What was once an annual high-street event has now become a global e-commerce storm. Online Black Friday sales in 2024 hit over $10.8 billion in sales in the US alone – a record high.
With online retailers slashing prices and hosting irresistible flash sales, more shoppers than ever are getting involved and hunting for bargains.
Whether they are looking to get a head start on their Christmas shopping or stay up to date with the latest technology, the offers are becoming increasingly impressive year after year.
In this article:
- How to Prepare Your Business for Black Friday
- Prepare Your Website for Traffic Surges
- Optimize the User Experience (UX)
- Simplify Discount Codes
- Add Upsell and Bundle Opportunities
- Spread the Word Early
- Reward Loyal Customers with Exclusive Deals
- Extend Your Promotions Beyond Black Friday
From a retailer's perspective, Black Friday presents a prime opportunity to engage with customers and make a lasting impression.
By finding innovative ways to stand out from the competition and keep your customers hooked, you can prepare your business for Black Friday and make it your best one yet.
Why Black Friday Is a Massive Opportunity for Retailers
The concept of Black Friday has continued to boom as retailers compete to offer the best deals and boost their sales figures.
What was once only seen in physical stores now dominates the internet, as the vast e-commerce landscape means there are more businesses than ever seeking unique Black Friday campaign ideas.
As you can see from the graph below, Black Friday sales have grown steadily year after year, and this trend is not expected to slow. As more shoppers hunt for good deals, retailers must be creative to stand out.
Source: DemandSage
Since online shopping has opened so many doors for shoppers, Black Friday has become one of the biggest dates in retailers' diaries.
Businesses transform their websites to include flashy graphics, interactive games, and flash sales throughout the day, exposing consumers to more deals than ever.
How to Prepare Your Business for Black Friday
As a retailer, Black Friday presents an opportunity to boost sales and expand your customer base. Since it is such a competitive landscape, knowing how to prepare your business for Black Friday is key, so let’s discuss some of the strategies you can implement to make 2025 your best Black Friday yet.
Prepare Your Website for Traffic Surges
Since your online store is likely to capture more organic search traffic on Black Friday than usual, it’s crucial to ensure your site can handle the increased traffic.
If a shopper encounters slow-loading pages or lags during checkout, it can be enough to make them abandon their cart and look elsewhere.
In the lead-up to Black Friday, run checks to ensure your website is well-optimized and your hosting package can withstand the surge in visitors. By ironing out any issues in advance, you reduce the risk of hindering your success on the day.
Optimize the User Experience (UX)
The fast pace of Black Friday means shoppers will not linger if they encounter confusing website navigation. The shopping process should be quick, efficient, and help people find exactly what they are looking for.
Using an online store builder designed to optimize the e-commerce user experience will help you align your site with customer needs.
By using templates for enticing product pages, simplified navigation categories, and a streamlined checkout process, you can ensure your website makes it as easy as possible for shoppers.
Simplify Discount Codes
Many e-commerce retailers must set up multiple discount codes, each with different deals and valid for various periods. This is often used to separate deals from other sources, such as email marketing, social media, or the website itself.
From a shopper's perspective, if they can’t find where to enter the code or have to enter codes that are tricky to memorize, it can leave them frustrated and could potentially cost them a customer.
Source: Shopify
By ensuring each deal is easy to use and testing the checkout codes yourself, you can guarantee the process is straightforward and allows users to access the deals they were promised.
Add Upsell and Bundle Opportunities
On Black Friday, shoppers are in a buying mindset that offers you a prime opportunity to upsell and increase the value of your orders.
Personalizing suggested items based on a user’s browsing behavior guides them towards products they might be interested in or that complement items already in their cart.
Another effective strategy is to create product bundles. By grouping items that are typically used together and offering them at a lower price than buying them individually, shoppers will feel like they are getting a great deal.
Spread the Word Early
When Black Friday arrives, the web is filled with brands vying for your attention. With your inbox overflowing with deals and social media flooded with flash sales, it can become overwhelming.
The trick is to get ahead and drip-feed offers in the lead-up to Black Friday. Using your marketing channels to send out teasers and generate excitement about what is to come will help keep your name top of mind for your customers, encouraging them to return on the day.
Source: SocialInsider
The more you know how to prepare your business for Black Friday, the more visibility it will gain. By starting early and informing people about your plans, you increase your chances of standing out from the competition.
Reward Loyal Customers with Exclusive Deals
While attracting new customers is important, maintaining strong relationships with your existing customers is equally key.
Offering existing customers access to exclusive deals is a great way to make them feel valued. Running email campaigns that provide additional offers to top customers will help solidify the relationships you have built and thank them for their ongoing custom.
To increase the likelihood of success, utilize personalization tactics to recommend products they may enjoy based on their previous orders. Not only does this make them feel understood, but it also helps drive repeat orders.
Extend Your Promotions Beyond Black Friday
Nowadays, Black Friday alone isn’t enough. Many retailers expand their offer window to create a larger campaign.
This year, Small Business Saturday follows Black Friday, focusing on physical local stores. Cyber Monday, which falls on the Monday after Black Friday, will feature additional deals for Christmas shoppers.
Since this is a major buying period for many, launching deals throughout the week will help you stand out. These offers don’t have to be as heavily discounted as Black Friday offers, but allow you to grab the attention of last-minute shoppers.
Another powerful strategy is to send abandoned-cart emails in the days after Black Friday.
Source: Drip
If people have added items to their cart but got caught up in the rush and didn’t make the purchase, reaching out with a deal once the dust has settled can help seal the deal.
Make This Year Your Best Black Friday Yet
Black Friday is showing no signs of slowing down, so this is your time to learn how to prepare your business for Black Friday and jump in headfirst.
A successful Black Friday requires careful consideration and a good understanding of what your audience is looking for. This is the most competitive period of the year for retailers, and with so many incredible deals and large-scale campaigns around, you need to think outside the box to stand out from the crowd.
By ensuring your website maintains peak performance, even during traffic spikes, and employing clever deal tactics that are irresistible to your customers, you can aim to achieve your best sales figures yet and make this Black Friday one to remember.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why Is Black Friday So Important for e-commerce Businesses?
Since online shopping has opened so many doors for shoppers, Black Friday has become one of the most significant dates in retailers' calendars. What was once only seen in physical stores now dominates the internet, as the vast e-commerce landscape means there are more businesses than ever seeking unique Black Friday campaign ideas.
2. How Can I Prepare My Online Store for Black Friday Traffic Spikes?
Given the competitive landscape, knowing how to prepare your business for Black Friday is key. Make sure your website can handle a spike in visitor traffic by upgrading your hosting plan, optimizing load times, and testing your checkout process in advance.
3. What Are the Best Marketing Strategies for Black Friday Promotions?
There are plenty of ways to market your Black Friday campaign. These include email sequences, social media teasers, paid ads and influencer collaborations. For the best chance of success, each promotional touchpoint should direct customers to an optimized landing page full of your Black Friday deals.
4. What’s the Best Way to Reward Existing Customers During Black Friday?
Send personalized email offers or loyalty-only discounts to your most engaged customers. Rewarding existing customers builds trust and encourages repeat purchases long after Black Friday ends.
5. When Should I Start Planning My Black Friday Campaign?
When planning your Black Friday campaign, remember that the earlier you start, the better your results will be. Ideally, start at least 2–3 months in advance. This gives you enough time to test your site, prepare marketing campaigns, and address any last-minute hiccups.
Author Bio
Heather Langley is a content writer at Solvid with a background in marketing and web strategy. With years of experience helping small businesses elevate their online presence, she now focuses on writing about the latest trends, software, and best practices.