A Complete Guide to Black Friday Ecommerce: The Ultimate Black Friday Strategy

What Is Black Friday?

Black Friday is the most important shopping event of the year for ecommerce businesses. Originating in the United States in the 1950s, it has grown into a global retail moment that now dominates the run up to the Christmas period. Consumers expect strong discounts, clear promotions and the best deals across every category, from fashion and beauty to technology and homeware.

In the UK, Black Friday spending has risen consistently. Shoppers are browsing online earlier, comparing prices across multiple stores and waiting for the right deal before they buy. The event has also expanded beyond one day. Many retailers now begin promotions at the start of November and extend them into Cyber Monday, creating a month-long sales season known as BFCM. This makes preparation more important than ever for online stores that want to secure attention and maximise results.

• Traditional Black Friday: The Friday after US Thanksgiving that marked the start of Christmas shopping.
• Cyber Monday: The following Monday focused on ecommerce discounts, now as significant as Black Friday itself.
• BFCM season: A multi-week period where brands run campaigns, test promotions and scale marketing spend.

For ecommerce brands, Black Friday is more than a sales opportunity. It is a test of website performance, marketing strategy and customer experience. The brands that prepare well can capture new customers, increase average order value and build long term loyalty.

Why It Matters for Ecommerce

Black Friday is not just another sales event. For many ecommerce businesses it represents the single biggest opportunity of the year to drive revenue, attract new customers and increase visibility. The combination of peak consumer demand, heightened competition and a short buying window creates both pressure and potential. Brands that prepare thoroughly can turn the weekend into a springboard for long term growth.

In the UK, Black Friday 2023 spending reached over £13 billion, a figure that continues to rise each year as more consumers shop online. Customers expect seamless experiences, fast websites, simple checkout processes and clear offers. At the same time, they are more selective than ever, comparing prices across multiple retailers and rewarding those brands that deliver value and trust. This shift makes performance, transparency and customer experience critical factors in success.

For ecommerce managers the significance goes beyond the immediate spike in sales. Black Friday is a chance to build awareness with new audiences, convert first time buyers into repeat customers and test campaigns under the most competitive conditions. A strong performance can set the tone for Christmas trading and build momentum into the new year. On the other hand, poor preparation can lead to lost revenue, strained operations and damaged brand reputation.

Black Friday 2025 Trends

Every year Black Friday evolves and 2025 is no exception. The ecommerce landscape is shifting quickly as consumer expectations rise and technology changes the way people shop. Retailers cannot rely on the same tactics as previous years. Instead, they need to understand the latest trends shaping the market and adapt their approach to capture attention and secure sales.

One of the most significant shifts is the growing role of personalisation. Customers expect product recommendations, messaging and offers that reflect their preferences and behaviours. With the decline of third party data, first party data and customer segmentation are becoming central to campaign success. Brands that use email, SMS and loyalty programmes to build direct relationships will be better positioned to convert browsers into buyers during BFCM.

Payment flexibility is another clear trend. Buy Now Pay Later options such as Klarna and Clearpay have become mainstream in the UK, giving shoppers confidence to spend more while spreading the cost. Ecommerce stores that offer multiple payment methods and transparent shipping options reduce friction and improve conversion rates, especially during the urgency of Black Friday weekend.

Sustainability is also influencing buyer behaviour. Consumers are increasingly conscious of environmental impact and favour retailers that balance discounts with responsible practices. Clear communication around packaging, delivery and returns can build trust at a time when shoppers have endless choice.

Finally, mobile commerce and social platforms continue to dominate discovery. TikTok, Instagram and other channels are central to how products are found and shared. Content that feels authentic, backed by influencers or user generated examples, has a stronger chance of cutting through the noise than traditional advertising alone. For ecommerce businesses the message is clear. In 2025 success at Black Friday requires preparation, creativity and a willingness to adapt to new shopping behaviours.

Setting Goals & Strategy

Black Friday brings a surge of traffic and attention but without clear goals it is easy to lose focus. Before setting discounts or launching campaigns, ecommerce businesses should decide exactly what they want to achieve. For some, the priority may be maximising revenue. For others, it may be acquiring new customers, shifting excess stock or increasing average order value. Clarity at this stage shapes every decision that follows.

A useful starting point is to review key metrics such as conversion rate, customer acquisition cost, average order value and profit margins. These numbers provide the framework for what promotions you can afford to run and how aggressive you can be with discounts. Remember that Black Friday sales are only valuable if they deliver profit or bring in customers who will return in the future. A short term boost in orders is not success if it damages margins or fails to create loyalty.

Once goals are clear, build a strategy around them. If the aim is customer acquisition, focus on sign up incentives and early access campaigns. If profitability is the main driver, consider threshold based discounts or product bundles that protect margins while encouraging larger orders. If retention is the target, create offers and campaigns that reward existing customers and make them feel valued. The most effective Black Friday strategies balance revenue generation with long term brand health.

Set realistic targets based on past performance and market conditions. Review last year’s results, competitor activity and current consumer sentiment. Then align your team, budgets and marketing channels around a clear plan. A disciplined strategy ensures that every promotion, advert and campaign is working towards a common objective rather than chasing short term hype.

Preparation Timeline

Successful Black Friday campaigns do not come together overnight. The most effective ecommerce businesses start planning months in advance to avoid last minute decisions that cut into margins or create operational problems. A clear timeline keeps teams focused and ensures every part of the store is ready for peak demand.

3 to 6 Months Before

Audit your ecommerce site, product pages and checkout process. Fix speed issues, update imagery and improve navigation to ensure shoppers can find products easily. Begin SEO work early since rankings take time to shift. This is also the stage to review inventory planning and forecast demand so you can secure stock with suppliers.

2 to 3 Months Before

Build your promotional calendar and confirm discount structures. Start designing campaign assets for email, social media and ads. Segment your customer base into groups such as first time buyers, high value customers and churn risks. This allows you to plan targeted campaigns that drive stronger results.

1 Month Before

Finalise creative campaigns and begin warming up audiences through paid ads, organic social and email teasers. Test all discount codes, bundles and threshold offers to avoid errors during the live event. Ensure customer service systems are prepared for higher enquiry volumes.

Week of Black Friday

QA your site, test checkout on different devices and review shipping options. Confirm your marketing schedules across email, SMS and social. Set up analytics dashboards to track performance in real time. Make sure your team is briefed and ready to react quickly if issues arise.

During Black Friday Weekend

Monitor site performance and campaign results continuously. Be ready to redistribute ad budgets to high performing channels, extend popular promotions or adjust messaging based on customer response. Strong communication between marketing, customer service and operations is vital at this stage.

Example Promotions & Discounts

Black Friday shoppers are motivated by clear offers that feel both valuable and time sensitive. The right promotion can increase conversion rates, boost average order value and help you stand out from competitors. Keep offers simple so customers understand them quickly, and make sure they align with your profit margins and overall strategy.

Percentage Discounts: Still the most common promotion. Straightforward savings such as 20% off all products are easy to communicate and quick for customers to act on. Use clear labels on product pages and banners across your site.

Threshold Discounts: Encourage larger orders by offering deals such as £15 off when customers spend £100. These work well for raising average order value without cutting margins across the board.

Bundles and Multi-Buys: Grouping products together at a discounted rate not only increases basket size but also introduces customers to more of your range. This tactic works especially well for consumables, skincare, fashion and homeware.

Early Access Promotions: Give subscribers or loyalty members first access to deals. This adds a sense of exclusivity and rewards your most engaged audience while helping you capture new sign ups before BFCM begins.

Free Shipping or Gifts: Removing delivery costs or including a bonus product with qualifying orders is a powerful incentive. These promotions often feel more valuable to customers than small discounts and can tip undecided shoppers into completing their purchase.

Whatever structure you choose, keep promotions clear and visible across all channels. Confusing terms or hidden conditions create frustration and increase cart abandonment. The best Black Friday offers combine simplicity, urgency and profitability.

Social Media Campaigns

Social media is a key driver of Black Friday success, giving brands the chance to build anticipation, showcase offers and reach new audiences. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok dominate product discovery, so plan content calendars in advance, balance promotional posts with authentic content such as user generated media, and invest in retargeting ads that focus on urgency. Keep messaging simple, visual and consistent across channels to cut through the noise and turn attention into sales.

Search, PPC & SEO

Search marketing is one of the biggest opportunities during Black Friday, but it is also one of the most competitive. Paid search costs typically rise in November as retailers increase budgets, which means ecommerce brands must carefully manage spend and focus on efficiency. Strong ad copy that highlights urgency, exclusivity and value is critical to winning clicks when shoppers are comparing multiple offers at once.

PPC campaigns should prioritise high intent keywords such as “Black Friday deals” combined with your product categories. Dynamic search ads and shopping ads can capture demand effectively, but only if your product feeds are up to date with correct pricing, availability and shipping details. Retargeting past visitors and cart abandoners is another way to stretch budgets further and improve conversion rates during this competitive period.

SEO is the long term play. Brands that prepare content months ahead are more likely to rank for seasonal searches by the time BFCM arrives. Optimise category pages, create Black Friday landing pages and ensure product listings include structured data such as reviews, pricing and stock availability. Even if rankings do not shift dramatically in one season, the investment pays off year after year. Combining well managed PPC campaigns with consistent SEO work ensures your store captures both immediate demand and sustainable organic traffic.

Email Marketing

Email remains one of the most powerful channels for driving Black Friday sales. Unlike paid advertising, it allows you to reach customers directly without competing in crowded ad auctions. A strong email strategy helps build anticipation before the event, deliver clear offers during the peak weekend, and nurture relationships long after BFCM has ended.

Preparation begins with your subscriber list. Clean your database, segment contacts based on behaviour or purchase history, and design campaigns that speak directly to different audiences. Early access emails for VIP customers, product recommendations for returning shoppers and win back messages for dormant subscribers all help maximise engagement. Personalisation is critical. Customers expect relevant content that reflects their preferences rather than generic discounts.

Before Black Friday: Use teaser campaigns, exclusive previews and early access offers to build excitement. Encourage subscribers to save dates or join waiting lists. These pre-event campaigns help warm up your audience and secure commitment before the rush begins.

During the Black Friday weekend: Focus on clarity and urgency. Use subject lines that highlight savings, countdown timers to emphasise scarcity, and clear calls to action that take shoppers directly to your best offers. Space your emails strategically, such as morning launches and evening reminders, to stay top of inboxes without overwhelming subscribers.

After the event: Continue engagement with post purchase flows, thank you campaigns and loyalty invitations. Cart abandonment and win back emails are especially important at this stage, helping to recover lost opportunities and encourage repeat purchases. Retention campaigns ensure Black Friday customers return again in the weeks and months ahead.

Automation should run throughout the period. Cart abandonment flows, post purchase sequences and replenishment campaigns capture extra revenue without extra workload. For brands that want expert support in planning and delivering these strategies, explore our email marketing services designed to help ecommerce businesses grow through effective campaigns.

SMS Marketing

SMS has become a valuable channel during Black Friday because it cuts through the noise of crowded inboxes and social feeds. With open rates above 90 percent, well timed messages can drive immediate action and complement your email campaigns. The key is to use SMS sparingly and deliver clear, high value content that feels personal rather than intrusive.

Before Black Friday: Send early access invites, sign up confirmations or reminders about when sales will go live. Use SMS to build exclusivity and reward loyalty, but keep the message short and to the point.

During the weekend: Share time sensitive offers such as flash sales, deal of the hour campaigns or low stock alerts. SMS is ideal for urgency messaging, especially when paired with direct links to product or checkout pages.

After the event: Use SMS for thank you messages, delivery updates and loyalty rewards. Asking for reviews or feedback via SMS can also be effective, turning BFCM customers into long term brand advocates.

SMS works best alongside email rather than as a replacement. Together they create a strong multi channel approach that keeps customers engaged at every stage of the Black Friday journey.

Influencer Marketing

Influencers can be a powerful way to reach new audiences during Black Friday. Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube drive product discovery, and content that feels authentic often outperforms brand-led campaigns. Choose influencers who align with your products and target audience rather than just chasing follower counts. Micro influencers with smaller but highly engaged communities can deliver strong conversion results. During BFCM, focus campaigns on urgency and exclusivity, such as countdowns, early access codes or limited time bundles. Track results through unique discount codes or affiliate links to measure impact and inform future collaborations.

On-Site Experience & CRO

Your website experience is the deciding factor in whether Black Friday traffic turns into sales. Shoppers have endless choice during BFCM, so even small points of friction can cause them to abandon. Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) ensures that every visitor has the best possible chance of completing their purchase, making it one of the most valuable investments you can make before the big weekend.

Navigation and Product Discovery: Customers must be able to find what they want quickly. Review your menus, search functionality and collection pages to remove dead ends. Adding clear filters, smart product sorting and badges for Black Friday deals helps guide visitors towards the right products.

Checkout Process: Every extra step in the checkout increases abandonment risk. Simplify forms, reduce required fields and highlight trusted payment options such as PayPal, Apple Pay and Buy Now Pay Later services. Display delivery dates and costs upfront so there are no surprises at the final stage.

Trust and Design: Black Friday draws many first-time customers who may not be familiar with your brand. Strong design, clear returns policies, and visible customer reviews all build trust. Urgency tactics such as countdown timers and low stock indicators can help nudge undecided shoppers, but they must be used carefully to avoid feeling manipulative.

Performance and Speed: Site speed has a direct impact on conversion rates, particularly on mobile. Audit your theme, optimise images and reduce reliance on heavy third-party apps. Test your site under simulated high traffic conditions to make sure it can handle demand without slowing down or crashing.

Optimising on-site experience is not just about surviving Black Friday but maximising revenue from every visitor. For brands that want expert support in conversion strategy and design improvements, learn more about our CRO services to prepare your store for growth.

Minimising Cart Abandonment

Cart abandonment is one of the biggest threats to Black Friday sales. Shoppers often leave at the last stage because of hidden costs, complicated checkouts or slow performance. Reducing friction here can have a major impact on overall revenue.

Be transparent: Show delivery costs, returns policies and delivery times upfront so there are no surprises at checkout.

Streamline checkout: Enable guest checkout, support fast payment methods such as Apple Pay and PayPal, and keep the process as short as possible, especially on mobile.

Recover lost sales: Use automated cart recovery emails or SMS with urgency messaging such as limited time offers to bring customers back and complete their purchase.

Focusing on cart abandonment improvements is one of the quickest ways to boost Black Friday conversion rates and profitability.

Customer Service During Sales

Customer service plays a vital role during Black Friday, when higher order volumes naturally lead to more questions and support requests. Quick, clear responses build trust and prevent cancellations, while delays can cost sales. Equip your team with prepared FAQs, clear returns and shipping policies, and automated tools such as live chat to handle common queries at scale. Excellent service not only helps secure sales during the event but also strengthens long term loyalty when shoppers remember a smooth and supportive experience.

Retention Post-BFCM

Black Friday often brings an influx of first time buyers, but the real value comes from turning those one off shoppers into repeat customers. Retention should be a core part of your strategy once the sales weekend is over, ensuring you maximise lifetime value rather than relying on constant acquisition.

Post Purchase Communication: Thank customers for their order and follow up with updates, care tips or product recommendations. A well timed email sequence makes the experience feel personal and encourages repeat visits to your store.

Loyalty and Rewards: Encourage shoppers to return by offering loyalty points, exclusive member discounts or referral schemes. Building a sense of community around your brand creates stronger long term relationships.

Win Back Campaigns: Not all Black Friday shoppers will purchase again quickly. Automated win back flows via email or SMS, combined with targeted offers, can re engage lapsed buyers and extend the impact of BFCM far beyond November.

Retention strategies are often overlooked in the rush of Black Friday, but they are essential for sustainable growth. Investing in customer loyalty ensures the hard work of acquisition translates into long term profit.

Stock & Inventory Management

Stock management is critical during Black Friday, when demand can spike suddenly and supply chains are under pressure. Analyse past sales data to forecast demand, prioritise best sellers and avoid overstocking slow movers. Communicate stock levels clearly on site to set expectations and consider safety buffers for popular items. A well planned inventory strategy not only prevents disappointment but also protects profitability during the busiest sales event of the year.

Policies & Compliance

Clear and up-to-date policies protect both your customers and your business during Black Friday. Make sure your returns, refunds, exchanges and delivery terms are easy to find and written in plain language. UK consumers are legally entitled to certain rights, so failing to communicate them risks complaints and lost trust. Updating policies ahead of BFCM not only ensures compliance but also reduces customer service queries by setting expectations before purchase.

Post-Event Analysis & Insights

Once the Black Friday weekend is over, the work is not finished. Analysing performance helps you understand what worked, what failed and how to improve for the next campaign. Reviewing results also ensures you capture learnings while the data is fresh, rather than repeating the same mistakes next year.

Start with the basics: revenue, profit and conversion rate. Then dig deeper into metrics such as traffic sources, best performing campaigns, average order value and abandoned carts. Segment your results by new versus returning customers to see how well you balanced acquisition and retention. Tools such as Shopify Analytics, GA4 or advanced attribution platforms can reveal which channels drove the highest return on ad spend.

Qualitative feedback is just as valuable. Review customer service tickets, returns data and post purchase surveys to identify pain points in the shopping experience. These insights often highlight friction that numbers alone cannot explain. Combining quantitative and qualitative analysis gives a complete picture of performance.

Finally, document your findings and share them with the wider team. A clear post event report ensures everyone understands the outcomes, lessons and opportunities. Black Friday is intense, but it is also one of the best times to gather data that will shape your ecommerce strategy for the year ahead.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many ecommerce businesses fall into the same traps during Black Friday, such as offering discounts that damage margins, failing to test checkout flows, or launching campaigns too late. Overcomplicated promotions and unclear messaging also frustrate customers and increase abandonment. The key is to keep offers simple, test your site thoroughly in advance and align discounts with a clear strategy that protects profitability while driving sales.

Black Friday Ecommerce Checklist

Use this quick checklist to make sure your store is fully prepared for the busiest shopping event of the year:

• ✔️ Define goals and set clear sales targets
• ✔️ Confirm promotions, discount codes and bundles
• ✔️ Audit site speed, navigation and checkout process
• ✔️ Test payment methods, shipping options and returns policies
• ✔️ Segment email and SMS lists and schedule campaigns
• ✔️ Prepare social content calendars and paid ad budgets
• ✔️ Brief customer service team and update FAQs
• ✔️ Forecast stock levels and confirm supply chain capacity
• ✔️ Set up analytics dashboards to track performance in real time
• ✔️ Plan retention campaigns to engage customers after BFCM

Completing these steps gives your business the best chance to turn Black Friday traffic into lasting revenue growth.

Conclusion

Black Friday is the biggest opportunity in the ecommerce calendar, but success comes down to preparation, strategy and execution. From setting clear goals and designing the right promotions to building seamless customer experiences and planning retention campaigns, every detail matters. The brands that plan ahead and stay focused are the ones that turn seasonal shoppers into long term customers.

If you need expert support to prepare your store for BFCM and beyond, our team at Charle can help. We work with ambitious ecommerce brands to design and optimise high performing websites, improve conversion rates (CRO), deliver impactful email and SMS marketing campaigns, and strengthen SEO performance. Our support services give you the confidence that your site is ready for the surge in traffic and demand that Black Friday brings.

Whether you want to fine tune your marketing campaigns, optimise your customer journey or maximise profitability during peak trading, Charle is here to help. Get in touch with our team today and make Black Friday 2025 your most successful yet.