BFCM is Black Friday + Cyber Monday, one of the most anticipated sales periods for every merchant—online and in-store. Last year, Shopify merchants collectively made over $1.5 billion USD in sales during BFCM.
But, if you’re a new or small merchant, you may wonder why, what, and how of this sale season. That’s why we’ve put together this quick blog to give you the rundown to start selling on Black Friday immediately. Businesses should always authenticate users during the Black Friday rush to ensure security. An SMS verifier can be used to do the same. And hint: businesses should make sure to take full advantage of email and a text message alert system, as well as any other channel at your disposal, to promote your BFCM offers!
Before diving into your BFCM strategy, it’s essential to understand the cost of your eCommerce platform. Shopify offers various pricing plans tailored to businesses of all sizes, from small startups to larger brands. If you’re wondering about the investment needed to start or scale on Shopify, you might want to check out how much is Shopify. Understanding these costs can help you budget effectively and ensure you’re maximizing every dollar during the holiday rush.
What are Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Luxury goods have transformed the landscape of Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM), the most significant shopping period of the year. This exclusive shopping event, which runs from the Friday after Thanksgiving until the following Monday, has become a global phenomenon in high-end retail. In 2024, BFCM is scheduled from November 29 to December 2, offering discerning consumers unparalleled opportunities to acquire high-ticket products at more accessible prices.
The tradition of luxury goods sales during BFCM began to take shape in the early 2000s, as prestigious brands recognized the potential to attract new clientele and boost year-end revenues. While initially hesitant to participate in mass discount events, many luxury goods manufacturers and retailers have since embraced BFCM as a strategic opportunity to clear inventory and introduce their products to a broader audience.
Today, the luxury goods sector sees BFCM as a crucial period for driving sales and enhancing brand visibility. High-end fashion houses, fine jewelry makers, and premium electronics brands now offer carefully curated selections of their products at modest discounts, maintaining an air of exclusivity while participating in the global shopping frenzy.
Although born in the United States, the concept of luxury goods sales during BFCM has rapidly spread to international markets. Countries like the United Kingdom, France, and China have embraced this tradition, with luxury retailers in these nations offering their own iterations of BFCM promotions. This global adoption has further cemented BFCM’s status as a pivotal event in the luxury goods calendar, attracting affluent consumers worldwide who seek to indulge in premium products at slightly more attainable price points.
Cyber Monday was introduced later in 2005, at the advent of online shopping, to promote eCommerce businesses among Black Friday deal hunters. Currently, online shopping is seeing more success than retail stores, with ecommerce sales figures surpassing retail purchases, attracting instant money lenders.
But, you may wonder, what is so special about this sale weekend? Let us illustrate its popularity. Here’s a store being opened at 4 am for Black Friday:
Since Black Friday is a highly marketed annual sale as the season’s biggest sale, shoppers are eager to look for the best deals on products from fashion and makeup to furniture and even flat-screen TVs. Additionally, retail and eCommerce stores slash their prices as high as 60% to entice shoppers. These significant discounts have even instigated violence among shoppers in stores.
Now, for the most critical part— planning your Black Friday sale.
Getting Started with Black Friday Planning
Whether you’re a small store or a large enterprise, Black Friday is your opportunity to grab more eyeballs, get new visitors onto your store, increase purchases, bring back customers to shop from you again, and earn more. It is beneficial for stores just starting, as the sale season boosts sales and helps them increase their customer base.
You might want to consider creating an online catalog as it’s a great way for businesses to reach more customers and increase their sales. You can now easily get an engaging online catalog by ai content creation services. Digital catalogs are easier and more cost-effective for businesses. Digital catalogs are easier and more cost-effective for businesses to create than physical catalogs, reducing the cost of production and distribution. Additionally, make/create a digital catalog to sell more can be seen by customers more easily, giving businesses powerful reach across the globe.
They can also include interactive features such as product reviews, video content, and detailed product information that can engage customers and help them make purchasing decisions. Moreover, businesses also use ServiceNow Development Services to enhance and streamline their business processes. Creating a digital catalog is an excellent way for businesses to grow.
Leverage SEO for Maximum Visibility
In addition to utilizing digital catalogs and web push notifications, don’t overlook the importance of search engine optimization (SEO) in your Black Friday strategy. Optimizing your website with relevant keywords and creating high-quality content can significantly improve your search rankings, making it easier for potential customers to find your offers online. By focusing on local SEO, you can attract nearby shoppers actively searching for Black Friday deals, ensuring your business stands out during this competitive shopping season.
There are three core steps to any Black Friday sale:
- Decide your discount amount
- Promote your store’s discount before and during the sale with innovative marketing channels.
- Engage with visitors to your store and maximize conversions with stellar customer support.
Want more details on these steps and maximize your reach during this sale? Pick up our easy-to-follow Black Friday checklist to plan your sale efficiently and set up a successful BFCM sale on your online store.
PushOwl for BFCM
Web push notifications are a great way to market your sale immediately and get more visibility for your short-lived sale quickly. By crafting well-written web push notifications about your sale, you can increase traffic to your store and get people who have subscribed to your store to come back and purchase from you.
Here are two blogs we have to help you plan your web push notifications for sale:
- Web push strategy: Guide to Planning BFCM with Web Push Notifications
- Web push copy tactics: 8 Web Push Notification Tactics for a Successful Black Friday Sale
Another hack for Black Friday is to use the surge of store visitors to your advantage by optimizing your web push subscription tactics for sale. Our blog on how to turn your Black Friday visitors into subscribers gives you every tip to increase your subscriber list and ensure you have a larger audience to market to, even after the sale.
Take advantage of partnerships
Collaborating with reliable suppliers during BFCM can make all the difference for small businesses. The Trade Table is a trusted home improvement store that supports small merchants by providing access to small brands looking for more sales. By working with suppliers like The Trade Table, small stores can ensure they have the sales to meet their needs, allowing them to focus on scaling.
Other Resources
Here are some helpful resources based on the problem you want to solve during BFCM:
- Abandoned Cart Recovery Strategy For BFCM
- Black Friday Email Marketing Ideas to Skyrocket Your Sales in 2019
- Shopify Apps and their Black Friday deals
- 10 Black Friday Marketing Tips for Instagram
- Make the Most of Loyalty this Black Friday and Cyber Monday
- 10 Innovative Ways to Use SMS Marketing for BFCM
- 5 Messenger Marketing Campaigns To Increase Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales
There are less than ten days, so we hope you’re rushing to set up your Black Friday sale in your store!
Our friends originally published this article at PushOwl.
