As the biggest shopping day of the year draws near, online businesses are gearing up to make the most of Black Friday. Over 87 million customers shopped on this single date, and that is just in the U.S. If you’re in the world of ecommerce, you know that this is a golden opportunity to skyrocket your Black Friday profits.
During this time of year, you want to automate, streamline, and plan out everything possible to ensure your customers have a valuable user experience and are incentivised to click on that “buy now” button. This is your chance to increase revenues dramatically and have a working income for the rest of the year. That is how important this date is to your bottom line.
As a leading provider of premium ecommerce plugins, extensions, and applications, our team at OPMC understands how critical Black Friday is to your business health. Here are nine tried and tested tips we’ve put together to help you cash in on the Black Friday profits and give your customers an experience they won’t forget.
Tips to Supercharge Your Ecommerce Store for 2023 Black Friday Profit Surge!
1 – Promote to Your VIP & Loyal Customers First
Your long-standing customers are the backbone of your online business. Before you roll out your Black Friday deals to the masses, give your loyal customers an exclusive sneak peek. This creates a feeling of exclusivity and appreciation, motivating them to shop even more.
Treat your loyal customers like VIPs. Offer early promotions like 50% off, BOGO, or free shipping at the start or middle of October. That will also help you gather data on interest so you can adjust your inventory and marketing needs accordingly. A single promotional email can go a long way to proactive sales preparation during the big holidays.
2 – Create a Plan for all Holidays
While Black Friday is undoubtedly the biggest shopping day, having a roadmap for all significant holidays is essential. This includes Cyber Monday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day preparations. By diversifying, you cater to the entire holiday shopping season, broadening your profit margins.
If you can, spread out your promotions. Maybe run a 30% off or free shipping option for Black Friday and Cyber Monday that directly leads into a “spend $50 and receive a free gift” promotion the following Tuesday. You want to ride the wave of user interest as long as possible. They are already primed for Christmas. All you have to do is appeal to their need for convenience and urgency.
- Black Friday (U.S.): November 24, 2023
- Cyber Monday (U.S.): November 27, 2023
- St. Andrew’s Day (Scotland/UK): November 30, 2023
- Christmas Eve (U.S., UK, Australia): December 24, 2023
- Christmas Day (U.S., UK, Australia): December 25, 2023
- Boxing Day (UK, Australia): December 26, 2023
- Kwanzaa (U.S.): December 26, 2023 – January 1, 2024
- New Year’s Eve (U.S., UK, Australia): December 31, 2023
- New Year’s Day (U.S., UK, Australia): January 1, 2024
3 – Cultivate Interest on Social Media
Your online store can benefit immensely from the buzz on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X (formally Twitter), and Pinterest. Tease upcoming Black Friday deals, hold contests, and engage with your audience to keep consumer demand and anticipation high.
Lean into User-Generated Content (UGC) that you can share on your own feed (unboxing videos, online reviews, etc.). Don’t be afraid to call a local micro-influencer to discuss your upcoming promotions and deals.
Over 75% of consumers have purchased a product they found on social media. This is when you will need to invest a little in PPC ads to ensure you don’t get lost in the fray. Be sure to target your audience appropriately! Niche down a little and focus on those segments you know are going to make a purchase, then let the organic results unfold.
4 – Have a Black Friday Email Schedule Ready and Segmented
Email remains a powerful tool for online shopping. Segment your email list to send targeted Black Friday sale promotions. For instance, customers who bought electronics might be interested in related accessory deals like Bluetooth headphones, remotes for LED light displays or carrying cases for gaming systems. Keep the content engaging and provide clear call-to-actions.
Build your lists! This is the perfect time to offer your Black Friday deals in exchange for email sign-ups. You want to grow your marketing lists and segmented campaigns so that you have a rich resource to dip into when the holidays are over come Spring and Summer. Almost half of all American consumers subscribe to email newsletters. Take advantage of this opportunity.
For example, a very simplified email marketing campaign schedule might look like:
- Mid-October: “VIP Promotions for Loyal Customers”
- Early November: “Sneak Peek: Exclusive Black Friday Deals Coming Soon!”
- November 20: “Countdown to Black Friday: 4 Days to Go!”
- November 23: “Tomorrow is Black Friday: Get Ready!”
- November 24: “Black Friday Deals are Live Now!”
5 – Do a Proactive Security Check for Traffic Surges
A successful Black Friday promotion can lead to significant traffic spikes. Ensure your ecommerce platform is robust and can handle the influx, especially if you’re using systems like WooCommerce. A timely security audit can prevent potential downtimes, ensuring smooth customer experiences.
Just as profits are bound to increase, so are chargebacks and fraud. Use advanced protocols and audit your online store to proactively protect against these issues. We highly recommend checking out our Security for WooCommerce plugin to help you handle the increase in traffic and sales.
6 – Make Sure Your Site is Mobile Responsive
A considerable chunk of online shopping happens on mobile devices. Ensuring your site is mobile-responsive not only provides a better shopping experience but also boosts your chances of securing a sale. Test your site’s mobile responsiveness and make necessary tweaks before the big day.
Google requires a site to be mobile responsive to boost SEO and SERP. A simple tool from Google will demonstrate if your website is fully mobile responsive and what you may need to tweak to prepare it for the upcoming holiday shopping season.
7 – Feature Your Coupons & Promotions on Your Site
On Black Friday, customers are on the lookout for the best deals. Highlight your coupons and promotions prominently on your site, making it easier for shoppers to find and take advantage of your offers.
Put customised graphics and images in the “hero section” at the top of your website as well as in the footer and any sidebars. Insert them naturally into your social media posting schedule, as well as any email marketing campaigns you may have running. If you do use pop-ups, try to limit them only to desktop screens, as those can get in the way of mobile device viewing.
8 – Inform Your Team to Boost Customer Service
An informed team can handle customer service inquiries better. Ensure your staff is well-versed with Black Friday deals and policies. This ensures customers get the help they need promptly, enhancing their shopping experience.
They need to know precise information about sales and promotions, returns, shipping, and how to answer emails or chats accordingly. This may be a good time to automate through a chatbot or 24/7 live chat option. We have a Customer Support for WooCommerce plugin that will do this on your behalf.
9 – Time to Upsell and Cross-Promote Your Products
With increased consumer demand, Black Friday is the perfect time to upsell and cross-promote products. When a customer adds a product to their cart, show them related items or better deals they might be interested in. This can significantly increase your average order value.
Don’t overthink this. Use plugins and previous sales data to inform your decision-making. Simplify, simplify, simplify. If you are an online business selling custom snowboards, this is a great time to push wax and travel gear bags as secondary purchases. Even better if you can wrap those upsells into your already-running promotions.
Conclusion
By implementing these strategies, your ecommerce store can ride the Black Friday wave to maximise profits. Remember, preparation is the key to success. If you haven’t started yet, now is precisely when it is time to hop on this bandwagon and get your ecommerce brand ready for the upsurge in sales potential. With a little prep, a bit of luck, and some creative problem-solving, you can drastically expand your potential online revenue. Happy selling!
FAQs
What sells the most during Black Friday?
Home, fashion, toys, and electronics top the list. Think about it. These are the niches where most gifts come from for the holidays, so it only makes sense they would lead the charge. However, a rising tide raises all boats, and you should see a bump even if you are selling more unique items.
Why is Black Friday black?
We just thought it would be fun to include this little bit of trivia. The term “Black Friday” originated from the practice of recording losses in red ink and gains in black. Most retailers recognise Black Friday as the first significant chance to get “into the black” for the remainder of the year.
What is Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday is the Monday following Black Friday. It’s a marketing term that is pretty recent and is led by companies like Target, Amazon, eBay, and Walmart. This allows you to ride their coattails and get a “second round” of holiday shopping around the same weekend.
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