Black Friday is just around the corner. In the world of online retail, it is as highly anticipated as it is feared. On one hand, it is the highest-grossing time of the year and kicks off the holiday shopping season for you and your customers. On the other hand, it is often the most stressful phase in e-commerce.
But don't panic: In this article, find out for which preparations for Black Friday and the entire Black Week it is not yet too late!
Black Friday has long since established itself in German e-commerce and has become an indispensable event. Many retailers now use the entire "Black Week" for their discount campaigns, which traditionally conclude with "Cyber Monday."
The dates at a glance:
Black Friday traditionally takes place on the fourth Friday in November, right after American Thanksgiving. Cyber Monday follows on the subsequent Monday.
Industry associations like the HDE regularly forecast enormous sales for these days. Experience from recent years shows that those who are well-prepared can secure a significant portion of their annual revenue during these few days.
To ensure you are successful too, we have 6 last-minute tips put together that you can still implement now.
Even if the majority of your planning should already be in place, there are points you can still adjust in your online shop at short notice to get more out of your traffic. (After all, a strong focus on traffic is useless if you don't eliminate your conversion killers in the shop beforehand).
Ideally, Black Friday offers shouldn't be created at the last minute, but there is nothing wrong with targeted last-minute campaigns – as long as you keep an eye on the numbers.
Keep an eye on profitability: What is the margin on your products? How high can you set discounts while keeping sales profitable? You need to clarify these questions before you start slashing prices.
Our insider tip for those who decide on short notice: product bundles.
Instead of discounting individual products, sell multiple items as a bundle at a special price.
(Tip: You can easily create and manage product bundles in Billbee. Take a look at our help center article on product bundles/bills of materialsto get this set up quickly.)
For many customers, social media is the first touchpoint. However, users are flooded with ads, especially during promotional days.
Quick pause: Are you worried about order chaos?
When orders start pouring in during promotional days, manual data entry is no longer an option. (If the mountain of packages is finally getting over your head, it's often high time to switch to external fulfillment ).
Test Billbee for free for 30 days and automate your invoicing and shipping labels before the rush begins. This way, you can focus on selling instead of paperwork.
👉 Test Billbee for free now and start Black Week with peace of mind
Even if you haven't set up a massive campaign yet, a well-timed email to your existing customers is worth its weight in gold.
Your newsletter gives you the chance to reach people who already know you without high advertising costs.
Your shop needs to run smoothly. Nothing is worse than a 404 error or a lack of trust. Make sure your customer reviews are prominently displayed to convince new customers.
Go through the ordering process yourself as a customer. If everything runs smoothly and the confirmation email arrives: great!
Abandoned carts are frustrating, but they also represent a huge opportunity. The decision to add the product to the cart has already been made—only the final step was missing.
Use tools or your shop software to send abandoned cart emails.
Especially clever after the promotional days: reach out to this target group with an extended offer. Often, a small reminder ("Did you forget something?") is enough to get them to complete the purchase after all.
It sounds boring, but it will save you next year. When the stress kicks in, you will notice things: What went wrong? Which products sold out immediately? Which discount code didn't work?
Write it down—no matter how brief. These notes are the most valuable foundation for your planning for the coming year. The better you document today, the more relaxed you will start the next season.
Question #1: When should I start preparing for Black Friday?
Ideally, you should start two months in advance. However, last-minute optimizations are always possible! At the eleventh hour, focus on functional technology and your existing data (email list) rather than trying out new experiments.
Question #2: How can I score points in email marketing on short notice?
Focus on clarity and urgency. A simple countdown timer in your newsletter or a subject line like "Only 4 hours left" often works better than elaborate designs.
Question #3: Which discount strategy is safe for my margins?
If you are unsure whether you can afford to offer 20% or 30%, it is better to choose product bundles. (In principle, you should always perform a clean price calculation for your sales channels before engaging in discount wars).
Question #4: What should I do if the shop is overloaded?
Stay calm. Inform your customers via social media that you are working on the problem. It often helps to temporarily deactivate memory-intensive plugins. Talk to your host in advance to see if peak loads are covered. If your shop is unable to handle the rush despite everything, it is a clear sign that you need a Switching your shop system you should consider.
Question #5: How does Billbee help me on Black Friday?
Billbee automates your post-purchase processes. When you suddenly receive many times your usual order volume, Billbee automatically generates invoices and shipping labels and sends tracking links to your customers. This saves you hours of manual work.
With these tips, nothing stands in the way of your success. We wish you high sales, nerves of steel, and happy customers!
#happyselling and always stay calm.
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