As the leaves start to change and Thanksgiving nears, everyone gets excited. Holidays are one reason. But do you know there is something else that adds to the anticipation? That is the two biggest shopping days of the year—Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM).
In a survey of 5,000 U.S. consumers, 71% say they plan to shop online on Black Friday this year. On the other hand, Cyber Monday can drive a record $13.2 billion in spending in 2024, predicts Adobe.
This is an incredible opportunity for businesses to boost sales and attract new customers. But to maximize your success during BFCM 2024, you need to be well-prepared.
Here, we’ll share a few tips that will help you gear up for one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year.
1 Leverage Data to Identify Products for Promotion
Don’t take too long to decide which products you want to promote for BFCM. Identify products for promotion as early as possible.
Dive into your past sales data. What were your best-sellers during last year’s BFCM? Which items consistently perform well year-round? These are likely winners of the big event.
But don’t just stop there—look at customer behavior trends. What are people browsing, adding to wish lists, or abandoning in their carts? These “almost buy” might be perfect candidates for promotions.
Then, consider the inventory. If you have slow-moving stock taking up space, BFCM is the perfect time to discount those items and clear them out.
2 Create Irresistible Deals
Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become a day of special shopping deals and discounts.
Take time to craft enticing offers that will attract customers and make them feel like they’re getting the best value around.
Big discounts work, but you don’t always need to slash prices. Think creatively.
Customers love the idea of getting more for less. So, bundle complementary products together at a special price.
Take QVC, for example. Its Black Friday deals are live. It’s offering Apple iPad Air 11” M2 128GB Wi-Fi with accessories and a voucher for $388 off. The flagship shopping channel is also selling an HP laptop at 51% off with a free year of Microsoft 365.
Beyond discounts, consider offering perks like free shipping or buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) deals.
Another approach is offering exclusive discounts to loyal customers or early access to deals before they go live to the public. It makes your VIPs feel special, and who doesn’t love that?
3 Go International
Black Friday and Cyber Monday began in the U.S. But it has now grown in popularity internationally as well.
In Canada, for instance, 4 in 10 consumers admitted to taking advantage of Black Friday deals in 2022. The same year, the spending of this holiday sales season reached 5.8 billion euros in Germany.
So, don’t limit yourself to just local customers. Tap into the global audience this holiday sales season. You’ll unlock a world of opportunities.
To take your brand international, you’ll need to build multiple country-specific websites or a global website.
Building a website just a few weeks before the sales event might seem like a challenging task. But it won’t be if you use an AI-powered website builder.
These tools allow users to create a professional, engaging, and user-friendly website in as few as five minutes.
AI wizards of these website builders do all the heavy lifting, from writing codes and designing layouts to optimizing SEO and even providing multi-language support. Anyone can use them to build a website, even those who don’t know the ABC of coding or designing.
Another great thing? AI-generated websites are mobile-friendly. These websites, Hocoos explains, are designed to be responsive to ensure a perfect user experience across different screen sizes and devices.
Test Your Checkout Process
Imagine a customer fills their cart with deals, only to abandon it because your checkout is clunky or confusing. Ouch, right? That’s why you need to make sure the checkout process is seamless.
Any friction during this step could cause potential buyers to abandon their carts. A survey conducted by Statista this year found that 22% of shoppers abandoned their orders due to too long or complicated checkout processes.
Do a full test run. Go through the entire checkout process yourself on both desktop and mobile. Is it easy to navigate? Are there too many steps? Aim for a streamlined, friction-free experience. The fewer clicks to complete a purchase, the better.
Double-check if all payment options, including credit cards, PayPal, and any other gateways you offer, are functioning correctly. Don’t forget about autofill. It’s a lifesaver for customers in a rush.
As we gear up for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2024, remember that preparation is key to turning this shopping frenzy into a success for your business. With these tips up your sleeve, you’ll be well-equipped to attract and retain customers.
And once the dust settles, take a moment to analyze your performance to improve for future sales. The more you learn and adapt, the better your BFCM experience will be each year.
Looking to attract more customers this Black Friday? Celebz Wave has the strategies you need—dive into more posts today!