Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2024: Trends, How to Prepare, and How to Sell More in 2024
If you’re gearing up for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you’re not alone. According to Retail Dive, nearly 60% of consumers are already scaling back on their regular spending habits so they can take advantage of all the sweet, sweet deals this shopping season will offer up.
In fact, 76% plan to maintain or even increase their spending this season, making Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM) the perfect time to sell more of your products and services.
The BFCM weekend is the biggest shopping event of the year, but a successful sales campaign is more than just adding some discounts to your website — you need to stay ahead of the curve and include the latest trends into your marketing strategy.
Below are some of the most important tips you need to know to sell more, increase customer loyalty, and attract new buyers to your brand. Let’s explore:
Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2024: Trends and Predictions
From artificial intelligence to Buy Now, Pay Later options, here are three trends we anticipate will shape the holiday shopping experience this year.
1. Plan for early promotions and extended sales
According to Experian, almost one-third of holiday sales took place in October 2023.
This trend probably isn’t going anywhere, especially since more brands are extending the BFCM into the following week (or even the week before).
If you’re looking to fire up your sales early, consider doing “Pre-Black Friday” promotions and leaning into “Cyber Week” deals for items sold through your website.
2. Offer flexible payment options at checkout
One trend we’re seeing is the rise of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options at checkout.
If you’re been on websites like Wayfair or Shein lately you’ve probably already seen these options, which allow customers to pay in instalments or even defer the full payment amount to a later date.
This tactic is especially useful if you sell big-ticket items like furniture, clothing, expensive jewelry… you get the idea. You can offer these incentives by integrating tools like Klarna, Afterpay, and Affirm into your e-commerce platform, and once they’re on your website, make sure to highlight that these options are available in your marketing push, too.
3. Lean into AI-driven customer support
According to research done on BFCM spending last year, AI likely contributed $51 billion to online global sales, so we can expect to see this trend of using AI-powered tools to continue this year, too.
Some ways you can integrate AI into your BFCM marketing planning include:
- Using chatbots to address customer’s questions and issues in real-time.
- Personalizing product recommendations.
- Doing pricing research against your competitors (tools like Prisync are great for this!)
- Using tools like Klayvio to create customized, AI-driven email marketing campaigns.
Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2024: Tips for Success
Here are some of the hottest strategies to help you level-up your BFCM sales success this season:
Start building your marketing plan early
Like, right now! (We can help with this.)
Start promoting your BFCM offers on your social media and through your newsletter as soon as Halloween is over. Some ways you can build excitement include:
- Countdowns
- Previews and sneak peeks
- Early access deals for subscribers and returning customers
- New customer incentives and savings
- Referral codes to existing customers spread the word about your products
Lean into “Flash Sales”
Creating a sense of urgency is one of the most effective tactics to enhance conversions, both during BFCM and year-round.
Use countdown timers on your website and in your marketing emails to remind customers how much time is left for a deal.
Staggered promotions that evolve throughout the day can also encourage repeat visits and incentivize customers to add more to their cart, too.
Make your brick-and-mortar experience memorable
Lots of customers still love the feeling of an in-person shopping experience, especially when it comes with special incentives.
Host exclusive in-store events with offerings like early access to discounts or special product launches (potentially with gifts).
Even small special details, like free samples or gift-wrapping, can help get more people through your door.
Offer mobile-exclusive deals
Do you have a mobile app? Then don’t miss out on the chance to attract more downloads and purchases through it by offering app-exclusive deals.
Encouraging customers to buy through your app also allows you to establish a direct connection with them and can open up other marketing opportunities like push notifications on flash sales and limited-time offers.
Use “Retargeting” to reconnect with customers
It’s normal for customers to browse your site without buying anything, especially during BFCM when they may be comparing options across multiple websites.
“Remarketing” is the process of reconnecting with people who’ve visited your website through Google Ads and Meta Advertising, so those pants someone viewed yesterday will show up in their Instagram Stories or at the top of their Google search feed, which might bring them back to buy.
Are you ready for BFCM 2024?
BFCM 2024 is set to be another blowout shopping season, so start your planning now and use these tips to make sure this BFCM is your most successful one yet!
If you need help getting your marketing plan in order, we can help! Drop us a line and let’s build a winning BFCM strategy together.
