Black Friday and Cyber Monday get most of the holiday-season spotlight. But there’s another major shopping day in December that offers great deals and holds its own when it comes to online spending: Green Monday.

When is Green Monday?

Green Monday takes place the second Monday in December. So, in 2018, it takes place Dec. 10.

History of Green Monday

Ebay coined the term Green Monday in 2007 to describe the uptick of sales it tracked on the second Monday in December. It was one if its biggest sales days and therefore dubbed “Green Monday.”

“Green” refers to money, and online shoppers are willing to spend it on that day, with less than two weeks remaining until Christmas and the clock ticking on retailers’ affordable standard shipping options for Christmas. That sense of urgency translates into online sales, as consumers rush to complete their holiday shopping lists.

Green Monday has never been as organized or as hyped as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. But, over the years, its original pioneer (eBay) and plenty of other retailers, have gotten in on the action with sales.

Green Monday facts and statistics

Here’s a look at Green Monday’s growth and evolution over the years.

Green Monday sales numbers

Media analytics company Comscore has been publishing online sales totals for Green Monday since 2008. Since 2011, it’s been a $1 billion+ sales day:

Green Monday through the years

In the early days, Green Monday was more of a descriptive term than a major sales event. And very few retailers actually used the term, instead promoting early December sales as “Cyber Monday” sequels. See how the shopping day has changed over the years.

2010: This is the year Green Monday starts solidifying in the retail lexicon. Oracle tracks an uptick of email marketing around Green Monday, making it the sixth busiest email marketing day of 2010.

2011: Green Monday starts getting major media attention.

2012: At this point Green Monday is officially established, with retailers including Sears, Levi’s and Walmart throwing sales, many of them using some form of the term “Green Monday” in their promo codes and advertising. Not all participating retailers use the terminology, however, with some using terms like “Cyber Monday Rewind” or similar.

2013: Toys R Us, Walmart and other major retailers hold Green Monday sales

2014: Amazon launches its own Green Monday sale with four days of discounts. Plus, Newegg and Best Buy offer Green Monday deals.

2015: Plenty of major retailers jump on board this year, including Target, which offers online discounts with code GREEN.

2016: At this point, Green Monday has become an official follow-up to Cyber Monday, with popular tech items dropping to nearly the same lows and some clothing sites even offering sitewide discounts with promo codes.

2017: EBay celebrates the 10th anniversary of Green Monday by launching deals every hour. Items in its sale include sound systems, TVs, kitchen gadgets and fashion. Target, meanwhile, ups its Green Monday game by offering $20 back for every $100 spent.

We’ll be tracking Green Monday’s evolution as it continues to grow. Check back for the latest Green Monday 2018 sales.