Every year Black Friday rolls around, and eCommerce merchants can be sure that the holidays will bring an influx of revenue and sales to your business. However, each year the trends, predictions and outcomes differ slightly. Let’s take a look at what these might be this year, and how you can make sure that your business is adequately prepared.
Things Are Starting Early
Merchants and customers alike are getting set up and ready early this year. Buzzwords are already trending on Google Trends, which is an early interest signal. People are not leaving things to the last minute this year. Shoppers know what they are planning to buy this holiday season, so you should make sure that you are prepared for that.
Your search bar should be optimized for high-intent users, and the functionality and usability of your website should be double checked. Make sure you have done all of your A/B testing, as shoppers will be there early and with strong motivation.
Shoppers Will Research
Predictions indicate that shoppers this Black Friday will come prepared. They will have researched best deals, offers and bargains ahead of time. With the internet at their fingertips, they will compare your offerings against other sellers. Since during Black Friday there are multiple deals on offer, shoppers want to make sure that they are getting the best bang for their buck. They need to know that you are offering the best deals.
You should make sure you are actively marketing. On social media and through email and SMS marketing, shoppers should be aware of your deals: make it fun, engaging and clear. Regular customers, or those signed up to your loyalty program should receive special deal offers. Discount codes or early access can ensure that they feel valued, and they don’t shop elsewhere. These extras could make all the difference to your overall Black Friday outcome.
Share Your Values
The eCommerce world has been witnessing the trend of values play out for a while. Shoppers, particularly younger generations like Gen Z, care about where their money is going. Customers are being more intentional about where they spend, taking time to do research on companies before purchasing from them.
As a result of the environmental crisis, sustainability plays a big part in people’s consideration. Make sure your company is taking steps to move towards green eCommerce, and is letting shoppers know about these.
Ways you can make your company greener, are through using less packaging and recycled products to package with. You can also make sure that descriptions of products are clear to reduce returns. Offering chatbot technology can mean that any questions about products or deliveries are answered 24/7, so there will be less misunderstanding and hopefully less returns.
Power Of Social Media
Social media is a huge asset to your eCommerce company this Black Friday. Make sure that you have a strong social media strategy in place, and if you have the option for social commerce, this will be a great benefit. Many shoppers would like to make purchases within the social media apps they spend time in, rather than traveling to your website.
To facilitate this capacity means that you could add sales from customers you may not otherwise achieve. Social media is a huge opportunity for product discovery, and for understanding brand image and products.
There are many ways you can engage with social media to boost your Black Friday sales. You can use influencers, user generated content, TikTok videos and other engaging methods. You want your company to be on people’s mind before the holiday starts, and social media is a great way of achieving this.
Focus On Health & Beauty
Predictions for Black Friday 2024 indicate that there is an increase in demand for health and beauty products. Health and beauty saw the highest online sales growth in the first quarter of 2024, so it seems as though this will carry through to Black Friday sales. Well-being is a huge market, so if your company facilitates the sales of these products, then make sure it is highlighted and you can stay on brand.
Achieve this through clear merchandising rules and strategies. You can also employ searchandising to make sure that your merchandising strategy shines through even in your search, or combining elements with personalization.
Conclusion
Black Friday is always a huge event. This year will be no exception. Hopefully by knowing some of these predictions before the holiday begins, you can make sure you are ready for the holiday approaching, and reap the benefits.