How many retailers participate in Cyber Monday sales?

Approximately 90% of the top 100 online retailers participated in Cyber Monday deals in 2024, according to Digital Commerce 360’s latest analysis. When you factor in the thousands of small and medium-sized businesses joining the event—including over 67,000 Shopify merchants who experienced record sales during Black Friday-Cyber Monday weekend—the total number of participating retailers easily reaches into the hundreds of thousands globally. This makes Cyber Monday one of the most universally adopted retail events in modern commerce.

The scale becomes clearer when you consider that Shopify alone processed $11.5 billion in sales from its merchant network during the 2024 BFCM period, while Amazon facilitated purchases from millions of third-party sellers alongside its own retail operations. Add in the participation from major retailers across 129+ countries that now observe Cyber Monday, and you’re looking at a truly massive commercial event.

Numbers at a glance

• 90% of top 100 online retailers offered Cyber Monday deals in 2024
• 88% of top 50 online retailers participated in recent years
• 67,000+ Shopify merchants hit record sales during BFCM 2024
• $13.3 billion in total U.S. Cyber Monday sales (2024 record)
• 129+ countries now observe Cyber Monday shopping events
• 73 million U.S. consumers shopped on Cyber Monday 2024
• 16,500+ first-time entrepreneurs made their debut sale during BFCM 2024

Why retailer participation matters

Understanding Cyber Monday’s retailer participation helps businesses benchmark their competitive positioning and reveals the event’s true economic weight. With nearly universal adoption among major retailers and explosive growth in small business participation, sitting out Cyber Monday increasingly means missing a critical revenue opportunity.

Economic weight of Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday 2024 generated $13.3 billion in U.S. online sales alone, making it the biggest single day in American e-commerce history. This figure represents a continuation of year-over-year growth that has made the event indispensable for retailers across all segments. The global impact extends far beyond U.S. borders, with participating retailers in Europe, Asia, and other regions contributing billions more to the total.

The event’s economic significance stems from its timing—positioned perfectly between Black Friday’s in-store focus and the final holiday shopping push. This creates a concentrated 24-hour window where consumer intent peaks and retailers can capture outsized market share.

Competitive pressure and shopper expectations

When 90% of major retailers participate, non-participation becomes a competitive disadvantage. Shoppers now expect Cyber Monday deals as standard practice, with 73 million U.S. consumers actively shopping the event in 2024. Retailers who skip the event risk losing customers to competitors and missing opportunities to acquire new buyers during peak shopping season.

The expectation extends beyond just offering discounts—consumers anticipate mobile-optimized experiences, inventory availability, and seamless checkout processes. This has pushed even traditionally discount-averse brands to develop Cyber Monday strategies.

Defining “participation”

Not all Cyber Monday participation looks the same. The way we count “participating retailers” significantly impacts the final tally, making it essential to understand different participation models and what qualifies as genuine engagement with the event.

Enterprise vs. SMB vs. marketplace sellers

Enterprise retailers (Fortune 500 and major brands) show the highest participation rates, with 90% of the top 100 online retailers running promotions in 2024. These companies typically offer site-wide discounts, category-specific deals, or exclusive product launches.

Small and medium businesses participate through platforms like Shopify, where over 67,000 merchants achieved record sales during BFCM 2024. Many of these businesses use the event as their primary customer acquisition tool, with 16,500 entrepreneurs making their first-ever sale during the weekend.

Marketplace sellers represent the largest participation segment by sheer numbers. Amazon’s millions of third-party sellers, eBay merchants, and other marketplace participants contribute to the overall retailer count, though their individual impact varies widely.

Deal types counted

Participation definitions vary based on promotion depth and scope. Digital Commerce 360’s analysis shows that among participating retailers, 90.5% offered percentage-off discounts, while 47.6% combined multiple discount types. Common participation formats include:

• Site-wide percentage discounts (most common among major retailers)
• Category-specific promotions (targeted deals on select product lines)
• Flash sales and limited-time offers (creating urgency and scarcity)
• Bundle deals and BOGO offers (increasing average order values)
• Free shipping thresholds (offered by 72.2% of participating retailers in 2024)

For this analysis, we count any retailer offering a measurable discount or promotion specifically tied to Cyber Monday, regardless of the deal structure.

Quick-look numbers (2023-2024)

The latest data reveals record-high retailer engagement across all segments, with participation rates reaching near-universal levels among major online retailers and explosive growth in small business involvement.

Percentage of top retailers offering Cyber Monday deals

Digital Commerce 360’s comprehensive analysis shows 90% of the top 100 online retailers offered Cyber Monday deals in 2024, representing near-universal adoption among major e-commerce players. This figure is based on a direct survey of retailers from their Top 1000 database, making it one of the most reliable participation metrics available.

Among participating retailers, 91.7% specifically mentioned “Cyber Monday” in their promotions, while others ran Black Friday extensions or general holiday sales. The median largest discount offered hit 50% in 2024, up from 40% during control periods.

Shopify merchants running BFCM promotions

Shopify’s merchant network provides the clearest window into small business participation. The platform’s 67,000+ merchants who achieved record sales during BFCM 2024 represent just a fraction of total small business participation, as this figure only includes stores that hit personal sales records—not all participating merchants.

The broader Shopify ecosystem processed $11.5 billion in global sales during BFCM 2024, a 24% increase from 2023. Over 76 million customers shopped across Shopify-powered brands during the period, with peak sales reaching $4.6 million per minute at 12:01 PM EST on Black Friday.

Methodology panel: extrapolating raw retailer counts

Converting percentages into raw retailer counts requires triangulating multiple data sources and making reasonable assumptions about market structure:

Major retailers: 90 of the top 100 online retailers = 90 confirmed large-scale participants

Platform-based merchants: Shopify’s 67,000+ record-breaking merchants, plus similar numbers from WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and other platforms

Marketplace sellers: Amazon’s millions of third-party sellers, plus eBay, Etsy, and other marketplace participants

International expansion: Multiplying domestic figures by international adoption rates across 129+ participating countries

Estimating the total number of participating retailers

Calculating the complete number of Cyber Monday participants requires combining enterprise data, platform-specific metrics, and international expansion figures to arrive at a comprehensive global estimate.

U.S. enterprise count

Among the top 100 U.S. online retailers, 90 participated in Cyber Monday 2024 according to Digital Commerce 360’s direct survey. Expanding this to include the top 500 e-commerce companies, participation rates remain above 85%, suggesting approximately 425 major U.S. retailers actively promoted Cyber Monday deals.

Adding mid-tier retailers (companies with $10M-$100M in annual online sales) brings the U.S. enterprise total to an estimated 2,000-3,000 participating retailers in the enterprise segment alone. This estimate is based on industry participation patterns and the economic incentives that make Cyber Monday participation nearly mandatory for online retailers.

Independent and marketplace sellers

Shopify’s network provides the most transparent data on independent retailer participation. With over 67,000 merchants achieving record sales during BFCM 2024, and considering this represents only the highest-performing subset of participating stores, total Shopify participation likely exceeded 150,000 merchants globally.

Other major platforms contribute additional participants:

• WooCommerce merchants: Estimated 75,000+ participants based on platform size and adoption patterns
• BigCommerce stores: Approximately 15,000+ participants
• Square Online merchants: Roughly 25,000+ participants
• Amazon third-party sellers: Hundreds of thousands of participants across global marketplaces

The Amazon marketplace alone hosts millions of active sellers, with a significant portion participating in Cyber Monday through promotional pricing, Lightning Deals, or other promotional formats.

International expansion

Cyber Monday now spans 129+ countries, with significant retailer participation documented in major markets:

• United Kingdom: 87% consumer awareness, with thousands of participating retailers from major chains to independent online stores
• Germany: 80% consumer awareness, robust retailer engagement across e-commerce platforms
• Canada: High participation rates among both domestic retailers and U.S. retailers serving Canadian customers
• Australia: Strong adoption across major retail chains and growing SMB participation
• India: Rapidly growing participation in the expanding e-commerce sector

International participation adds an estimated 200,000-300,000 additional retailers to the global total, based on platform data and market analysis from participating countries.

Final 2024 range: 800,000–1,000,000 retailers

Combining all segments and geographic regions:

• Enterprise retailers (global): 5,000-8,000 participants
• SMB and independent merchants: 300,000-400,000 participants
• Marketplace sellers: 500,000+ participants

Total estimated range: 800,000 to 1,000,000+ participating retailers globally

This figure represents active promotional participation, not just retailers who happened to be open for business on Cyber Monday. The range accounts for definitional differences and data limitations across different market segments and geographic regions.

Year-over-year participation trends

Cyber Monday participation has evolved dramatically since its 2005 inception, with the most significant growth occurring in small business and international segments rather than among major retailers, where participation rates have plateaued near universal levels.

Growth from 2020 to 2024

The pandemic accelerated Cyber Monday adoption across all retailer segments. Small business participation exploded as brick-and-mortar stores rapidly developed online capabilities, while established e-commerce retailers saw the event become truly essential rather than optional.

2020: Pandemic-driven surge in first-time participants as businesses pivoted online
2021: Consolidation and optimization of promotional strategies across platforms
2022: International expansion accelerated, with new markets adopting the event
2023: Mobile-first approaches became standard, with 69% of purchases via mobile devices
2024: Near-universal participation among online retailers, with 90% of top 100 participating

Early-deal creep and “Cyber Week” dilution

Traditional Cyber Monday boundaries have blurred as retailers extend promotions throughout “Cyber Week” and even into November. This expansion has increased overall participation as retailers can engage without committing to single-day inventory risks or operational strain.

Many retailers now run “Cyber Monday deals” from the preceding Friday through the following Tuesday, effectively creating a five-day promotional window that accommodates more participants and diverse shopping patterns. This trend has made participation more accessible to smaller retailers who may lack the operational capacity for single-day traffic spikes.

Mobile-first sales transformation

Mobile shopping accounted for 69% of global purchases during Black Friday 2024, indicating the critical importance of mobile-optimized Cyber Monday experiences. This shift has lowered barriers to participation for smaller retailers who can now compete effectively through mobile-first platforms and social commerce integrations.

The mobile transformation has democratized Cyber Monday participation, allowing even individual entrepreneurs to participate effectively through platforms like Shopify, Instagram Shopping, and TikTok Shop.

What drives retailers to opt-in

Understanding why retailers choose to participate in Cyber Monday reveals the event’s fundamental value proposition and explains its continued growth across all business segments.

Shopper demand and expectations

With 73 million U.S. consumers shopping on Cyber Monday 2024, retailer participation has become less about competitive advantage and more about meeting basic customer expectations. The event has achieved “table stakes” status—retailers participate not to gain an edge, but to avoid being left behind.

Consumer behavior data shows shoppers actively seek out Cyber Monday deals, with many delaying purchases specifically to take advantage of the event. This creates a concentrated demand spike that retailers cannot afford to ignore, particularly in competitive categories like electronics, fashion, and home goods.

Marketing list growth and customer acquisition

Cyber Monday serves as a powerful customer acquisition tool, particularly for smaller retailers. Shopify reported that over 16,500 entrepreneurs made their first sale during BFCM 2024, highlighting the event’s role in launching new businesses and expanding customer bases.

The event’s high visibility and consumer engagement create opportunities for retailers to reach new audiences at scale, often at lower customer acquisition costs than traditional advertising channels. Email list growth during Cyber Monday can exceed normal periods by 113%, according to industry studies.

Revenue concentration and cash flow benefits

For many retailers, Cyber Monday represents a significant portion of annual revenue compressed into a single day. This concentration allows businesses to achieve quarterly targets, clear inventory, and generate cash flow during the critical holiday season.

The predictable nature of Cyber Monday demand helps retailers plan inventory, staffing, and marketing investments with greater confidence than other promotional periods. Average order values during the event often exceed normal shopping periods, with Shopify reporting an average cart value of $108.56 during BFCM 2024.

Barriers and reasons some retailers sit out

Despite near-universal participation among major retailers, some businesses choose to skip Cyber Monday due to operational constraints, brand positioning, or strategic considerations.

Margin pressure and supply-chain constraints

Cyber Monday’s discount expectations can severely impact profit margins, particularly for retailers with already thin margins or premium positioning. The median discount of 50% reported by Digital Commerce 360 can eliminate profitability for many product categories.

Operational readiness presents another significant barrier. Retailers must ensure their websites can handle traffic spikes, inventory systems can process high order volumes, and fulfillment operations can manage the surge. Smaller retailers may lack these capabilities or the resources to scale temporarily.

Brand positioning considerations

Some brands view Cyber Monday participation as inconsistent with their positioning strategy. Luxury retailers, in particular, may avoid the event to maintain exclusivity and avoid training customers to expect discounts.

Direct-to-consumer brands focused on value and quality over price may also skip the event, preferring to compete on product merit rather than promotional pricing. These brands often worry that participating in discount events devalues their brand in consumers’ minds.

Operational readiness challenges

The technical and logistical demands of Cyber Monday can overwhelm unprepared retailers. Website crashes, inventory shortages, and shipping delays can damage customer relationships and brand reputation more than the potential sales gains are worth.

International retailers face additional challenges with customs, shipping times, currency fluctuations, and varying consumer expectations across different markets, making Cyber Monday participation more complex and potentially less profitable.

How to benchmark your brand’s approach

Retailers considering Cyber Monday participation can use industry data and best practices to develop effective strategies that align with their business objectives and operational capabilities.

Checklist: participation decision matrix

Competitive analysis: Research your direct competitors’ participation rates and promotional strategies. If 90% participate, non-participation becomes a significant disadvantage.

Operational assessment: Evaluate your website capacity, inventory management systems, customer service capabilities, and fulfillment infrastructure to ensure they can handle 5-10x normal volumes.

Financial modeling: Calculate the impact of various discount levels on profit margins, considering both direct costs and customer lifetime value from acquired customers.

Brand alignment: Determine whether promotional participation aligns with your brand positioning and long-term customer relationship strategy.

KPIs to track during participation

Traffic and engagement metrics: Monitor website visits, page views, bounce rates, and traffic sources to understand promotional reach and effectiveness.

Conversion optimization: Track conversion rates, cart abandonment rates, checkout completion rates, and average order values to identify optimization opportunities.

Customer acquisition: Measure new customer percentages, email signups, social media followers gained, and customer acquisition costs during the event.

Financial performance: Calculate total revenue, gross profit margins, net profit after promotional costs, and projected customer lifetime value impact.

Post-event retention tactics

Successful Cyber Monday participation extends beyond the single day event. Retailers should develop comprehensive strategies to convert one-time bargain hunters into repeat customers:

• Email marketing sequences targeting new customers with welcome series and product education
• Loyalty program enrollment during checkout to encourage repeat purchases
• Retargeting campaigns for engaged but non-converting visitors
• Customer service excellence to ensure positive first impressions and encourage reviews
• Follow-up surveys to gather feedback and improve future promotional strategies

Frequently asked questions

What percentage of major retailers skip Cyber Monday?

Only about 10% of the top 100 online retailers skip Cyber Monday according to Digital Commerce 360’s 2024 analysis, making non-participation increasingly rare among major e-commerce players. This represents a slight increase from 2023 when 8% abstained.

Do small businesses benefit from Cyber Monday participation?

Yes, significantly. Over 67,000 Shopify merchants achieved record sales during BFCM 2024, with 16,500 entrepreneurs making their first-ever sale during the event. The platform processed $11.5 billion in total sales, demonstrating strong small business engagement and success.

How many international retailers join Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday now spans 129+ countries, with strong participation documented in the UK (87% consumer awareness), Germany (80% awareness), Canada, Australia, and growing adoption across Asia and Latin America. International participation adds an estimated 200,000-300,000 retailers to the global total.

Is Cyber Monday bigger than Black Friday for retailers?

For online retailers, yes. Cyber Monday 2024 generated $13.3 billion in U.S. online sales, making it the biggest single day in American e-commerce history. While Black Friday includes significant in-store sales, Cyber Monday dominates the online channel.

How early do Cyber Monday deals start?

Many retailers now extend “Cyber Monday” deals throughout “Cyber Week,” running promotions from the Friday before through the Tuesday after the official date. This expansion has made participation more accessible to retailers who cannot handle single-day traffic spikes.

Do marketplace sellers count as “retailers”?

Yes, for participation statistics. Amazon’s millions of third-party sellers, eBay merchants, and other marketplace participants represent the largest segment of Cyber Monday participants by sheer numbers, though their individual impact varies widely.

Has retailer participation plateaued?

Among major retailers, participation has plateaued near 90%. However, small business and international participation continues growing rapidly, driving overall increases in total participants. The 2024 data shows continued growth in platform-based merchant participation.

Which sectors have the highest participation rates?

Apparel and accessories retailers showed the highest participation growth in 2024, with 92.1% participating compared to 47.4% during control periods. Electronics, home goods, and beauty retailers also show consistently high participation rates across all business segments.

Key takeaways

• Universal adoption among major retailers: 90% of top 100 online retailers participated in Cyber Monday 2024, making non-participation increasingly risky for competitive positioning
• Massive small business engagement: Over 67,000 Shopify merchants achieved record sales during BFCM 2024, with 16,500 entrepreneurs making their first-ever sale
• Global scale reaches hundreds of thousands: Total participating retailers likely number between 800,000-1,000,000 globally when including enterprise, SMB, and marketplace sellers
• Mobile-first participation is critical: 69% of purchases occurred via mobile devices, making mobile optimization essential for successful participation
• Discount expectations are substantial: Median discounts reached 50% in 2024, requiring careful margin planning for profitable participation
• International expansion continues: 129+ countries now observe Cyber Monday, with strong participation growth in Europe, Asia, and other regions
• Platform democratization enables broad participation: E-commerce platforms like Shopify have made Cyber Monday accessible to businesses of all sizes
• Customer acquisition opportunity is significant: The event serves as a powerful tool for reaching new customers at scale, often at lower acquisition costs than traditional marketing

Sources & references

• Digital Commerce 360 — 2024 retailer participation analysis of top 100 online retailers
• Shopify News — BFCM 2024 merchant performance data and sales statistics
• Adobe Analytics — Cyber Monday 2024 sales record and consumer behavior data
• Exploding Topics — Historical participation trends and consumer awareness data
• Digital Commerce 360 — Consumer shopping statistics and Cyber Monday sales data
• Three Colts — International Black Friday and Cyber Monday adoption by country
• Statista — Global consumer awareness and participation data by country