Black Friday eCommerce – 14 Tips & Strategies [With Checklist]

It's that time of year again. Yes, you guessed it right - Thanksgiving weekend is here! But do you know that apart from roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie, there is something else people wait all year?

It's shopping, shopping, and shopping! 🛒

Online shopping on Thanksgiving has become like an extended ritual that customers naturally embrace. 

It’s the time when eCommerce merchants are preparing for the Black Friday sale, and customers are looking for those crazy online deals to save their money.  

Customers often build an emotional connection with brands, especially when it comes to occasions like Thanksgiving. 

So, Black Friday eCommerce is not just an opportunity to boost revenue but a great chance to build long-term customer relationships. 

If you are also an eCommerce store owner, you might not want to miss this mind-blowing opportunity to see the magic of Black Friday marketing campaigns. 

However, as an eCommerce business owner, thorough preparation is essential before launching your special Black Friday deals on your eCommerce site. 

Marketers must ignite excitement to make customers choose their store over several others. 

That is why, in this blog, we will dive deep into the eCommerce Black Friday guide and the ways to boost Black Friday sales through strategies, marketing tips, and more. 

So, stay tuned and get ready to hit the sales targets this year! 

Let’s first understand the history of Black Friday.

History of Black-Friday

Black Friday was originally used as a negative term upon seeing traffic jams because of sales after Thanksgiving.

However, over time, Black Friday weekend evolved into a positive retail term. Retailers in Philadelphia began to promote the day as a start to the holiday season, offering special sales and discounts to attract shoppers. 

The rest is history as today, Black Friday is not just a day; it's an entire weekend filled with incredible deals and offers! 

Retailers across the whole world now embrace it as the official kickoff to the holiday shopping season, and eCommerce owners have a golden opportunity to join in the excitement and boost their sales.

The eCommerce Black Friday Statistics 2023

Some noteworthy Black Friday eCommerce statistics are as follows: 

• A total of 65% of shoppers planned their Black Friday shopping in advance.  
• 86% of millennials, Gen Y, and Gen Z say they will do their Black Friday shopping online instead of in-store. 
• 84% of Gen Z Consumers believe that Black Friday sales offer good value. 

How Can Black Friday eCommerce Boost Online Sales?

In 2022, global Black Friday online sales surged to $65.3 billion, marking a 3.5% growth. 

Wondering why? 

Because, for consumers, Black Friday is synonymous with discounts and offers!

Black Friday eCommerce sales boost is driven by strategic pricing and consumer psychology. 

Retailers offer compelling discounts and special promotions, presenting shoppers with the allure of significant savings. 

These reduced prices act as powerful incentives for customers to make purchasing decisions. 

Moreover, Black Friday eCommerce leverages the psychological principles of scarcity and urgency. 

Time-limited offers create a sense of urgency, compelling customers to act swiftly, fearing they might miss out on the deals.

How to Prepare for Black Friday eCommerce in Advance?

Black Friday in eCommerce is one of the most competitive shopping days of the year. This is the time when customers strive for the best deals among numerous options. 

So, before deciding on Black Friday ideas for eCommerce, to stand out and capture a share of the market, marketers must execute their strategies well in advance. 

Go through the following eCommerce Black Friday tips to understand how to prepare for Black Friday in advance. 

1.Set Clear Goals

Setting clear goals is the first step for your Black Friday eCommerce advance preparations. It involves setting objectives for your sales targets, marketing campaigns, and overall performance metrics.  

Follow the SMART method for setting goals. Which means goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.  

For example, "Increase website traffic by 40% compared to the previous year on Black Friday" is a SMART goal. 

You can set the objectives based on the following points:  

• Segment customer base for multiple product categories.  
• Establish social media strategies for product promotions.  
• Determine the amount of revenue you want to generate on Black Friday. 

These goals will contribute to your advance Black Friday planning and targets. Tailor your goals to align with your Black Friday eCommerce business priorities and opportunities you anticipate for the upcoming Black Friday. 

2.Manage Inventory

Running out of stock is painful! 

That's why you should manage your inventory in advance before launching the Black Friday deals. Review your previous online Black Friday sales data to identify popular product categories and stock them up more in advance. 

Use demand forecasting techniques considering factors like historical sales market trends and promotional efforts to estimate how much inventory you will need. 

3.Optimize Website/Online Store

A total of 88% of people are less inclined to return to a site after a bad user experience! 

Optimizing your website is crucial for providing a better eCommerce customer experience. 

No matter how much effort you put into sales and marketing, if your website is not optimized for a better user experience, it will all go in vain. And certainly, you don’t want that.  

On the days of flash sales, websites are likely to see a peak in traffic. In that case, optimizing your website for site speed and performance is crucial. Slow loading times can lead to frustrated customers and bounce rates.

4.Enable Mobile-first Experiences

76% of consumers shop on mobile because it saves time.  

Mobile devices have become the most preferred choice for online customers. On Black Friday, when shoppers are on the go, mobile devices are often their primary means of accessing online stores. 

A mobile-first eCommerce website ensures customers have a seamless shopping experience using mobile devices. 

eCommerce companies can not only build seamless experiences for customers but also boost engagement rates. 

5.A/B Testing

A/B testing is an effective approach to test different versions to compare two versions of a web page, email campaign, advertisement, or other marketing asset. 

The aim is to determine which one performs better in terms of achieving a specific goal or outcome.  

It gives insights into what works best and what does not. Accordingly, online retailers can launch the best version of marketing assets.  

6.Monitor Analytics 

After doing all the preparations and launching Black Friday eCommerce deals, there is time to monitor analytics. It includes measuring the success of your efforts. 

Analytics and insights play a crucial role in maximizing Black Friday eCommerce sales by providing valuable information about customer behavior, website performance, and marketing effectiveness. 

For instance, analytics tools can reveal which pages on your website are more popular, allowing you to optimize them for conversions. 

7.Get Ready to Deliver Content Quickly 

For Black Friday eCommerce promotions, timely execution is critical. Your social media posts, emails, and personalized marketing materials need to go live swiftly to capture the attention of customers.  

It's not just about speed; it's about staying ahead of the competition. However, marketers face the constant challenge of keeping up with the latest trends and meeting tight deadlines to ensure their campaigns stand out. 

Black Friday eCommerce Strategy to Drive Maximum Conversions!

Black Friday marketing strategies for eCommerce businesses are as follows: 

1.Early Access – Make Customers feel like a VIP 

Offering exclusive early access for Black Friday online shopping is like making customers feel like a VIP! 

This can be a group of loyal customers or subscribers who get to shop for the Black Friday deals before everyone else. It makes them feel valued and gives them a sense of being part of something special. 

Moreover, early access provides customers with the chance to find products without the rush. They can shop, without worrying about missing out on sizes, colors, and deals! 

On the other hand, businesses can generate advance sales from eager customers. 

2.Personalized Shopping Experience 

Personalization is an evergreen Black Friday eCommerce marketing strategy. 

60% of consumers say they’ll become repeat customers after a personalized shopping experience. 

Providing a personalized shopping experience means tailoring the website to each visitor's preferences and behavior. 

This can include showing them products similar to ones they've looked at before or suggesting items based on their past purchases. It's like having a virtual salesperson who knows exactly what a customer might like. 

3.Enhance the Search Experiences

The best product search engine plays a pivotal role in enhancing customer experience and driving revenue. This is about making it really easy for new and existing customers to find what they're looking for quickly on your website.  

This includes having a search bar that works well and providing filters that help narrow down options. 

4.Launch Omnichannel Marketing Campaigns

Brands that excel in omnichannel customer engagement experience an annual revenue growth of 9.5%, while those with ineffective omnichannel strategies see only a 3.4% increase.  

Creating an omnichannel customer experience includes creating an integrated customer journey on multiple channels. This could include your website, social media, emails, and even brick-and -mortar stores if you have them.  

Furthermore, following the latest omnichannel retail trends can help you stay competitive and meet the customer expectations. 

Marketers can promote their Black Friday eCommerce deals on various channels increasing the likelihood of successful sales conversions. 

5.Post-Sales Engagement – Rewards

Who doesn't like rewards? 

Offering rewards helps to build a connection with customers and retain them. 

After Black Friday, it's important to show your appreciation to customers who shopped with you. 

Offering them special rewards or discounts for their next purchases is like expressing gratitude for choosing to shop with you. 

6.Feedback Loops

Feedback provides the best customer insights! 

This involves asking your customers for their thoughts and opinions about their Black Friday eCommerce shopping experience. 

By listening to their feedback, you can learn what they liked and what could be improved for next time, which helps you plan even better for the next big event. 

Moreover, feedback loops allow businesses to identify which products are liked or disliked by customers. 

Marketers can know if there are any adjustments needed in terms of pricing, product promotion or presentations. 

7.Abandoned Cart Recovery

Surprisingly, almost 70% of shoppers abandon their carts. Not working for cart recovery is like losing potential sales. 

Abandoned Cart Recovery is a crucial strategy for eCommerce stores aimed at re-engaging potential customers. 

These customers are those who have added products to their shopping cart but left before completing the purchase.  

It's estimated that a significant percentage of online shoppers abandon their carts for various reasons, such as distractions, price comparison, or concerns about the checkout process.  

By implementing an effective abandoned cart recovery strategy, businesses can reclaim these lost sales and improve their overall conversion rates. 

Tips to recover abandoned cart: 

• Tailor the content of the emails to each individual customer, including their name, specific items in their cart, and customized product recommendations.
• Craft attention-grabbing subject lines that highlight the value of the products and create a sense of urgency. 

8.Countdown Timers

Countdown timers are visual elements, often displayed on product pages or during checkout, that indicate the amount of time left before an exclusive offer, sale, or promotion ends. 

Timers during the Black Friday eCommerce sale create a sense of urgency and encourage customers to make a purchase decision promptly to take advantage of the limited-time offer. 

Countdown timers are an effective psychological tool in eCommerce marketing that can boost conversion rates and increase sales during time-sensitive events like Black Friday. 

9.Cross-Sell and Upsell

Cross-selling and upselling are sales techniques used in eCommerce to increase the average transaction value by encouraging customers to purchase additional or upgraded products. 

Cross-selling involves suggesting complementary or related products to what the customer is already considering, while upselling involves offering a higher-end version of the product or additional features. 

10.Virtual Try-On and Augmented Reality (AR) 

Virtual Try-On and Augmented Reality (AR) in eCommerce are innovative technologies that allow customers to digitally interact with products before making a purchase. 

They provide an immersive experience, particularly in industries like fashion, beauty, and furniture, enabling customers to visualize how items will look on them or fit in their own environment. 

For instance, develop applications or integrate AR features into your eCommerce platform to enable customers to virtually try on products using their device's camera.

Utilize AR to allow customers to see products from multiple angles, try on clothing virtually, or place virtual furniture in their own living spaces. 

11.Voice Commerce and Smart Speakers  

Voice Commerce involves making purchases through voice-activated devices or virtual assistants like Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple's Siri. 

This trend is transforming the way customers shop, making it more convenient and hands-free. 

12.Social Commerce and Shoppable Posts

Social media is an integral part of our lives, and no wonder it's a new marketplace for customers! 

Social Commerce is the integration of eCommerce features within social media platforms. It allows users to discover, browse, and purchase products directly from their favorite social media apps. 

Shoppable posts enable businesses to list products in their social media posts, creating a seamless shopping experience. 

13.Buy Now, Pay Later  

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options have emerged as a popular and innovative payment solution in the eCommerce Black Friday. 

This trend allows customers to make purchases and defer payments, often breaking the total cost into smaller, manageable installments.  

BNPL options provide consumers with flexibility and affordability, making it an attractive alternative to traditional payment methods.

14.Create FOMO 

Creating FOMO for customers during Black Friday eCommerce offers always works. It includes making visitors feel like they shouldn't miss out on certain products.

Use phrases like "limited time offer" or "only a few left." 

When they see these captivating taglines, it will encourage them to decide quickly. You can even use countdown timers or notifications about low stock to show that these deals won't last long.

This eCommerce Black Friday strategy can lead to more purchases and take full advantage of the excitement around Black Friday.

Not only does this boost immediate sales, but it also makes holiday shoppers feel like they are a part of something special, increasing their loyalty and satisfaction.

Beyond Black Friday – Crack the Cyber Monday Deals!

Out of the top 50 retailers, a total of 88% offer discounts on Cyber Monday. 

Why limit your offers only to Black Friday? 

Customers are on the lookout for more discounts, extra deals, and extended sale offers. Marketers can smartly extend their deals to Cyber Monday as well to provide them with amazing offers. 

By stretching your promotions, you're giving them a prolonged window of opportunity to secure incredible deals. 

This can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, as they appreciate the extended chance to take advantage of your offers. 

So, don't limit yourself to just Black Friday - make sure to include Cyber Monday in your marketing strategy for maximum impact and customer delight!

Black Friday eCommerce Checklist Made For You!

Experro’s DXP Role in Boosting Black Friday eCommerce Sales in 2023

Experro – the best Digital Experience Platform (DXP) is gearing up to supercharge Black Friday sales in 2023. 

With powerful tools like smart search, attractive product displays, and easy website building, Experro helps online stores shine. This means more visitors and more shoppers. 

There is more exciting news to share! 

Experro has launched a super-amazing eCommerce analytics feature. This will give businesses super useful info about how customers shop.

Understanding this info will help stores make smart choices, fine-tune their strategies, and offer what customers really want.

In a world where online shopping keeps changing, Experro's DXP is stepping up to transform how stores connect with customers and make sales.

When Black Friday 2023, 2024,and furthermore, Experro's platform, as always will be ready to be a real significant change. Setting a whole new standard for online shopping success is totally our thing!

Conclusion

Black Friday stands as a powerhouse in the eCommerce realm, with its unparalleled ability to boost sales and set the stage for a successful year-end. 

Through insightful trends and strategic maneuvers, businesses can capitalize on this annual retail frenzy, maximizing their reach and revenue.  

By harnessing Experro's power, businesses can fine-tune their approach, offering tailored promotions and experiences that resonate with each customer.  

Book a demo with our sales team to discover how Experro can help you navigate the Black Friday rush and set your brand up for a prosperous year ahead.