Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) 2024 are just around the corner, and for Shopify businesses, there’s no event bigger.
With 2023 seeing a jaw-dropping $9.8 billion in Black Friday sales (according to CNBC) and an even higher $12.4 billion on Cyber Monday, this is the perfect time to capitalize on the shopping frenzy.
If your Shopify mobile app isn’t prepared to handle the massive demand and provide a seamless shopping experience, it could mean missing out on the year’s biggest revenue-generating opportunity.
During BFCM, businesses can make as much in a few days as they would in several months, or even a year, making it crucial to have your app optimized and ready to convert every potential BFCM buyer.
In this blog, we’ll dive into how you can prepare your Shopify mobile app to ensure it’s up to the task, helping you drive more sales and boost customer satisfaction during this high-traffic shopping event.
What is the impact of Black Friday Cyber Monday on eCommerce mobile sales?
Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) have a massive impact on eCommerce mobile sales, with each year setting new benchmarks.
In 2023, mobile shopping dominated the scene, accounting for over 72% of total eCommerce traffic during BFCM. Consumers increasingly prefer shopping via mobile apps for the convenience of fast, on-the-go purchases.
The reason mobile apps thrive during BFCM is simple—apps provide a faster, more seamless experience than mobile websites.
With app-exclusive features like personalized push notifications, easy checkout processes, and one-click payment options, shoppers can make their purchases quickly without the friction often seen on mobile browsers.
For businesses, an app becomes essential not just for increasing conversions but also for customer retention, as 70% of mobile app users are more likely to return to an app for future purchases.
With mobile sales continuing to grow year over year, not having a Shopify mobile app during BFCM means missing out on a large share of this booming market. Preparing your app ahead of time ensures that you’re ready to capture this surge in demand and boost your BFCM sales performance.
Before BFCM: 6 Strategies to prepare your Shopify eCommerce mobile app
Preparation for BFCM should start weeks in advance to ensure your Shopify mobile app is optimized for high traffic and ready to deliver a flawless user experience.
Ideally, this process should begin at least three weeks before Black Friday, though starting sooner allows more time for thorough testing and adjustments.
Without proper preparation, your app could experience slow load times, glitches, or even crashes, which could result in lost sales during this critical shopping event.
Below, we’ll cover some key strategies to prepare your Shopify mobile app to increase BFCM sales.
1. Optimize your app eCommerce mobile app for speed and performance
During BFCM, customers expect a fast and seamless experience. According to research, 53% of mobile users abandon a website or app if it takes more than 3 seconds to load.
To avoid this, start by reviewing your app’s current performance. Compress images, reduce heavy scripts, and ensure your app’s infrastructure can handle a spike in traffic.
Don’t forget to test your app under high traffic scenarios—run stress tests to ensure your servers can handle the increased demand without any downtime or slowdowns.
Shopify mobile apps built with Appbrew are designed for exceptional performance. They can effortlessly handle extreme influxes of traffic, ensuring that whether it's Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) or any other high-volume sale event, you won't experience any lag in speed or performance. With Appbrew, your mobile app remains responsive and lightning-fast, even during the busiest shopping periods.
2. Run app-push notification campaigns
Push notifications are a powerful way to engage users before BFCM. In fact, research shows that push notifications can boost app engagement by up to 88%.
Start running campaigns at least two weeks in advance to build excitement and drive traffic to your app because the more people know about upcoming BFCM sales the more sales you can expect.
You should highlight exclusive app-only deals, limited-time offers, or early access to sales. Segment your push notifications based on user behavior—send personalized offers to frequent shoppers or reminders to those who’ve abandoned carts. The key is to be strategic without being spammy.
3. Personalize the user experience
Personalization can significantly improve user engagement and sales. You can use customer data to tailor the shopping experience based on preferences, past purchases, or browsing history.
Shopify apps like Klaviyo, when integrated with Appbrew, allow you to segment users and send personalized recommendations or offers for your app.
For example, you can showcase products they’ve previously viewed or offer discounts on items they’ve bought before.
4. Streamline the checkout process
A complicated or slow checkout process is one of the main reasons for cart abandonment. In fact, nearly 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned, and that number can increase during sales events due to traffic spikes. The faster and more frictionless the checkout experience, the more likely users will complete their purchases.
Did You Know?
If you build your Shopify mobile app with Appbrew, you can use its lightning-fast checkout that loads in under 1 second! This means your customers enjoy the smoothest and fastest checkout experience, eliminating one of the biggest reasons for cart abandonment—slow payment pages or failed transactions.
With Appbrew, you can ensure a seamless shopping journey from start to finish, reducing abandoned carts and increasing conversions effortlessly.
5. Implement wishlist and cart reminders
Many shoppers will add products to their carts or wishlists ahead of time, especially as they wait for the BFCM discounts to kick in.
Make sure your app has a robust wishlist feature and enable automated reminders for both wishlists and abandoned carts.
Merchants who send cart recovery emails see a 20% recovery rate. With an app, you can take this a step further by sending push notifications for reminders, which often have higher engagement rates than emails.
6. Create an eCommerce app-specific landing page on your store
To maximize your mobile app’s visibility, create a dedicated landing page that drives users directly to download your app for BFCM.
This landing page should highlight app-exclusive deals, early access offers, and any other benefits users can expect by downloading and shopping via your app.
Include clear calls-to-action (CTAs) and make the download process as simple as possible by linking directly to the App Store or Google Play Store.
You can promote this landing page through social media, email campaigns, and paid ads in the weeks leading up to BFCM.
During BFCM: 8 Strategies to increase sales on your Shopify mobile app
Once BFCM is in full swing, your Shopify mobile app should be primed to capitalize on the surge in traffic.
This is when all your preparations come into play, and every feature you’ve optimized can drive conversions.
To help you increase sales during this critical shopping event, here are some strategies to implement within your Shopify mobile app.
1. Offer eCommerce app-exclusive discounts
One of the best ways to boost engagement on your mobile app during BFCM is to offer exclusive discounts for app users.
By providing app-only deals, you create a sense of exclusivity that encourages customers to shop via your app instead of your website or competing platforms. And considering that converting customers on app is easier than converting on website — it’s worth the effort.
You could offer a 10% extra discount on top of BFCM site-wide deals, but only for users who make purchases through your app. This not only boosts sales but also drives app downloads and increases user retention beyond the BFCM period.
2. Run flash sales & time-limited offers
Flash sales and time-limited offers create urgency, motivating customers to make quick purchasing decisions.
During BFCM, consider running flash sales exclusively on your app, with countdown timers to reinforce the urgency.
For example, you could offer an additional 15% off for the next 3 hours on select categories or products. Time-limited offers can be highly effective in driving impulse purchases, especially when users feel they’ll miss out if they don’t act fast.
3. Leverage app-push notifications for real-time updates
Push notifications are an invaluable tool for communicating with your users in real time. During BFCM, use them to alert customers about new deals, flash sales, and restocks.
You can also send notifications for price drops on products customers have in their wishlist or cart.
Be mindful not to overdo it, though—space out notifications to avoid overwhelming users.
You could also use geo-targeting to send location-based offers or recommend nearby store pickups if you have brick-and-mortar locations.
Push notifications have an average open rate of 20%, making them a crucial channel for engagement during high-traffic periods.
Advanced Push Notifications with Appbrew
eCommerce mobile apps built with Appbrew empower you with cutting-edge push notification capabilities:
- Segmentation & Automation: Send targeted notifications to specific user groups automatically.
- Personalization: Create tailored messages with relevant product recommendations during BFCM and beyond.
- Deep Linking: Guide customers directly to product pages, enhancing their shopping experience.
- Intelligent Timing: Optimize delivery times for maximum engagement and conversion.
Leverage these powerful features to boost engagement and drive sales during high-traffic periods like BFCM. Explore Appbrew features here!
4. Simplify the payment options
A seamless payment experience is critical to converting BFCM shoppers, as even minor payment issues can lead to cart abandonment.
Offering multiple payment gateways such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and even Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) options can significantly reduce friction.
Simplifying the payment process not only makes it easier for users to complete their purchases but also increases your app’s overall conversion rate during BFCM.
5. Implement live chat support
During BFCM, users may have questions about products, shipping, or payment options. Having live chat support available within your app ensures that customers can get immediate answers, which can prevent them from leaving the app out of frustration.
6. Use social proof
Social proof plays a significant role in influencing buying decisions, especially during high-stakes sales events like BFCM.
Displaying user-generated content, such as product reviews, ratings, and even photos from real customers, can reassure hesitant buyers about the quality of your products.
You can also use dynamic badges like "Bestseller" or "Trending Now" to highlight popular items, encouraging users to purchase what’s in demand.
Including social proof on your app can increase conversions by up to 18%, making it a valuable strategy for boosting sales.
7. Offer free shipping & returns on app purchases
Shipping costs are one of the top reasons for cart abandonment. Offering free shipping and hassle-free returns on purchases made via your app can remove a major barrier to conversion.
In fact, 49% of consumers say they are more likely to complete a purchase if free shipping is available.
During BFCM, you can incentivize app users by promoting free shipping and making it easy to return items. Offering these perks can not only increase conversions but also encourage long-term customer loyalty.
8. Promote bundling and upselling
BFCM is a great time to promote product bundles and upsells, as customers are already in a buying mindset and more likely to add complementary items to their carts.
Use your mobile app to suggest product bundles at a discounted price or recommend related items that customers can purchase together.
For example, if a customer adds a pair of shoes to their cart, you could offer a matching handbag or socks at a reduced price.
After BFCM: 4 Strategies to Retain eCommerce Mobile App Customers Post-BFCM
Once BFCM ends, your focus should shift from driving sales to retaining the influx of new customers you’ve gained.
Here are four strategies to help you maintain customer engagement on your Shopify mobile app post-BFCM.
1. Send thank-you app push notifications
A simple thank-you can go a long way in building customer loyalty. Sending personalized thank-you push notifications after a purchase shows your appreciation and helps you stand out. You can also include a small incentive, such as a discount on their next purchase, to encourage future engagement.
2. Offer post-BFCM loyalty programs
Loyalty programs are an excellent way to keep customers coming back. After BFCM, invite your new customers to join your loyalty program, offering points for purchases, referrals, and app activities. This not only encourages repeat purchases but also fosters long-term loyalty.
3. Gather customer feedback
Ask for feedback on the app experience, product quality, and customer service. This will help you identify areas for improvement and show customers that their opinion matters. Surveys, in-app prompts, or follow-up emails are all effective ways to gather this information.
4. Analyze app performance
Review your app’s performance during BFCM to understand what worked and what didn’t. Analyze metrics like conversion rates, cart abandonment rates, and load times to identify areas for optimization. This will help you prepare for future sales events and improve overall user experience.
Prepare Your Shopify Mobile App for BFCM Success with Appbrew
As you prepare for the BFCM sales surge, it’s crucial to have a mobile app that excels not just in design but also in performance.
Unlike other Shopify mobile app builders, eCommerce apps created with Appbrew are designed to enhance user engagement, boost conversions, and improve customer retention.
With Appbrew, you can integrate all the features your eCommerce app needs—such as personalized push notifications, seamless checkout processes, and loyalty programs—without sacrificing speed or functionality. Our platform ensures that your app runs smoothly, even during high-traffic events like BFCM.
So, if you're looking to increase your sales and deliver an exceptional shopping experience, build your Shopify mobile app with Appbrew. Book a demo today!
