Black Friday Promotions: When and What to Run?

With Black Friday just around the corner, now is the time to start thinking about your store’s promotions. Many online shoppers wait all year for Black Friday deals, so you’ll want to make sure your store is ready.

When planning for your Black Friday promotions, there are few important things that you need to keep in mind. First of all, you will need to decide the kind of deals you want to offer your customers. Ask yourself if you will be offering general discounts on your entire store? Or running discounts on specific items? 

You’ll also need to decide when to run your promotions. Black Friday is typically one of the hustling shopping days of the year, so you’ll want to make sure your deals are available when shoppers are looking for them.

Lastly but not the least, it is also important that you come up with a plan for your marketing. You will need to promote your deals. You may need to make changes to your deals which should be visible to your shoppers. That way, they will be able to understand clearly what they are getting.

With a little planning, you can create Black Friday promotions that will entice shoppers and boost your sales. We’ve compiled a list of black Friday marketing ideas to get you started. Keep reading.

What is Black Friday and Why do People Shop on This Day?

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, and it is traditionally when retailers offer their biggest discounts and promotions of the year. Customers are looking for the best deals, so it’s essential for businesses to offer black Friday promotions.

Moreover, it is very important to plan your Black Friday a few months in advance. Decide early what discounts you will be offering and how long the deals will last. You will also need to decide which products you will include in your promotion. You would not want to spend too much on your ads and end up in the red but you can’t also be unprepared and just watch while you are missing out on potential huge sales.

There are many reasons why people shop on Black Friday and we will discuss them one by one.

1. They’re Taking Advantage of Free Shipping Deals

Specifically during Black Friday, free shipping is very popular. Most online retailers are offering free shipping without a minimum purchase amount on this day. This is a great time for shoppers who want to save on holiday shopping.

There are also many stores that are offering in-store-pick-up for the orders they purchased online on Black Friday. This is a very convenient option for shoppers who can’t wait for their items to be shipped as they can easily get them to the stores nearest their location.

2. They’re Taking Advantage of Store Sales

Another popular reason to shop on Black Friday is to take advantage of store sales. Many stores offer deep discounts on a variety of items, including clothes, appliances, furniture, and more. Some stores even offer doorbuster sales, which are limited-time offers on select items that are usually only available while supplies last.

You must consider many factors when planning your Black Friday promotions. But if you take the time to prepare, you can reap the benefits of increased sales and happy customers.

3. They are Looking for the Best Deals on Holiday Gifts

Searching for the best deals for holiday gifts is one of the primary reasons people shop on Black Friday. Many shoppers have a budget in mind and are looking to score big discounts on items to stay within their means.

4. They Want to Avoid Crowds and Get Their Shopping Done Early

Avoiding too many crowds and getting shopping done early are also popular reasons to shop on Black Friday. Some people believe that the earlier they start shopping, the better deals they’ll find.

Furthermore, on Black Friday, many stores open early and offer special offer deals that are only available for a limited time. This encourages people to camp out overnight outside of stores in order to get their hands on these sale items.

When Should Retailers Start Planning Their Promotions for Black Friday?

Black Friday is an important day for retailers as it signals the start of the holiday shopping season. For many retailers, Black Friday is the busiest and most profitable day of the year. This makes it essential to plan black Friday promotions carefully in order to maximise sales and profits.

There is no definitive answer as to the perfect time for retailers to start planning their black Friday promotions. However, there are a few things that you may consider that will guide you into deciding on the perfect time.

First, Black Friday falls on the day after Thanksgiving in the United States. This means that retailers need to factor in the time needed to prepare for the holiday rush. For many retailers, this preparation starts weeks or even months in advance.

Second, Typically, Black Friday is a very busy day for shoppers and retailers. And because of this, it is important for retailers to prepare for the huge crowd and the high demands of customers. Therefore, it is important for retailers to have enough staff who will handle the increased traffic of customers. 

They also need to make sure that their inventory is fully stocked to meet the demands of their customers.

Third, for Black Friday promotions to be successful, it is important that everything is well-planned and executed for it to be successful. It is very important that retailers start planning their black Friday promotions early to ensure that everything is ready in time.

Overall, it depends on you when you should start planning their black Friday promotions. However, factors such as the date of Black Friday, the anticipated customer demand, and the need for careful planning all point to an earlier start date.

By starting the planning process early, retailers can ensure that their black Friday promotions are successful and profitable.

What are Some Common Black Friday Promotions that Retailers Run Each Year?

Some common Black Friday promotions include:

Free Shipping

Free shipping is one of the most common promotions by retailers on special occasions and events. This is when retailers offer free shipping on online purchase to entice the shoppers to buy from them instead of from their competitor.

Bundling

This is when retailers offer two or more items at a discounted price when purchased together.

Price Matching

This is when retailers match or beat the prices of their competitors, in order to lure shoppers away from them.

Doorbusters or Loss Leaders

These are items that are deeply discounted, often below cost, in order to lure shoppers into the store. The hope is that once shoppers are in the store, they’ll be tempted by other, higher-margin items.

Discounts on Gift Cards

Discounts on gift cards are also one of the common promotions of retailers on Black Friday. This is when retailers are putting discounts on gift cards which customers can use at a later time. Such gift cards will help shoppers to save on their future purchases.

These are just a few of the many Black Friday promotions that retailers run each year. By understanding these promotions, shoppers can be better prepared to take advantage of them and save money.

How can Retailers Ensure That Their Promotions are Successful on Black Friday?

Because Black Friday is typically a busy shopping day, it is important that retailers are prepared to meet all the needs of the high volume of shoppers. Here are a few things that retailers can do to make sure their promotions are successful during this busy time of the year.

1. Make Sure you Have Enough Stock

Because Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, you must ensure that you have enough stock to meet customer demand. If necessary, order extra stock and consider hiring additional staff to help with the increased workload.

2. Make Sure That Your Store is Well-Staffed

This will help to ensure that customers can be helped quickly and that long lines do not form.

3. Plan your Promotions Carefully

Black Friday is a busy shopping day, so you’ll need to make sure your promotions stand out. Use bright colours, images, and attractive fonts to grab attention.

4. Create a Sense of Urgency

These deals are only available for a limited time, so make sure your customers know that they need to act fast. Use phrases like “while stocks last” or “limited time only” in your promotional materials.

These are the important details that every retailer needs to remember when planning for a successful black Friday promotion. By taking plenty of time to plan carefully and ensuring that you have enough stock and staff, and creating urgency, you can ensure that you will get the most number of customers on your Black Friday promotion.

For more tips on how you can utilise your social media for Black Friday, continue to read Tips to Align Social Media and Email Marketing for Black Friday.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrap Up

With the great advancement in technology, Black Friday has become one of the most popular shopping days of the year. Retailers have taken advantage of this by adopting innovative marketing concepts to make their campaigns more enticing. These ideas above will help you a lot in your upcoming Black Friday promotions.

If you are looking for more useful tips and ideas on how to make your Black Friday promotions successful, be sure to read more of our blogs. We have a lot of informative articles that will help your business reach success.