Black Friday: 5 rules to boost your sales

This year, Black Friday 2017 will take place on Friday 24 November. This date is very important, and is highlighted in red marker on all e-tailers’ calendars, as it currently represents 5% of online sales.

This year, it is even more important as it will be extended to the following Monday, November 27, thanks to Cyber Monday.Last year,black Friday alone generated a turnover of more than 1.4 million Euros.

Black Friday usually symbolises the official start of the Christmas shopping season.

Black Friday is an exciting opportunity for both brands and consumers. While brands are boosting their sales, consumers are doing their Christmas shopping. Here are the 5 key points for an optimal Black Friday without unpleasant surprises

1. Consumers do their research before the big day

To prepare your customers and help them wait, present promotional offers a few days before the big day. Every year, 40% of consumers start looking for their Christmas gifts in October. Companies tend to think that it is much later.

Your promotional offers should be available before November 24th.

Make sure that consumers come across your site when they search for their products on the internet.

Do not hesitate to invest in advertising both on social networks and on the various search engines. Optimise your pages and use sponsored posts on social networks.

2. Create an email campaign for all abandoned shopping carts

The average number of abandoned shopping carts between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is 65% according to Barrillance. To boost your sales and bring this percentage down, don ‘t forget to send a reminder email to remind them to continue shopping

Don’t hesitate to also offer them products related to their research.

3. Review your refund policy

Many of the products purchased during Black Friday and Cyber Monday are Christmas gifts, so to differentiate yourself from your competitors and get better results, offer an option to extend the refund dates after the holiday season. A very simple tactic to stand out from the crowd.

4. Check your warehouse’s stock of products

During these days of exclusive promotions, as well as during the Christmas holidays, warehouse activity really expands, so review your logistics strategy to avoid overloading your pickers, or ending up with a stock of unwrapped products.

If you think you need to expand the team, now is the time to hire more staff, so they will be prepared on the day and your customers won’t experience delays in their orders.

5. Check stocks of packaging suitable for your products

Of course, we couldn’t miss the packaging part! How will you send your products without packaging?

Without packaging, the packages cannot leave the warehouse! To do this, make sure you have a sufficient stock of packaging and packaging materials. If you are already under pressure, don’t worry, contact suppliers who will ensure 24/48 hour delivery. This way, you can focus on other issues while filling up the stock.

And if you have a shop, you should also get ahead of the game to avoid last-minute surprises: it would be a shame to find yourself without a bag or gift wrap during the most popular period for gift wrap.

Conclusion: key points to remember about Black Friday

• Get ahead of the game by offering deals before the big day to attract your customers and help them wait.
• Take advantage of the fast approaching holiday season to change your refund policy by offering more flexible options.
• Be aware of your logistics, so when you check your product stocks don’t forget to check your packaging stocks as well.