Preparing for Black Friday

Preparing for Black Friday

We’re just a few weeks away from Black Friday, a day where customers are on the hunt for a great deal. This provides a great opportunity for small e-commerce businesses to reward loyal customers or attract new buyers. So what are our tips on preparing for Black Friday?

How Can Small E-commerce Businesses Capitalise on Black Friday?

Black Friday started in America, where it provided the last chance to grab a bargain before a weekend of Thanksgiving celebrations. However, it is now a global event, where discounts and offers encourage one of the busiest shopping days of the year. This year the big day falls on Friday 24 November.

The leading retailers have sufficient stock, warehousing and staff to manage a huge influx of orders. Unfortunately, this approach is unmanageable for small e-commerce businesses. However, there are ways to get involved, it just takes a bit of planning.

What to Discount on Black Friday?

The first consideration is which products are suitable for a Black Friday deal. If you have excess stock, this is the obvious choice. Equally, it’s a great time to promote a best seller or launch a new item.

Consider the entire process – is this product easy to store, package and ship?

Now, buying in bulk is risky and you don’t want your shelves filled before the run-up to Christmas. For this reason, we recommend limiting your offer. You can do this by:

1. Sending a Black Friday discount code for the product to customers on your mailing list – present it as a reward for their loyalty
2. Showcasing the product as the ‘Deal of the Hour’ on your website and social platforms, rather than offering a discount for the entire day
3. Offering the discount to the first 50 customers
4. Running a Black Friday competition where a selected number of entrants win a half-price product

It’s important to calculate the maximum number of orders that you can handle on the day and ensure that your offer doesn’t exceed it.

Preparing the Promotion

The next step is to prepare for your promotion.

• Write and schedule email marketing and social posts to tease viewers with product previews. Build desire with beautiful images, emotive descriptions and customer reviews.
• Put the product in a prime position on your website and ensure it is a seamless process from ‘Add to Shopping Cart’ to ‘Order Confirmed’.
• Order sufficient packaging for the product and check lead times. You don’t want orders coming in with no means of sending them out!
• Confirm courier/delivery services in advance as they will also be in peak demand on the day

Also, consider if additional help will aid efficient operations on Black Friday. You might be busy, but can’t compromise on customer service or quality; your brand reputation depends on it!

With preparations in place and enticing marketing, you can use Black Friday to attract and reward customers. Are you ready to embrace the challenge?

E-commerce Packaging For Online Retailers

As cardboard specialists, we manufacture e-commerce packaging for online retailers. With no minimum order, we are happy to provide small volume runs of boxes to protect your goods. We also offer low-cost print finishes and inserts to elevate the presentation and showcase your brand.

This time of year is busy for packaging manufacturers, so don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01296 436888 or email enquiries@abcbox.co.uk. Our friendly team are willing to offer advice and recommend solutions to fit your requirements and budget. We will provide a quote, lead time and sample to help you make an informed decision.