E-commerce has always been hailed as 24/7. But how many consumers actually click “buy” at 3 a.m.? Apparently enough to get a handful of merchants to test the midnight madness waters with e-specials from midnight till dawn.

Sears, Kohl’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods all offer the early-morning specials to bleary-eyed insomniacs and busy consumers like Mom who prefer browsing and buying at the bewitching hour. The specials are also designed to lure those who don’t normally shop online.

The Email Experience Council says Sears sends a night-owl promo about every other month. Kohl’s offers early-morning specials during what the retailer calls the power hours, while Dick’s christened its effort the after-hours sale.

There is a cohort that prefers logging on at 2 a.m. Using discounts to lure them into buying adds thrift to an already convenient buying channel (and makes staying up worth the effort). And for others, the moonlight sales add a buy-it-before-it’s-gone excitement to e-shopping.

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