As the holiday shopping season approaches, small businesses are gearing up for one of the year’s busiest shopping days – Black Friday. This is a prime opportunity to attract new customers and boost sales, especially on platforms like BigCommerce. This blog post will explore the best Black Friday deals for small businesses using BigCommerce. From optimizing your online store to leveraging attractive promotions, these tips will help you stand out in a competitive marketplace and make the most of this crucial shopping event.
Why Should You Consider Black Friday Promotions?
Businesses of all types, from traditional stores to small e-commerce startups, can benefit from the Black Friday shopping season. While competing with countless other businesses offering deals may feel daunting, proper preparation can make the effort worthwhile.
To illustrate the magnitude of the Black Friday shopping season:
- According to Adobe’s report, shoppers spent $211.7 billion for the 2022 season.
- Of that amount, over $9 billion was spent online on Black Friday alone.
- Cyber Monday exceeded that, with $11.3 billion in sales.
Clearly, small businesses have significant potential to capitalize on the Black Friday season and boost their revenue.
Best Black Friday Deals for Small Business on BigCommerce
Now that you understand the benefits your business can reap from participating in Black Friday, here are some of the top actionable Black Friday deals for small businesses to help you make it a success.
Use timed deals
Creating time-limited offers and promotions generates a sense of urgency, encouraging customers to purchase quickly.
Time constraints can be utilized in various ways for Black Friday sales strategies:
- Hourly specials – Deals that change or rotate every hour
- Early access promotions – Provide the earliest shoppers with a special discount
- Daily offers – The same as hourly deals, but extended over a whole day
- Final opportunity or encore sales – A last-chance discount only valid for a certain time
The appeal lies in securing discounts ahead of the main event rush, potentially acquiring the most desirable items.
Time-restricted promotions have proven effective. The National Retail Federation reports that 56% of consumers participated in pre-Thanksgiving early bird sales in 2022.
Implement strategic discounts
As a small business owner, you might find it challenging to match the deep discounts offered by large retailers like Target and Best Buy during Black Friday. However, you can still create attractive offers for your customers.
Consider combining products or services into packages, allowing you to provide savings without incurring losses.
Another effective approach is a graduated discount structure. This could involve offering increasing discounts or perks based on the customer’s purchase amount. For instance, you might provide:
- 20% off and complimentary shipping for purchases exceeding $200
- 30% discount for orders over $500
- Additional benefits for higher spending thresholds
Buy More Save More or Bundle Offers
This sales promotion strategy is one of the most effective Black Friday deals for small business.
The benefits are twofold: it motivates customers to increase their purchases from your brand to maximize savings, leading to a higher average order value (AOV) and consequently boosting your revenue and profits.
This approach offers greater discounts on bulk purchases or product combinations than buying items separately.
Develop and promote special rates on product bundles. For instance, you could assemble a package of five items valued at $50, totaling $250. Offer this bundle at $210, demonstrating a $40 saving on the package deal to customers.
BOGO promotions
“Buy One, Get One” (BOGO) or “Buy One, Get One Free” (BOGOF) is a highly popular sales strategy in e-commerce.
The appeal of this method lies in the word “free.” Customers are naturally drawn to offers that include complimentary items, and this promotion taps into that desire.
For businesses with tighter profit margins, consider modifying this approach. You might offer variations such as “Buy Two, Get One Free” or “Buy Three, Get One Free.” This allows you to leverage the offer’s appeal without sacrificing a significant portion of your profit margin. These modified versions can also help increase your average order value (AOV).
Cashback Offer
This sales strategy can attract customers by offering post-purchase savings. It often proves more effective at boosting conversion rates than percentage discounts, as consumers tend to find the tangible benefit of cash returns more appealing.
The allure of receiving money back after a purchase can be a powerful motivator, potentially leading to increased sales and customer satisfaction. This approach allows customers to feel they’re getting additional value beyond the initial purchase, which can foster positive associations with your brand.
Moreover, rebate offers can be structured in various ways to suit your business model, such as immediate cash back at the point of sale or delayed rebates that encourage repeat visits to your store or website.
Customer loyalty incentive program
A loyalty program can be an effective alternative for small business owners seeking to minimize direct cash discounts that impact profit margins without guaranteeing customer retention.
By implementing a points-based reward system, you can ensure that customer savings are reinvested within your business. This approach helps protect your profit margins while simultaneously fostering customer loyalty.
Instead of offering immediate cash discounts, reward your customers with loyalty points for their purchases. You’ll need to integrate a loyalty program solution into your e-commerce platform to implement this strategy. For instance, if you’re using BigCommerce, you can easily add loyalty program applications to your store.
Gift Card Promotion
Gift card promotions offer excellent Black Friday deals for small business, allowing you to create attractive offers without resorting to direct cash discounts.
- Customers will likely return to your store to redeem their gift cards, potentially making additional purchases.
- Receiving a gift card can make customers feel valued, fostering a sense of appreciation and exclusivity.
- The promise of future purchases can strengthen the connection between your brand and the customer.
- Unlike immediate discounts, gift cards allow you to defer the discount effect, potentially aiding in better cash flow management.
Early-Bird Discount Promotion
Early access discounts involve offering reduced prices for a specific duration leading up to the main Black Friday event.
For instance, while Black Friday 2023 is on November 24th, you could launch your promotional campaign as early as November 10th.
This strategy offers several advantages:
- By launching your offers before your competitors, you can capture customer attention early.
- A longer promotional period provides more opportunities to boost your revenue.
- Early promotions can generate excitement and anticipation for your main Black Friday deals.
- Spreading out your sales can help manage inventory and reduce the strain on your systems during the peak shopping day.
- Some customers prefer to complete their holiday shopping ahead of time, and this strategy allows you to capture that market segment.
Provide Free Samples as Gifts
Offering free samples as gifts can motivate customers to explore your new products. This strategy drives traffic to your website and enhances your chances of future sales.
Additionally, consider offering free gifts with purchases above a certain amount. This approach can encourage customers to buy more items, ultimately boosting the average order value (AOV).
Flexible Discounts
Flexible discounts allow customers to choose how they want to apply their savings. These offers often come as buy-one-get-one (BOGO) at 50% off, enabling shoppers to select which products receive the discount.
These deals can also evolve. For instance, during the first few hours of Black Friday, you might start with a 50% discount on all items, followed by BOGO 50% off afterward. Clearance items could see even deeper discounts, such as 75% off.
Discounts tied to a purchase encourage a “buy more, save more” mindset, making it seem like customers save more as they buy additional items. BOGO offers on complementary or highly desirable products can enhance this effect even further.
Tips for Black Friday Promotions for Small Businesses
Here are some essential tips to consider for Black Friday:
- Don’t Miss Out on Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday®, initiated by American Express in 2010, encourages shoppers to support local businesses during the holiday season. This event has become a yearly tradition that benefits small enterprises.
- Optimize Your Store for Mobile
Many shoppers prefer using their mobile devices. In 2022, 42.4% of Black Friday revenue – approximately $3.7 billion – came from smartphones, with the average mobile conversion rate rising to 3.3%.
- Offer Curbside or In-Store Pickup
U.S. stores offering curbside or in-store pickup experienced a 50% revenue boost compared to those that didn’t. If feasible, promote these pickup options during Black Friday and highlight them in your marketing materials, including social media.
- Offer Free Shipping
Free shipping is an effective way to boost conversion rates. If you provide free shipping, make sure to promote it prominently in your marketing campaigns and on your website.
- Run Social Media Marketing Campaigns
Social media is a powerful platform for small businesses to execute marketing campaigns. Use these channels to reach potential customers and spread the word about your Black Friday deals.
Discover the Capability of Atom8 for Black Friday Deals
Atom8 is a powerful BigCommerce Automation app designed to enhance your BigCommerce experience, including the robust Black Friday deals for small business.
Trusted by top retailers, Atom8 streamlines various processes, allowing you to automate repetitive tasks and focus on strategic initiatives.
With its intuitive interface, you can easily set up promotions, manage inventory, and optimize customer engagement.
By leveraging Atom8’s capabilities created by GritGlobal, you can boost efficiency and drive sales, ensuring your business stands out amidst the competition. This Black Friday, let Atom8 help you maximize your potential and deliver exceptional deals to your customers.
In Conclusion
As Black Friday approaches, small businesses on BigCommerce have a unique opportunity to capture the attention of eager shoppers. By implementing effective Black Friday deals for small business, you can maximize your sales and stand out in the crowded marketplace. Don’t miss out on the chance to make this holiday season a success for your business! If you have any questions or need assistance with your Black Friday promotions, contact us today. We’re here to help you thrive this holiday season!
