So how does the old saying go? Prior proper planning prevents poor performance, right? Well, too late for that.
If you’re behind the 8 ball for the biggest shopping day of the year, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve scoured the stats and reviewed recent news, and rounded up 7 last-minute things your brand should know to get ahead this Black Friday Cyber Monday.
Here are your CliffsNotes.
Table of Contents
1. Be the David to their Goliath
Inflation is on the rise and people are looking to buy gifts extra early to avoid price hikes. What does this mean? Big companies have started their holiday marketing campaigns sooner, and smaller brands should get in on the action too.
But that ship has sailed.
Rather than offering blanket discounts, small businesses should play up their unique value—it’s what customers prefer.
Offering incentives like specialty products, customization options, loyalty perks, extended returns, or fast, free shipping will help less-known brands stand out from the crowd. It could also create a point of inflection with larger rivals that’ll (hopefully) go beyond peak season.
The more appealing your exclusive offers are, the better chances you’ll have for a successful holiday season.
2. A BFCM news feed? Yes please ✓
With early-access or extended deals becoming more common, many consumers have a hard time keeping track of when BFCM sales are starting or ending for different brands, and what discounts are applicable where. To make things easier, there’s still time to include a dedicated space for news and updates on BFCM (or the holiday shopping season in general) on your brand’s website.
Keeping your customers in the know will ensure that no one misses out. Take advantage of the space to highlight best-selling products or deals that’ll interest customers, and make sure to include order-by deadlines so holiday shoppers will get their purchases in time.
Consider modeling your feed after what brands like Asos are doing. The page provides useful info on when BFCM sales are running and what products are in demand this year, and it’s all in one place for interested shoppers.
3. Give the people what they want
No sense wasting time and money marketing products that aren’t what people are looking for this BFCM. So what are people in the market for? If last year was any indication, apparel and accessories are a big Black Friday hit.
70% of Printful customers surveyed found clothes to be their most popular items during BFCM. And the numbers don’t lie: the most-bought Printful category (by item sales) for BFCM 2022 was t-shirts—a trend that we’re seeing year-round. Remember that the t-shirt market is very saturated, though, so it’s a good idea to diversify your collection.
Sweatshirts also had good sales results on Black Friday last year. Their popularity has been increasing over the past 5 years, and this year sweatshirts are expected to be in even more demand.
Other apparel products customers are likely to jump on during BFCM 2023 shopping?
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Bomber jackets are definitely on trend
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So are hoodies worn under blazers
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And fanny packs—yes, they’re still in style
Brands using Printful have also found that focusing on discount campaigns for apparel and accessories worked well for Black Friday, but on Cyber Monday, home goods are where it’s at.
For example, Printful’s best sellers last year on Monday included pillows, throws, ceramic mugs, and posters. Ultimately, you should take into account industry trends, but also assess which products have performed the best during past holiday seasons when choosing what to highlight.
4. Piggyback off of popular products
Also think about capitalizing on the success of other popular BFCM products. For instance, the iPhone and AirPods Pro were all in the top 10 of most searched for Black Friday products worldwide last year. Offering custom AirPods Cases or personalized iPhone cases would be a great way to use this consumer interest to your advantage.
And if you’re worried about experimenting with new products or accurately predicting demand, consider this: with on-demand production and fulfillment, only what your customers want will be made and shipped—no leftover stock to deal with. Plus, popular holiday collections won’t sell out with a third-party supplier backing production. It’s a win-win for both your brand and BFCM shoppers.
5. Make sure your logistics are on point
The stakes are even higher now that more countries are upping their BFCM spending. Although historically it’s been most popular in the US, the shopping event has been gaining momentum in other countries around the world. During BFCM 2022, Printful saw an increase in popularity in countries like Spain and Italy.
In fact, 84% of Printful customers surveyed think expanding into new markets is important or very important to reach their store goals this BFCM. How can you do this? Make sure you’re relying on an on-demand provider that fulfills and ships globally.
With Printful, that won’t be an issue. Having production facilities worldwide allows customers to easily get their orders and helps store owners to reduce shipping costs.
Plus, it’s fast. It takes 2–5 business days to fulfill an order for shipment. And so far this year, over 95% of our orders are being shipped within 5 business days, and more than 75% of our orders are shipped within 3 business days or fewer.
It could mean the difference between gaining or losing customers. Shipping and delivery processes were cited as the most important parameter for shoppers when deciding which retailer to shop with (56% of respondents chose it as number 1). It’s clear that being able to get BFCM buys to customers in record time could be pivotal for your brand.
6. Social media reigns supreme
Buying on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok has come into its own this year, and there’s no reason that holiday shopping should be any different.
To ensure that your store’s BFCM deals are front and center, utilize platforms that haven’t been as much of a focus for your brand.
For example, maybe you haven’t been posting regularly on TikTok. Well, the platform has doubled down on in-app shopping with a new “Order Center” button for selected users that tracks products they’ve bought, looked at, or might be interested in. So if someone’s seen your product and was considering buying, this could help reel them back in when BFCM deals roll around. Bottomline: if you’re not taking full advantage of everything social media has to offer, now’s the time to.
And let’s not forget about the power of influencers. Consumers trust people more than brands, so leverage your influencer partnerships to bring attention to your company’s BFCM deals—it’ll help garner awareness and increase sales.
Read more: Run the Perfect Microinfluencer Campaign this BFCM
7. Don’t be the odd company out
Now we’re all for setting trends, not following them, but it’s also important to pay attention to what other industry leaders are doing. For example, luxury brands typically don’t participate in sales events like BFCM since discounting their products compromises exclusivity. Many instead offer holiday gift guides that highlight their most popular items.
Other brands have taken advantage of the hype around BFCM to promote holiday giving with a more eco-friendly focus. Sustainable clothing brand People Tree, for instance, renamed Black Friday to “Fair Friday” last year. The company offered discounts on their products and showed eco-friendly gift wrapping ideas to customers visiting their site.
Gauge what other companies in your niche are doing and remember that sometimes it pays to follow suit.
Good luck!
We’ll leave you with a last piece of advice for this holiday season: do more than sell. Use this time of year to boost your brand and bring in customers that’ll stick with you for months and years to come.
Want more great info on last-minute BFCM prep? Check out our Procrastinator’s Guide to a Successful Black Friday and Cyber Monday.