Preparing for Black Friday: Crucial tips for your ecommerce store

Last year Black Friday hit $16.4 billion in the U.S., increasing 9% from the previous year. 2024 is set to be even bigger, so preparing your ecommerce store for Black Friday is heavily advised.

It’s arguably the most important day in any ecommerce store’s year. Failing to prepare could leave your store with underwhelming profits or embarrassing hitches as you struggle with the demands.

We want to ensure you’re ready, so we’ve created a guide to preparing for Black Friday success. We'll also show how to check out the extensive range of courses and insights from industry experts over on Whop.

When is Black Friday 2024?

Black Friday is on Friday, November 29th this year—the day after Thanksgiving, as is traditional.

Remember to prepare in advance. If you leave it too late, you’ll miss out on drawing attention to your deals and risk losing money by making bad decisions.

How to get ready for Black Friday 2024

Let's dive right into our tips on preparing your ecommerce store for Black Friday.

Expand your sale beyond Black Friday

Black Friday has become more than a one-day event. It’s an opportunity to drive traffic to your site across a whole weekend of promotion.

Cyber Monday 2024 takes place on Monday, December 2nd, and will give digital platforms extra attention. Last year’s Cyber Monday was the biggest on record, with a 9.6% increase in U.S. online sales.

You can even consider cashing in on Thanksgiving, by offering special offers and discounts for Thursday, November 28th.

Use data to decide on deals and promotions

So, what products should you put on sale? Data can help you find the answers.

If you ran a Black Friday promotion last year, take a look at which products sold well (and which didn’t). It can help you figure out if running a similar campaign is wise.

You can also look at which products sell in low quantities but with high profit. Black Friday provides the chance to boost those high-paying products that ordinarily are slow off the ‘shelves’. You can also run discounts on items that rarely get attention but you need to clear (i.e. the dead stock).

Finally, take a look at what people have been excited about on social media this year, such as which product posts were interacted with the most. It can give you a clear idea of what people will respond to if put on sale.

Make the offer enticing

We’ve all seen the footage of hordes of shoppers storming retail stores at opening time on Black Friday. They do that because inside is an irresistible offer. Ecommerce is no different (well, maybe slightly less savage).

You need irresistible offers on your most popular and sought-after products to create a rush like this.

You might be worried about a decrease in profit margins, but by increasing the number of customers visiting your store, there’s a very high chance they’ll buy other items before paying. It’s called a ‘loss-leading strategy’.

Here are some popular Black Friday ecommerce deal ideas:

Gamified deals

Giveaways and competitions are inherently fun. They entice people to take part. We all fancy our chances on a ‘Spin the Wheel’ or ‘like this post to win’, right?

Customers also crave rewards and your loyal customers will feel they need to take part. Not to mention they might share it with their friends. Stats show that gamification has been used by over 70% of Global 2000 companies. If it works for them, why not try it yourself?

On Whop, you can include games like Spin the Wheel and Guess the Score, or integrate custom apps to increase your sales.

Product bundles

Customers rarely buy all the products they want on the same day, because costs are too high. But if they can buy them together in a bundle for less than usual, they’re likely to go for it. Doing this can boost your sales and traffic to your store, and increase your profits.

For example, you could sell all your digital courses on Whop for 30% less than they would be individually.

Time-limited deals

Time-limited deals achieve two things—they create a fear of missing out and decrease decision paralysis that many buyers can hit. When time is of the essence a decision has to be made. And, as a result, your sales will go up.

For example, you could say ‘All gaming mods are 50% on Whop for the next 24 hours ONLY’.

Gift cards

The gift card market is estimated to be worth $200 billion. That’s proof that people love buying gift cards that they can share with friends, or use later. In fact, reports show that three-quarters of Americans believe it’s a safe and easy option.

If you don’t ordinarily sell gift cards, consider doing so this Black Friday weekend. They can help you boost your profits without worrying about stock over the holiday season, as they’re usually redeemed later.

Create an illusion of scarcity

Have you ever got an email about how there are ‘only 100 tickets left’ or ‘stock is running low’? That was probably the ‘illusion of scarcity’ tactic.

This trick makes consumers think that they need to act fast. In some cases, it’s true. There might only be 200 copies of your product on sale. In other cases, tactics are used to heighten the feeling.

Here are some popular examples:

Limited product drops

This old classic requires you to release a new product (or returning product) but only in limited numbers. Releasing a slight variation of an existing product is a common trick.

For example, Nike often announces sneakers with a unique design limited to just 100,000 pairs. Naturally, the hype builds rapidly.

Flash sales

Create the illusion of scarcity by limiting reductions to a certain number of products.

For example, on your whop, you could say that it’s 50% off your online courses this Black Friday limited to only the first 200 sales.

Use numbers

You can also use scarcity tactics across your site via graphics. For example, you can put banners like ‘Just 100 products left’ or ‘This item is in 6 peoples' carts’.

Countdown timer

Use a countdown to the end of your sale to remind people it’s a one-off deal by putting a timer or clock somewhere on the page. It’s now or never!

Invite-only sales

Make loyal customers feel special by telling them via socials or email that they’re entitled to an exclusive offer. On Whop, you can appeal to your existing subscribers with this tactic and use promotional codes.

Virtual waiting rooms

Virtual waiting rooms create the illusion that the product is in extreme demand (so much so that you’ve had to limit who can enter). So when it’s their turn, they have to act fast.

Be warned though, it might not be optimal for all sites and products. The last thing you want to do is to actually deter buyers with gimmicks like this that slow their day.

Consider 2024’s product trends

Think about incorporating some current trends to bring extra attention to your ecommerce store this Black Friday.

According to surveys, the following percentage of users said they would buy these items in the following niches in 2024:

Category	Interested customers
Clothing/accessories	77%
Electronics	71%
Health/beauty	45%
Toys	38%
Household appliances	40%

In the digital realm, there are trends for digital products related to e-learning, finding inspiration, travel, gaming, finance, and business-related products.

As an example, you could sell T-shirts or print-on-demand clothing, regardless of your niche, to cash in on the trend.

Create a sales map

A sales map will clearly define both what you and the customer experience from the sale. You can refer back to this throughout your planning and deployment of Black Friday.

First, decide upon the sale price with the cost of the goods in mind. It can ensure that you don’t set a price too low or too high.
You should also determine the start date of the sale and the end date.
Next, what type of discount is it and how will the customer use it? For example, is it a discount code that they need to use a checkout, or is it a store-wide reduction?
Finally, how do you intend to promote the discount?

Decide your price

So, how do you decide what a good price is over Black Friday weekend?

First, set objectives. Define the sales, revenue, or profit goals you want to hit. Some people want to expand their customer base by making as much noise as possible, so profits aren’t the priority. But other people just want cash fast.

The next step is to analyze your costs. What is the minimum price you can charge to achieve your goals and avoid a loss? Consider costs such as marketing fees, transaction fees, and delivery expenses.

Then you can think about your audience and whether the pricing is going to resonate. You won’t have much data to rely on if this is your first time preparing for a Black Friday sale, so you might need to look at competitors. You can even use the WayBackMachine website to look at what competitors were listing their prices at last year.

Consider a new shipping strategy

You’ll want to make sure that your shipping options are suitable and inexpensive for all regions. Then, you can consider free shipping for certain purchase levels (such as over $50). It can really help boost your conversions and profits, as people add extra products to their carts to get over that mark.

As 62% of consumers expect their products within three days, why not add digital products to your store (if you don’t already have them)? Digital products provide the customer with their product instantly. Whop is the perfect place to start, as a dedicated digital product selling platform.

Use automated discounts and codes

If using store-wide promotions, you can make the customer checkout experience a lot easier with automated discounts. For example, you can apply something like 25% off to the entire store.

But, there will still likely be scenarios where codes are needed, such as when rewarding loyal customers via email. Adding promo codes to your whop is super easy and can be percentage or fixed-amount-based.

Update your site’s visuals

In the weeks before Black Friday, you can let site visitors know that sales are coming by using a visual refresh.

From a new hero image or logo to a small banner at the top of every page, ensure the message is clear. Hero images are the first thing any visitor will see, so text should be catchy and attention-grabbing.

Be creative with nice designs that you’ll use across all your sales channels, including your website, whop, and social media.

Tools like Canva make graphic design easy, but if you’re still struggling you could always hire someone from Fiverr to do the job for you.

Plan an ad campaign

54.15% of online retailers use ads across social media to promote their products, while 91.55% advertise on search engines.

Competition is fierce. You need to get in early by running your ad campaigns in the week (or even two weeks) before Black Friday. Then, people will discover your deal and bookmark it for later.

Google advises creating multiple ads with unique messages and offers on each one. Pick product titles carefully though, as an optimized title can increase clicks by 250%.

Target previous customers

It’s so much easier to market to previous customers; they’ve already trusted you before and hopefully were left with a positive feeling.

There are a couple of ways to do this. First, you can target them through emails. Anyone who bought your product was likely added to your newsletter, so now you can let them know that Black Friday is coming.

Then there are social media ads. Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram let you target previous users or anyone interested in your niche through targeted ads. You can do this days or even weeks ahead of Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

Offer loyalty rewards

Why not combine Black Friday with loyalty rewards? Send an email saying they’ve been rewarded with a one-time-only Black Friday discount! You can use a code here to emphasize their luck.

You could use Whop to reward your subscribers with special deals, such as discounts, exclusive content, or access to a new paid feature.

How about running games that are only for your loyal customers too? Like an email that says ‘Spin the wheel to win!’ and indicates that it’s only for previous customers.

Maximize your sales channels

Don’t limit yourself to just one sales channel. You'll miss out on expanding your audience. Make sure you’ve got mobile and desktop options activated.

Depending on your niche, you’ll be restricted on where you can list your products but make sure you’ve considered the likes of Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Walmart. Do this as soon as possible because algorithms can take a while to update.

If you’re selling digital products, then add Whop to your sales channels. It’s completely free to start and gives you unparalleled customization in how you sell—from gamified apps to support forums, chats, and subscriptions.

Social media is your biggest tool when it comes to converting existing customers into Black Friday buyers.

Begin teasing items to your audience in advance. This will help you drum up a desire for your product so when the big deal announcement is made, the effect will be even greater. Regular posting and announcements in the final days will also put you firmly in their minds so that they head to your ecommerce site first.

You can also try:

Influencer campaigns

Influencers, of all popularity levels, promote businesses and products in exchange for payment. You could partner with influencers to create positive content for your ideal demographic. 82% of consumers are likely to follow an influencer’s recommendation, so it can be an extremely powerful tool!

Like and follow contests

In exchange for interacting with your page or posts, you can give away free products to randomly chosen participants. This tactic can significantly boost your following and create awareness of your brand, all for the mere cost of one or two products.

User-generated content (UGC)

UGC content requires you to pay content creators to create positive reviews and insights on your products. The difference between UGC and influencer campaigns is that you can use UGC on your own page, to share a first-hand ‘real’ look at your product. Fiverr is a great place to find UGC creators.

Use CTAs

The use of a call to action (CTA) is critical. Use them throughout your marketing but especially on social media. Phrases like ‘This weekend only!’, ‘Don’t miss out’, and ‘Ends tonight!’ promote urgency.

Whop is also stacked with courses and communities to help you if you need a better understanding of how to build the hype.

Plan an email campaign

Make use of your existing newsletter audience with an email campaign. Whop integrates Mailmondo to make email campaigns a breeze. Conversion rates in 2023 hit a massive 4.38%!

First, announce Black Friday in advance to let consumers know that the deals will be happening. Then they’ll have time to budget and dream about purchasing from your store.

You can also preview upcoming sales. For example, advertise the upcoming 50% off on your best-selling product, and then show it off with some snazzy photos.

When Black Friday hits, release your big announcement email. Include a large hero image with your flagship deal on offer. Another tip is to say the sale is for subscribers only.

When there are just a few hours left before the sale ends (or on the final morning, if you’re extending to Cyber Monday) then you can send your final reminder.

Pro tip: Your subject line is everything. Indicate the email is a Black Friday special. Using emojis and capitalization is shown to generate extra interest. Here are some examples:

Black Friday EXCLUSIVE deal 🛒
50% OFF Black Friday 🎁
Black Friday deals TONIGHT ONLY 🤑
LIMITED STOCK on our Cyber Monday SAVINGS 🛍️
Black Friday Priority: 40% OFF Sitewide

Finally, try to salvage abandoned carts by email. While these emails are annoying for customers who genuinely changed their minds, they can be helpful for customers who got distracted before clicking pay.

Perfect the mobile experience

Mobile must be your priority. In 2023, 72% of global ecommerce sales were made on mobile devices.

Review the mobile user experience

First, run a user test. Is it easy to navigate, is the text clear, are buttons easy to press, do filters work, do images load fast? Are there any bugs?

Whatever the problem is, fix it! Frustration can cause customers to click close in seconds.

Make sure it looks great

Nobody likes to spend their money on dodgy-looking sites. Make sure your design is slick and professional-looking. That means having a consistent style, font, and structure.

If you’re selling digital products on Whop, it’ll look great regardless given the sleek storefront it provides.

Add Google Pay or Apple Pay

Google or Apple Pay will make the customer checkout experience so much quicker. It’s just one less friction point for them. Instead of filling out a form, they just click ‘pay’.

Whop uses Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit and debit cards, and cryptocurrency.

Create a gift guide

Gift guides can push potential buyers toward their ideal purchase and promote your incredible Black Friday deals.

For example, you could write a gift guide on ‘The best digital products to buy for gamers’ and then describe the qualities of each of your gaming products. You can even include a discount code, exclusive to gift guide readers.

You can make these gift guides yourself, or you could reach out to niche blogs. Some may be willing to feature your products in exchange for payment or an affiliate marketing link. You’ll need to do this in advance though to ensure enough time for writing, editing, publishing, and high ranking.

Consider signing up for sites like Connectively.us, as you can receive requests from writers who want to write gift guides on products like yours.

Test for traffic surges

71% of U.S. consumers are predicted to go shopping on Black Friday. Your site must be able to handle the surge in traffic. If not, you’ll be missing out on sales for every minute of downtime.

You can perform a load test by using open-source tools like Apache JMeter or K6; or use cloud-based alternatives like Gatling, BlazeMeter, or LoadNinja. When running the tests, track data such as response time, memory usage, and error rates.

Ecommerce platforms and sites often deploy updates around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so if any are being installed, do tests to make sure nothing is out of the ordinary.

Run a Black Friday event

A unique way to drum up extra interest is by hosting a special Black Friday or Cyber Monday virtual event. It can be a great opportunity to run a live stream with a giveaway for viewers. You could then use the event to mention your great deals and discounts. It might set you apart from your competitors.

With Whop, you can host virtual events (for free or at a price), with integrated Zoom and Google Meets functions.

Up your customer support standards

You need to respond fast to help convert sales and prevent your store’s reputation from tanking. Stats show that customers who can chat with a brand directly convert three times more than those who don’t.

Maximize communication channels

On Whop, you can use a forum or live chat feature to respond directly to your customers. If they have a question, you can reply instantly.

But, to save time and effort for your customers, you can also add a FAQ section with specific Black Friday and Cyber Monday answers.

Don’t forget social media too. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and even email are go-to routes for customers to ask quick questions.

Respond in style

Customers only want respect, solutions, advice, and speed when it comes to support. Providing that will increase the chance of a sale. Only respond politely and in positive language. This isn’t the time to fight, even if you’re dealing with an angry customer.

And be fast! For every second a customer is left waiting, the closer they get to clicking close and buying somewhere else.

Offer easy returns

Did you know that between 50 to 80% of buyers check the returns policy before paying? Make sure you offer easy returns.

In most cases, the buyer is never going to return the product. But by having that safety net there, you increase your chances of the sale being made. Some ecommerce stores also consider extending their returns policy over the holiday season.

Plus, it increases the chances of future sales. 84% of buyers say they return to stores with positive return experiences.

To make your returns process easy, include:

A shipping and return policy page
Information on returns on each product page
Returns information on the FAQ page

Test the checkout experience

Do one last trial run of the checkout experience (on mobile and desktop)—from adding a product to the basket to the payment processing. Consider:

Are there any weird bugs?
Is it easy to understand or confusing?
Are loading speeds fast?
Can you go forward and back between pages, without problems?
Do all active discount codes work?
Are all payment options working correctly?
Does it work on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge?

It can also be wise to ask someone externally to test the site, like a friend or family (or someone on Fiverr). When it’s your site it can be hard to see all the minor details, as you know exactly where to click to make things operate properly.

Extend to new regions

Black Friday also presents an opportunity to gain attention from new markets. Take the opportunity to expand to new regions by allowing payments in different currencies and new languages. You can even use new domain extensions, like .fr, .co.uk, or .de.

However, Whop gives you the tools to hit a global audience from one platform and domain. Customers can even pay with cryptocurrency! Its features can help you boost conversions on a global scale.

Optimize your workflow

If things go well and the sales are flying in, your team and system will be tested to the max. If you don’t plan accordingly, everything might grind to a halt.

Organize your fulfillment area (the place where your orders are carried out). If you’re using a third party, then you should be all set. But it can be wise to ask them in advance if you need to do anything differently.

If you’re independent, then make sure you’ve got the right amount of supplies (such as packaging, tape, and labels). Make sure your team also has a clear understanding of what to expect, to avoid costly errors.

If you’re selling digital products only, then less pressure is on you. But, you might want to adjust how you normally provide support. For example, you could add a forum or live chat to your whop, with which you can respond to customers quickly.

Create Black Friday contingency plans

Contingency plans are your backup for when things go wrong. They’ll prevent you from stressing and not being able to react quickly on the big day.

To prepare for any potential Black Friday disasters, first make a list of things that could go wrong (big and small). Then decide what you would do if they occurred.

For example:

What if your website crashes?
- Keep a developer or your IT team on standby, or have your marketplace support number ready.
What happens if you run out of stock?
- Offer alternative products, or email the customer after adding more stock.
What if your payment system fails?
- Have multiple payment gateways, so there’s always an alternative.
What if your shipping partner can’t handle your orders?
- Offer immediate refunds or alternative products.
- Have alternative shipping partners as a backup.

Monitor performance for next year

Black Friday is the most profitable day of the year in ecommerce. Regardless of how your day fares, there will be a lot to learn for next year.

Save data on your sales, expenses, orders, traffic, and complaints. When 2025 rolls around, you can adjust your campaigns and deals in response.

You can also use Google Analytics to track where traffic came from, the demographics, your marketing performance, and more.

The dashboard on your whop will also tell your key data, alongside growth hacks designed by the Whop team.

When making notes for next year, think about where customers are clicking, which products sold, how much people spent, how they navigate your product pages, what region you sold well in, which demographics were a hit, and what didn’t work.

Have new customers join your mailing list

You still have some Black Friday-related work to do, even when the day is over. You’ll hopefully have now acquired some new customers, and they should be prompted to join your mailing list and follow your social media accounts.

You can entice them by promising exclusive deals and discounts. Also, adding tracking pixels to your site can make it a lot easier to advertise to new customers throughout the rest of the year.

Learn from the gurus on Whop

If you still want to learn more about preparing for Black Friday or want to expand your entrepreneurial and marketing knowledge, then you can learn from the gurus on Whop.

Whop is packed with marketing whops offering courses and other resources to help people just like you. Many of them are even free to get started with and allow you to ask for help from the communities.

Once you're comfortable and you’re looking to expand into the digital product world, consider taking advantage of the all-in-one platform by creating your own whop.

A whop is a hub that your brand can use to sell digital products, templates, community access, apps, and much more. You can choose whether these features are free or accessible behind tiered memberships.

It’s easy and free to get started, so there's no risk.

Join Whop