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Cyber Monday requires small businesses to establish an extensive online presence

In this Dec. 12, 2016, photo, a person searches the internet for sales, in Miami. Days after flocking to stores on Black Friday, consumers are turning online for Cyber Monday to score more discounts on gifts and other items that have ballooned in price because of high inflation. Adobe Analytics, which tracks transactions for top online retailers, forecasts Cyber Monday will remain the year’s biggest online shopping day and rake in up to $11.6 billion in sales. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Wilfredo Lee/AP
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AP
In this Dec. 12, 2016, photo, a person searches the internet for sales, in Miami. Days after flocking to stores on Black Friday, consumers are turning online for Cyber Monday to score more discounts on gifts and other items that have ballooned in price because of high inflation. Adobe Analytics, which tracks transactions for top online retailers, forecasts Cyber Monday will remain the year’s biggest online shopping day and rake in up to $11.6 billion in sales. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Competing with big corporations and their flashy online websites can be difficult for small businesses on Cyber Monday, the Black Friday after Thanksgiving targeted toward digital sales.

The increase in demand for an online platform from retailers have forced small and local businesses to develop adaptive virtual storefronts.

This has required small retailers to fight larger corporations and vendors for the opportunity to provide business during the holiday season.

Adam White, owner of the athletic wear retailer RC Outfitters of Peoria, said small businesses have to fight for business on days like Cyber Monday.

White said Cyber Monday is a day of struggle for small businesses and that they often have to fight with their vendors to match prices to compete with bigger corporations like Amazon.

He said consumers looking to support small businesses on Cyber Monday should give them the opportunity to provide that sale first.

“A lot of small retailers do have online presence. Cross reference local stores before hitting that buy now on Amazon, and see if it could be purchased here locally,” he said.

Because of the inability of small retailers to negotiate prices, they try to match the price that the vendor manufacturer sets. Cyber Monday has provided consumers with a direct line to the prices that small retailers need to set, and if it is on Amazon for a lower price, the vendor is more likely to be responsible.

“There's a lot of things that vendors do that were last minute, and if the retailer knew that the vendor was doing that, they would probably have made an effort to get their prices in line with what their vendors are doing,” White said, “I don't believe that any small business retailer these days is into charging more than a suggested retail price. And I think that a lot of US small business retailers really endeavor to make sure that our retail price is in line with whatever the vendor manufacturer themselves is.”

White also said Peoria small businesses had a fairly successful weekend, and the support of the local community has allowed local retailers to prosper during days like Cyber Monday.

Isabela Nieto is a student reporting intern at WCBU. Isabela is also a student at Bradley University in Peoria.