Black Friday (and also known as BFCM – Black Friday and Cyber Monday) is one of the biggest shopping events of the year, and as an eCommerce business owner, you’ll want to make sure your store is ready for the surge of customers looking for the best deals.
Preparing your online store for Black Friday 2024 means more than just slashing prices; it’s about optimising your website for peak performance, ensuring a smooth customer journey, and ramping up your marketing efforts to drive sales. Here are five key strategies to ensure your eCommerce store is primed for success.
5 Ways You Can Prepare Your Online Store For Black Friday
Upgrade Website Performance
Black Friday shoppers expect fast, seamless experiences. The last thing you want is for your website to crash or slow down due to high traffic. Fast page load speeds are crucial not only for keeping customers on your site but also for SEO purposes, as search engines favour faster sites. Ensure your website is optimised for all devices, especially mobile, where a significant portion of shopping will occur. Finally, make sure your website is secure, with up-to-date SSL certificates and payment gateways, providing peace of mind to your customers when making transactions.
Add New Products
Black Friday is a great opportunity to showcase new products or limited-time offerings. Make sure your store features best-performing products front and centre, enticing customers with deals on items they already love. Additionally, make sure that product imagery is professional and that all details are clearly outlined, helping to convert visitors into buyers. The better the product presentation, the higher the likelihood that customers will add it to their cart.
Streamline The Sales Process
A smooth and hassle-free shopping experience is key to increasing your Black Friday sales. Remove unnecessary steps from your checkout process to make it as quick and easy as possible for customers to complete their purchases. Ensure that your website navigation is intuitive so users can find what they’re looking for without frustration. Additionally, use this opportunity to entice customers to add extras or add-ons by offering relevant product suggestions at checkout, boosting your average order value.
Offer Flexible Payments, yes this includes Buy Now Pay Later
Black Friday shoppers are always looking for flexibility when it comes to payments. Make sure you’re offering a variety of payment options, including credit card and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services such as Afterpay or ZipPay. Offering BNPL options can help reduce cart abandonment and encourage larger purchases, making it a win-win for both you and your customers.
Just on BNPL, Did You Know…
As reported by Adobe Analytics, online consumer spending between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31 2023 set a “new record for e-commerce,” rising 4.9% year-over-year to reach $222.1 billion. This surge was driven in part by discounts that “hit record highs” across categories such as electronics, toys, and apparel. During the holiday season, consumers spent $16.6 billion online using buy now, pay later (BNPL) services, marking a 14% increase from last year and setting an all-time high. Over the course of 2023, online spending via BNPL platforms reached $75 billion, up 14.3% from 2022.
Ramp-Up Marketing Efforts
Marketing plays a vital role in maximising your Black Friday success. Paid ads and retargeting campaigns can help drive traffic to your site, while updating your abandoned cart flows ensures that customers who didn’t complete a purchase are reminded of their interest. Don’t forget about email campaigns to re-market to your existing customer base, offering them exclusive deals or early access to your Black Friday sales. Lastly, get social by leveraging influencer, affiliate, and user-generated content to amplify your reach. These methods not only drive sales but also help build brand loyalty and engagement.
By focusing on these five strategies, your eCommerce store will be well-prepared for the Black Friday 2024 rush. From optimising your website’s performance to creating seamless shopping experiences and ramping up your marketing efforts, your business will be ready to maximise sales and delight customers during one of the busiest shopping events of the year.
If you need to speak with an eCommerce expert about how to prepare your online store for Black Friday 2024, don’t hesitate to contact OnePoint Solutions by calling 07 3444 0045 or enquire online today.
