How did Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, get its name? There are two explanations: the traffic that clogs roads as shoppers flock to stores in search of a bargain, or the point when retailers begin turning a profit as the Christmas build up begins.

Either way, it’s a huge opportunity for online retailers. In 2017, the combined online shopping spend in the US over Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday was $14.5 billion, including $6.6 billion from Cyber Monday alone. This day has taken off in other countries as well. Some reports show an estimated £7.8 billion in sales in the UK between Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2017, with online purchases responsible for £3.1 billion of this spend. Shoppers in Germany spent an estimated £5.7 billion online and in-store between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, while shoppers in France spent £4.7 billion. In Canada, online shopping over cyber weekend increased 18% from 2016 to 2017, reaching £256 million.