The Black Friday shopping holiday is by far the biggest ecommerce milestone of the year. During Cyber Week 2021, US consumers spent $33.9 billion online. This year, Black Friday falls on November 25th and is expected to be a huge shopping day.
In order to stay ahead of the game this Black Friday, we've put together our top 5 tips!
Consumers begin searching for deals as early as September, so you should engage your customers and start planning for Black Friday as soon as possible. The 2021 Clarus Commerce survey found that higher levels of engagement with consumers had a huge impact on the brands they want to engage with around the holidays. By engaging with your customer early and regularly, you will encourage them to be more open to your Black Friday deals when the day finally arrives.
Here are some questions to ask yourself to ensure you're prepared for Black Friday this year:
What products should you discount?
When will you start offering sales, and for how long?
How and where will you advertise your deals?
Will you add any new products or designs for the holidays?
How can you maximize cross-sell and upsell opportunities?
Cyber Week is one of the most competitive times for retailers, so it's more important than ever to stand out. The ease and simplicity of your brand's shopping experience is increasingly becoming the deciding factor that will give it an edge over the competition!
Creating a consumer experience requires anticipating the needs of your customers. According to a Forester survey, nearly 70% of their respondents were more likely to purchase from a company that provided a convenient shopping experience. Design your communication channels to give the most positive customer experience. This can be done through an easily navigated website, a streamlined payment process, or quick query response times. It is helpful to remember that your consumers have a lot of options at their fingertips. Therefore, they are likely to engage with the business that offers the most exceptional customer experience!
An easy and straightforward shopping experience will engage your consumers and may well be the deciding factor for many customers!
Every year, the deals associated with Black Friday encourage buyers to complete at least some of their holiday shopping. However, in recent years, more and more buyers are turning away from the mayhem of the high street and onto their computers. The same 2021 Clarus Commerce survey found that 83% of consumers say they’ll complete most, if not all of their Black Friday holiday shopping online.
Because of this, it is more pertinent than ever that your store is prepared for this inevitable influx of traffic. Whilst some digital hiccups are unavoidable, they can be minimized by:
Installing and testing a streamlined payment process.
Offering a variety of payment options, such as PayPal and card payments.
Using user-friendly platforms like Etsy or Shopify.
Make it simple for people to search and find what they want on your website.
Whilst Black Friday is renowned for its bargains and deals, it is key to find a price point that balances consumer satisfaction and profitability.
The months before Black Friday are the most ideal time to identify and re-release some of your most popular products. These can be used to build your promotional campaign and guide your pricing strategy. These popular products can then be compared to the 2021 shopping trends. Whilst it is wise to remember that some products will always be in demand, such as clothing, this information can be used to guide which products you advertise and discount for Black Friday.
Not sure which products to add, or what price points? Explore our gift guide to make sure you offer something to shoppers on all budgets.
Customers are becoming increasingly attracted to personalized shopping experiences. More shoppers are wanting to engage with your business and feel like they aren’t just interacting with a robot or being spammed with impersonal email offers.
You need to know your audience. The ways in which you communicate with them need to be tailored to ensure buyers always receive a customized and tailored shopping experience. This can be achieved by investing time into content strategies that target specific user groups. In addition, you can personalize emails to ensure customers feel connected to your business and part of a community.
Now that you’re prepared with our top Black Friday tips, it’s time to promote your store and start selling! Explore more tips & tricks on our dedicated holiday preparations page: