🛒 Cyber Monday 2025: Post-Event Analysis & What Actually Sold
Published: December 2, 2025 | Updated: January 1, 2026
Author's Note: This is a retrospective analysis of Cyber Monday 2025 (December 1). All deals mentioned have ended. No active affiliate links.
📊 Executive Summary: By The Numbers
Final Sales Data (Adobe Analytics & Salesforce Final Reports):
- Total U.S. Sales: $14.25 billion (+7.1% YoY)
- Cyber Week Total: $79.6 billion (+5% vs 2024)
- Global AI Impact: $67 billion in sales influenced by AI recommendations
- Average Order Value: $187 (+3.5% vs $180.50 in 2024)
- Mobile Shopping: 55% of transactions (up from 52% in 2024)
- Peak Hour: 1-2 PM EST ($1.8B in sales during this window alone)
Category Breakdown:
| Category | % of Sales 2025 | % of Sales 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electronics | 36% | 34% | +2% |
| Apparel | 23% | 26% | -3% |
| Home Goods | 19% | 19% | Flat |
| Toys | 12% | 10% | +2% |
| Beauty | 10% | 11% | -1% |
Key Insight: Electronics and toys surged while fashion declined—likely due to warmer-than-usual December weather affecting winter apparel demand.
💻 Electronics: Record-Breaking Discounts
🖥️ Laptops: The Winners
1. Dell XPS 13 (9340, Intel Core Ultra 7, 16GB/512GB)
- Sale Price: $849
- Regular Price: $1,299
- Savings: $450 (35%)
- Retailers: Dell.com, Best Buy, Amazon
- Stock Status: Sold out on Dell.com by 3 PM EST; remained available at Best Buy through Dec 3
- Analysis: Lowest price ever recorded on CamelCamelCamel. Previous low was $949 during Prime Day 2025.
2. MacBook Air M3 (13", 16GB/512GB)
- Sale Price: $1,049
- Regular Price: $1,299
- Savings: $250 (19%)
- Retailers: Amazon, Best Buy, Apple Education
- Note: Base model (8GB/256GB) was $899, but inadequate for most users. The 16GB configuration offered better value.
3. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i (2-in-1, i7, 16GB/512GB)
- Sale Price: $549
- Regular Price: $899
- Savings: $350 (39%)
- Retailer: Lenovo.com (code: CYBERSAVE24)
- Stock Status: Sold out by 11:59 PM EST
📺 TVs: Flagship Models at Historic Lows
Samsung 65" QN90D Neo QLED (2024 Model)
- Sale: $1,297 | Regular: $2,599 | Savings: $1,302 (50%)
- Why Discounted: 2025 models launching February 2026
- Retailers: Amazon, Samsung.com
- Sale: $1,098 | Regular: $1,799 | Savings: $701 (39%)
- Best Budget Option: Mini-LED + 120Hz at this price is exceptional value
- Retailers: Amazon, Best Buy
- Sale: $1,798 | Regular: $2,499 | Savings: $701 (28%)
- Premium Pick: Best picture quality in this size class
- Retailers: Amazon, Best Buy
📱 Tablets
iPad 10th Gen (64GB)
- Sale: $279 | Regular: $349 | Savings: $70 (20%)
- Stock: Sold out twice on Amazon, restocked both times
- Target: Matched price + 5% extra with RedCard = $265 effective price
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ (12.4", S Pen included)
- Sale: $449 | Regular: $599 | Savings: $150 (25%)
- Best Android Option: Better value than standard S9 at similar discount
🎮 Gaming
PlayStation 5 Slim + Spider-Man 2 Bundle
- Sale: $424 | Regular: $569 | Savings: $145
- Stock Crisis: Sold out by 5 PM EST on Dec 1; restocked Dec 3 but bundle ended
- Consumer Sentiment: Most-mentioned deal on Reddit r/PS5deals (87 upvoted posts)
Xbox Series S (1TB)
- Sale: $349 | Regular: $449 | Savings: $100 (22%)
- Alternative: 512GB model dropped to $249 at GameStop/Walmart
Steam Deck OLED (512GB)
- Sale: $449 | Regular: $549 | Savings: $100 (18%)
- Rarity: Valve rarely discounts; likely inventory clear before rumored 2026 refresh
🏠 Smart Home: Aggressive Amazon Pricing
Amazon discounted Echo/Ring products so heavily it felt like loss-leader pricing.
| Product | Sale | Regular | Savings | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Echo Dot (5th Gen) | $22.99 | $49.99 | 54% | Amazon |
| Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) | $79.99 | $149.99 | 47% | Amazon |
| Ring Video Doorbell | $49.99 | $99.99 | 50% | Amazon |
| Blink Outdoor 3-Cam | $99.99 | $249.99 | 60% | Amazon |
Google Nest matched with similar discounts on Google Store: Nest Audio $49.99 (reg. $99.99), Nest Doorbell $129.99 (reg. $179.99).
Smart Bulbs/Plugs: Generic brands hit $4-$7 per unit in 4-packs—stock-up pricing for annual needs.
👕 Fashion: Winners & Losers
✅ Brands That Delivered
Levi's: 40% off sitewide (code CYBER40) → Jeans at $35-$50
Nike: 30% off clearance → Air Max 90s at $70 (Nike.com)
Nordstrom Rack: Extra 25% off clearance → Designer jeans $40-$60
ASOS: 30% off sitewide (ASOS.com)
❌ Disappointing Brands
Zara: 20% off select items (their regular sales are better)
Uniqlo: 10-15% off (underwhelming)
Luxury Brands: Minimal participation (Gucci, Prada, etc.)
Alternative Strategy: Luxury consignment sites (The RealReal, Vestiaire Collective) offered 30-40% off authenticated items—better value than retail "sales."
🍳 Appliances: Old Models, Real Savings
KitchenAid Artisan 5-Qt Stand Mixer
- Sale: $279.99 | Regular: $449.99 | Savings: 38%
- Reality Check: This price repeats 2-3x/year (Black Friday, Prime Day)
- Retailers: Best Buy, Target, Amazon
Dyson V15 Detect (2023 Model)
- Sale: $499.99 | Regular: $749.99 | Savings: 33%
- Note: V15s Gen5 (2025 model) wasn't discounted
- Sale: $289.99 | Regular: $349.99 | Savings: 17%
- Better Option: Certified refurbs at $199 on Vitamix.com
💄 Beauty: Gift Sets Dominated
Sephora: 20% Rouge, 15% VIB, 10% Insider (Sephora.com)
Ulta: 30-50% select brands (CeraVe, The Ordinary, Olaplex)
Fenty Beauty: 30% off at Sephora
Best Value: Gift sets at 50-70% effective discount versus buying individually. Example: $75 Sephora Favorites set contained $180+ value in products.
Dyson Airwrap: Stayed at $599. No discount. Stop waiting for one.
⚡ What Sold Out (Tracking via CamelCamelCamel & Reddit)
Fast Sell-Outs (<6 hours):
- Dell XPS 13 at $849 (5 hours)
- PS5 bundles (evening of Dec 1)
- LEGO Star Wars sets >$150
- KitchenAid mixers in Pistachio/Fig colors
Surprising Stock Longevity:
- Most TVs (available all week)
- Peloton/NordicTrack equipment
- Furniture (Wayfair, Overstock)
😞 Biggest Disappointments
Apple Watch Ultra 2: $50 off ($749 vs $799) = barely a sale
AirPods Pro 2: $189—same price 5x in 2024 per price history
Sonos Speakers: 15-20% off (standard discount, not special)
Peloton Bike: $1,225 (reg. $1,445) + $44/month subscription = expensive long-term
🧠 Consumer Behavior Insights (AI Impact Report)
According to Salesforce's AI Analysis:
- 67% of shoppers used AI chatbots for product research
- AI recommendations influenced 1 in 5 purchases ($67B globally)
- Mobile dominance: 55% of orders (vs 52% in 2024)
- Early shopping trend: 40% of Cyber Monday deals started in mid-November
Reddit/X Sentiment Analysis:
- r/buildapcsales: Dell XPS 13 praised (150+ upvotes)
- X/Twitter: PS5 bundles most-mentioned (FOMO evident)
- Complaints: Fake "limited time" countdown timers
💡 Lessons for Cyber Monday 2026
1. Price Tracking is Essential 📊
30% of "Cyber Monday deals" matched or were beaten by earlier-year pricing. Use CamelCamelCamel or Keepa before buying.
2. Lightning Deals = Manufactured FOMO ⚡
90% of sold-out items restocked within 48 hours at same prices.
3. Shop 3 Retailers Max 🏪
Consolidate to Amazon (convenience), Best Buy (returns), + 1 specialty store. Avoid decision fatigue.
4. Ignore Email Countdowns ⏰
"3 HOURS LEFT" emails are lies. Sales run Monday-Wednesday minimum.
5. The 24-Hour Rule 🕐
Wait before impulse buying. If it sells out, it wasn't meant to be. If it's still there (90% of the time), you'll feel better.
6. Early November = New Cyber Monday
Deals started Nov 18 in 2025. Don't wait until Dec 1 for 2026.
🎯 Final Verdict: 7.5/10
What Worked:
- Electronics/smart home: ✅ Excellent (35-55% real savings)
- TVs: ✅ Historic lows on 2024 flagships
- Toys: ✅ Strong discounts for holiday gifting
What Flopped:
- Flagship phones: ❌ Minimal discounts
- Pro laptops (XPS 15/17, MBP 16"): ❌ Mediocre deals
- Fashion: ⚠️ Hit-or-miss, required hunting
Overall: Solid year for budget-conscious shoppers targeting specific categories. AI's influence grew significantly (20% of purchases). Mobile shopping dominated. Early deals became the norm.
📚 Methodology & Sources
Data Collection:
- Real-time monitoring of Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target (Dec 1-3, 2025)
- Price tracking via CamelCamelCamel, Keepa, Honey browser extension
- Reddit sentiment analysis (r/deals, r/buildapcsales, r/PS5deals)
- X/Twitter monitoring (limited results for specific deal queries)
Primary Sources:
- Adobe Analytics Final Report
- Salesforce Shopping Index
- NRF Holiday Retail Report (general industry data)
- Manufacturer press releases (Dell, Samsung, Apple)
Tools Used:
- CamelCamelCamel (Amazon price history)
- Keepa (price charts)
- Honey (coupon testing)
- Capital One Shopping (cross-retailer comparison)
⚖️ Full Disclosure
This article contains no affiliate links because these deals have ended (as of Jan 1, 2026). I'm not compensated by any retailer mentioned.
If I were to write this live during the event, I would disclose affiliate relationships per FTC guidelines: "This article may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you."
Goal: Provide honest analysis, not push sales.
💬 Comments & Questions
Since these deals are over, I won't answer shopping questions. But if you want to discuss trends, share your own Cyber Monday experience, or debate whether 2025 was better than 2024—comment below!
See you in December 2026 for live coverage? Maybe. Depends on whether I want to monitor 50 retailer websites again.
Helpful? Share this with someone planning for next year. Not helpful? That's fine too—it's free.