COVID Business: Retailers Look To Cyber Monday To Help Keep Afloat During Year Of Struggle

PLEASANTON (CBS SF) -- What does Cyber Monday mean to small businesses? Some say they will make more online than in the store.

Downtown Pleasanton, even with COVID, usually has some shoppers strolling down Main street, but not today. Small business owner Wendy Schulte says folks are mostly shopping online.

"We don't have many customers coming in today but I do believe that our online will do more than we'll do here in the store," said Schulte, who owns Good Common Sense Naturals organic skin care store.

Wendy's online presence is a website that she developed herself, adding special Cyber Monday deals as best she can.

"We actually have a special online where you get this bath gift set, all five pieces when you spend $100 online."

Schulte says Cyber Monday no longer exists, it's now Cyber Week!

One small business in Oakland has decided to stop brick and mortar all together until the pandemic goes away. Standard and Strange men's clothing store co-owner Neil Berrette says the old store is now a warehouse servicing their website.

"We decided that we were going to be mostly online. We'll do curbside pickup, fittings except for pants but the store is going to be a clean zone."

That means no customers inside. Standard and Strange donated all their proceeds from last week's Black Friday, $37,000, to charity.

"Friday was our second best day in the history of the shop," said Berrette.