version, though quantities at any single location can still run short.

Many retailer apps let you set a home store and check stock nearby before you leave. Checking the night before beats driving over and hoping the sale tag is there.

Getting the online price and picking it up yourself

If the deal is online-only but you'd rather not wait for shipping, order pickup is often the middle ground. At chains that offer it, a pickup order is usually charged the price shown online, so you can lock in the Cyber Monday rate and collect the item yourself. Confirm the final total in the cart before paying, since some offers may apply to shipped orders only.

Returns deserve a quick look too. Large retailers commonly accept online purchases back at their stores, but holiday return windows and exclusions vary, and electronics can follow stricter rules.

Why last year's setup is only a starting point

Most retailers don't share the details of their Cyber Monday sales until shortly before the event, and some wait until Thanksgiving weekend. What a store did in 2025 won't necessarily happen again in 2026. Once the announcements are out, check where each deal applies (online, in stores, or both) before you decide how to shop.