In 2023, most consumers chose to shop online during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) weekend, according to The National Retail Federation.
Even on Black Friday, traditionally the biggest in-person shopping day, online purchases were preferred. Around 90.6 million customers shopped online on Black Friday, up from 87.2 million in 2022.
Recap: What is BFCM?
BFCM stands for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It's the biggest shopping event of the year, combining two major sales days into one long weekend.
Black Friday kicks things off right after Thanksgiving, traditionally marking the start of the holiday shopping season. It’s known for massive discounts and doorbuster deals that attract crowds both online and in stores.
Cyber Monday follows, focusing on online sales, with retailers offering exclusive online deals to keep the momentum going.
Together, BFCM is a huge opportunity for businesses to boost their sales and for customers to snag great deals before the holiday rush.
BFCM is your moment to turn shoppers into loyal customers. For Shopify businesses, it's the biggest opportunity of the year—don’t just participate, dominate. Abhijeet Singh, Co-founder & CEO @ Appbrew
When is BFCM 2024?
In 2024, Black Friday falls on November 29th, followed by Cyber Monday on December 2nd. This four-day shopping event is when consumers will be hunting for the best deals online. Mark these dates on your calendar, and start planning your marketing strategies now to make the most of the BFCM sales frenzy!
Best Marketing Strategies to Increase Sales this BFCM Season
While there is no one way to approach Shopify BFCM marketing, here are some we recommend experimenting with to draw online shoppers to your eCommerce business:
1. It’s not too late to build an app
If you haven’t built a mobile app yet, now is the perfect time to do it before the BFCM season. Having an app gives you more flexibility in deploying your marketing efforts.
With a mobile app, you gain access to valuable data that can help you improve your targeting. Plus, every marketing campaign you run for your online store can also be applied to your app, giving you an extra channel to reach your customers.
Apps aren't just for show, mobile apps built for performance by Appbrew enable brands turn one time customers to your loyal fans. Abhijeet Singh, Co-founder & CEO @ Appbrew
An app can significantly enhance your BFCM marketing campaign. For example, apps allow for better customer segmentation, so you can tailor your offers more precisely. You can also implement app push notifications, one of the most effective strategies for boosting conversions during BFCM. These notifications can help you directly reach your customers with time-sensitive offers and reminders.
And if you’re worried about the time it takes to build an app, platforms like Appbrew make it easy. You can build a native mobile app quickly, without any coding knowledge. For BFCM, Appbrew even lets you change the entire theme of your app, so it visually resonates with your buyers during the sale. And all of this combined translates to more sales during the BFCM sale.
Also Read: How Can Shopping Apps Help Shopify Stores Boost Customer Retention Rate
2. Say no to blanket discounts this year
This might sound controversial, but hear us out. Offering sitewide discounts on Black Friday is a common practice, but it might not be the best strategy for everyone.
Sure, heavy discounts can attract attention, but they usually work better for larger companies with big margins, where they are sure the customer will come back for more. Slashing prices by 50% can harm your brand’s reputation and might not even cover the profit loss.
Plus, with holiday shopping starting earlier each year, a blanket discount makes it harder to keep customers engaged after BFCM. If you’re working with tighter margins, consider other strategies to build your BFCM campaigns rather than defaulting to sitewide discounts.
3. Increase your social media ad budget
On Black Friday, social media is where people go to hunt for deals. That’s why it’s essential to increase your ad budget for platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
Focus on cities and states that performed well in previous BFCM sales, and consider cutting back on areas where you don’t ship to save on ad costs.
You can also use hashtags to reach a wider audience and share exclusive deals and countdown timers to drive traffic to your store. Platforms like TikTok can also be a goldmine to engage your audience with videos and leverage user-generated content to build credibility and boost sales during Black Friday.
BFCM sales can be significantly boosted with the help of influencer marketing. By partnering with influencers who align with your brand, you can create authentic, targeted content that resonates with their followers during this peak shopping period. Influencers can promote exclusive BFCM deals, showcase products, and drive urgency through limited-time offers, resulting in increased engagement and conversions. Leveraging top influencer-based marketing platforms allows you to efficiently manage collaborations, track performance, and maximize the impact of your influencer partnerships during the BFCM sales event.
4. Create BFCM product bundles
Product bundling is a great way to offer value without resorting to heavy discounts. BFCM shoppers love a good deal, and offering bundles like “buy two, get one free” can be incredibly tempting.
For example, Lootcrate offered 30% off all crates last year and threw in a free mystery bundle with subscriptions of three months or more. This not only added curiosity but also helped clear out slow-moving stock.
Another brand, ‘A Kids Company About,’ offered a “buy two, get a third free” deal instead of a price discount. Think about how you can create bundles that will make your customers feel they’re getting an unbeatable deal!
5. Your customer won’t mind a sneak peek
Black Friday marketing is competitive, so why not give your customers an early look at what’s coming?
Sharing a sneak peek of your BFCM deals can build anticipation and excitement. Let your customers know about the discounts on your best-selling products in advance. This way, they’ll be ready to shop when the sale goes live.
Here’s how Glasses USA does it:
Use every platform you have—email, social media, even your website—to share these previews. And don’t forget to include sharing buttons so your customers can spread the word to their friends and family.
A well-timed sneak peek can make all the difference in standing out during the crowded BFCM season.
6. Incentivize your customers to build a wishlist
Encouraging your customers to create a wishlist is a smart way to increase engagement before BFCM.
Take a page from POPFLEX, which ran a successful fall sweepstakes in 2023. They offered a chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree to customers who submitted a $1,000 wishlist and signed up for email and SMS marketing. Nearly 100,000 people entered!
The beauty of this strategy is that it gets customers interacting with your products. They’re exploring your offerings, reading reviews, and researching. This engagement gives you valuable data to target your BFCM campaigns more effectively.
Even if you don’t run a giveaway, offering any incentive for wishlist creation can have a similar impact.
7. Set up a countdown clock on your emails
Countdown clocks in your BFCM emails can create a sense of urgency and excitement. They visually remind customers that time is ticking, and they don’t want to miss out on your deals. Including a countdown clock in your emails can entice customers to visit your store and make a purchase before the offer ends. It’s a simple yet effective way to boost conversions during the BFCM season.
PS. Did you know you can set up countdown app push notifications for your BFCM sale on Appbrew? Get a demo today to know more.
8. Offer a free gift with every purchase
During BFCM, many brands worry that offering discounts might diminish their luxury appeal. A great alternative is to offer a free gift with every purchase. This way, you can attract customers without lowering your prices.
For example, Our Place managed to keep its premium image intact by offering a mystery gift with purchases over a certain amount. This strategy not only increased average order value but also helped clear out inventory and convert hesitant shoppers.
A free gift could be a low-cost item added to every sale or a high-value, limited-edition product offered with a minimum spend.
The key is to create urgency—customers should feel like they’re getting something special that won’t be available for long. This approach keeps your brand’s value high while still taking advantage of the holiday shopping rush.
9. Offer category-specific discounts
We said no to the blanket discount. Okay, but what’s the alternative then? Well, you can consider focusing on specific product categories. This strategy allows you to push items with higher margins, more stock, or seasonal relevance.
For example, you could spotlight winter apparel with a “40% off all winter jackets” promo as the colder months approach. Or, clear out overstocked items with a “50% off all summer sandals” deal.
You could also introduce new products with an exclusive discount, like “30% off our new skincare range.”
Highlighting bestsellers with a discount can drive even more sales, and targeting niche categories, such as eco-friendly products, can attract specific customer segments.
By narrowing your focus, you can make your BFCM offers more strategic and impactful, driving sales where you need them most.
10. Send those personalized push notifications
Web push notifications have their place, but they often fall short in engagement. On the other hand, app push notifications are far more effective, boasting open rates of up to 90% compared to just 27% for web push notifications. The key to maximising their potential during BFCM? Personalization.
By using data from your Shopify app, you can segment your audience and send highly relevant messages.
For example, if a customer has been browsing a particular product category, send them a personalized push notification highlighting exclusive BFCM deals in that category. This tailored approach grabs attention and significantly boosts the chances of conversion.
Once you build your app with Appbrew, you can hyper-personalise these notifications, making them even more impactful. Personalization is crucial for cutting through the noise and driving sales during the BFCM rush.
11. Paid shipping takes away the value of a sale
Let’s face it—no one likes to pay for shipping, especially during a sale. For many shoppers, shipping fees can be the dealbreaker that makes them abandon their cart.
According to Baymard, 47% of customers abandon their carts due to extra fees like shipping.
In fact, a significant number of consumers expect free shipping, particularly when their order exceeds a certain amount.
To maximise your BFCM sales, consider offering free shipping as an incentive. If offering free shipping on all orders isn’t feasible, set a minimum order value to qualify for it. This strategy not only encourages customers to spend more but also boosts your average order value.
For example, clothing retailer Anthropologie offers free shipping on orders over $50, which entices shoppers to add that extra item to their cart.
Remember, removing the barrier of paid shipping can make your sale more appealing and drive higher conversions.
12. If it’s not a competitor, it’s a potential BFCM promotions partner
Teaming up with complementary brands can improve your BFCM strategy. Partnering with brands that don't directly compete with you allows you to create unique offers, reach new audiences, and provide extra value to both of your customer bases.
Here’s how to make these partnerships work:
- Joint Bundles: Combine best-selling products from both brands to create irresistible bundles. For example, a skincare brand might pair up with a makeup brand to offer a "Complete Beauty Kit."
- Exclusive Discounts: Offer special discounts on your partner’s products to your customers, and have them do the same for you. Example: "Shop with [Partner Brand] and get 20% off with our exclusive code!"
- Shared Giveaways: Host a joint contest where participants can win products from both brands. Example: A referral contest where successful referrals for both brands count as entries.
- Cross-Promotion: Highlight your partner’s products in your emails, on social media, or your website, and they’ll do the same for you. Example: Feature a "Brand Spotlight" in your newsletter introducing your partner and their BFCM deals.
These partnerships can enhance your BFCM campaign and build long-lasting relationships with other brands and customers.
13. Collaborate with Micro-Influencers
Working with micro-influencers can give your BFCM campaign a significant boost without breaking the bank. These influencers, though they have smaller audiences, are often more engaged and trusted by their followers. Their word-of-mouth recommendations can drive attention to your deals in a more authentic way.
Social platforms like TikTok are particularly effective for this kind of collaboration. Micro-influencers can create engaging content like product demos, unboxings, and reviews, which not only drives traffic but also builds credibility for your brand. This type of user-generated content (UGC) can be leveraged during BFCM and beyond, providing long-term value.
Partnering with these influencers helps you tap into niche markets and reach customers who are more likely to trust recommendations from someone they follow. With micro-influencers, you get high-quality engagement that can translate into increased sales during the BFCM rush.
PS. Did you know you can add influencer content to your app for better brand recall and engagement with customers on Appbrew? Get a demo to learn more.
14. Focus on Average Order Value
During BFCM, rather than just slashing prices, why not focus on increasing your Average Order Value (AOV)?
With rising Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC) and competition, it’s crucial to make every sale count.
Instead of a sitewide discount, consider offering deals that encourage customers to spend more.
For example, instead of a flat 20% off across the store, offer 30% off on purchases over $200. This strategy not only increases the AOV but also helps you maintain healthier profit margins.
Let’s say a customer spends $215; after the discount, their order totals $150. Subtracting the costs of goods sold and CAC, you’re left with a much better profit than you would have been with a general discount.
By steering your BFCM offers towards boosting cart value, you’re not only enticing customers to buy more but also setting your business up for better profitability during the shopping season.
15. Build a BFCM Post Purchase Funnel
Don’t overlook the power of post-purchase offers to maximise your BFCM profits. While pre-purchase discounts are popular, post-purchase funnels can be even more effective because they target customers who have already committed to buying. This approach reduces decision fatigue and increases the likelihood of additional purchases.
For example, after a customer checks out, you can offer upsells like premium shipping, gift-wrapping services, or even discounted gift cards. These post-purchase offers take advantage of the shopper’s buying momentum and often have higher conversion rates.
To Sum Up
Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) is a time of intense competition where every merchant is vying for the attention of customers.
If you don’t have a massive marketing budget or a deeply loyal customer base, standing out can be challenging.
This is where having a mobile app becomes crucial.
A mobile app not only helps you boost your mobile conversion rates but also allows you to do so with less ad spending, giving you a competitive edge.
With a mobile app, you can create personalized shopping experiences, send targeted push notifications, and foster a deeper connection with your customers. If you’re looking to turn your Shopify store into a mobile app, Appbrew’s Shopify mobile app builder is the solution you need. It offers all the features and customizations required to build an app that reflects your brand and meets your customers' needs.
Don’t wait—book a demo with Appbrew today and get ahead in the BFCM race!
