Black Friday 2023: Preparing for scaling

Ah, Black Friday! A day when the shopping world holds its breath, ready to unleash great deals, bargains, and unmissable opportunities.

The evolution of Black Friday has been nothing short of remarkable. What began as a post-Thanksgiving shopping frenzy in the United States has transformed into a global phenomenon, spilling over borders and even bleeding into the entire month of November.

Are you ready to get the maximum of Black Friday 2023?

The rise of mobile commerce

Shopping via mobile devices has been on the rise, making it essential for online stores to optimize for mobile commerce in addition to general e-commerce preparations. 

Read more about mobile commerce trends and its role in Black Friday here.

Analyzing past performance – Black Friday 2022

Reflect on the past to prepare for the future. 

Black Friday 2022 posed several challenges for online stores, from website crashes to inventory management issues. Analyzing the performance of your online store during this period can offer valuable insights and make the preparations for Black Friday 2023 easier.

What worked well? What didn’t? Did your website handle the traffic surge? Was your customer service able to manage the increased inquiries? 

Answering these questions will help you identify areas that need improvement and develop a better strategy for Black Friday 2023. Remember, each Black Friday event offers a learning opportunity to make the next one even better.

Figuring out consumer behavior during shopping

So, things have changed a ton lately, right? A while back, buying stuff with your phone was just a little extra thing, but now? 

It’s like, THE thing. It’s driving a bunch of sales and changing consumer behaviors, especially due to age differences and on big shopping days like Black Friday.

Have customers shifted more towards online shopping? Are they using mobile devices more frequently? 

If you answered yes to these two questions, you must have a great shopping experience on mobile devices. 

Understanding these trends and which products were popular will help you optimize your online store, stock up on popular items, and develop marketing strategies that resonate with your target audience. The better you understand your customers, the more successful your Black Friday 2023 sale will be.

The importance of scaling

Scaling, in the context of e-commerce and mobile commerce, means preparing your online store to handle an increased volume of traffic, transactions, and customer inquiries. Failing to prepare for scaling can result in website crashes, payment processing issues, and unhappy customers.

Key areas to focus on for scaling

1. Website and mobile app infrastructure

The foundation of your online store lies in its infrastructure. Utilizing Content Delivery Networks (CDN) can significantly improve your website’s performance by distributing the load, optimizing content, and ensuring your site loads quickly on all devices, even under peak traffic. 

Additionally, website and mobile app optimization tools can help enhance user experience by optimizing images, reducing code, and ensuring your site is mobile-friendly. Ensure that your website and mobile app can handle the increased traffic expected during Black Friday 2023. 

2. Payment processing

The checkout process is a critical part of the customer journey, and any hiccup can result in cart abandonment. Select payment gateways known for their high transaction processing speed and security. This will not only provide a smooth checkout experience for your customers but also minimize the risk of fraud and chargebacks.

3. Inventory management

Efficient inventory management is key to fulfilling orders promptly and avoiding stockouts or overstocking. Inventory management software that offers real-time tracking and demand forecasting can help you monitor stock levels, predict demand based on historical data, and plan accordingly. This ensures that you have adequate stock levels to meet the demand without overstocking.

4. Customer service

With the surge in traffic during Black Friday, your customer service team will be overloaded with inquiries and complaints. Implementing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software can help manage these interactions by keeping track of all customer communications, purchase history, and preferences. This enables your team to provide personalized and efficient service.

5. Marketing and promotions

Effective marketing is essential to attract customers to your online store and promote your Black Friday deals. Email marketing tools can help you create and send targeted emails to your customer list, while social media advertising platforms can help you reach a broader audience by creating, managing, and optimizing your ad campaigns.

Put your shop right in front of customers

Black Friday is not just about having a sale; it’s about being where your customers are and providing them with the convenience to shop in their preferred way. Therefore, it’s essential to have a presence on multiple channels during Black Friday. 

Firstly, your website should be fully optimized and mobile-friendly, as a significant portion of online shopping is done via mobile devices. Better yet, consider building a mobile app that can provide a better user experience, help you send push notifications, and build customer loyalty. 

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are crucial for promoting your Black Friday deals, engaging with your audience, and providing customer service. 

Lastly, don’t forget about email marketing, which is still one of the most effective ways to communicate with your customers and encourage them to shop. Remember, the more channels you are present on, the more opportunities you have to attract and engage customers during Black Friday.

👉🏻 Why should I get a mobile app before Black Friday 2023?

User engagement – beyond the purchase

What’s next after figuring out who your Black Friday customers are? Smart retailers know that the relationship with a customer doesn’t stop at checkout. It’s just getting started. Turn one-time Black Friday shoppers into loyal customers all year round. Let’s check out how you can make it happen.

Push notifications

Push notifications are a big deal for online shopping and sending them at the right time may bring higher engagement rates. Customized push notifications can let shoppers know about new stuff based on what they bought on Black Friday, offer deals picked just for them, or give updates about sales coming up. The key? Make push notifications relevant, not annoying and avoid most common push notifications mistakes.

Loyalty programs

People love getting rewards! Online shopping loyalty programs, especially ones that are part of mobile platforms, can encourage users to come back. Giving points for Black Friday buys, special bonuses for checking out on mobile, or exclusive deals only on mobile can keep customers involved way after Black Friday.

User-generated content (UGC)

In the digital world, everyone can create content. Encouraging customers to share what they got on Black Friday, write reviews, or even make unboxing videos can give real, genuine support for a brand.

Tips for social media during Black Friday 2023

Social media is a powerful tool for attracting and engaging customers during Black Friday. Develop a social media marketing strategy that includes a mix of organic and paid content. Use engaging visuals, compelling copy, and exclusive promotions to grab your audience’s attention. 

Read more about social media posts for this Black Friday 2023.

Influencer marketing has become very popular, so you might want to use it to reach a broader audience. Remember to monitor your social media channels closely during Black Friday to respond to customer inquiries and engage with your audience in real time. Social media is not just a platform for promoting your Black Friday sale but also an opportunity to build a community around your brand.

Dealing with angry customers

Black Friday often leads to a surge in customer inquiries and complaints. It’s essential to prepare your customer service team for this increase. Provide them with the necessary training and resources to handle common questions and issues efficiently. Consider implementing chatbots to answer frequently asked questions and free up your customer service team to handle more complex issues. 

Clearly communicate your Black Friday policies on your website, such as:

• shipping times,
• return policies and
• special promotions, 

This will minimize customer confusion and inquiries. Excellent customer service can lead to repeat business and positive reviews.

Post-Black Friday 2023: How did you do?

Once Black Friday is over, it’s important to take a step back and analyze your online store’s performance. Did you meet your sales goals? Were there any website crashes or payment processing issues? Did your inventory management system work efficiently? Use the insights gained from this analysis to plan for the future. Identify areas that need improvement and develop strategies to address them. 

Consider sending out a survey to your customers to gather feedback on their shopping experience. Remember, the end of Black Friday is not the end of your work. It’s an opportunity to learn, improve, and prepare for the next big sale.

The ending note

Preparing for scaling is crucial for the success of your online store during Black Friday 2023. With the increasing popularity of mobile commerce, it’s more important than ever to optimize your online store for both desktop and mobile devices. Start preparing early to ensure a successful Black Friday!