Black Friday & Cyber Monday: All Systems Go

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are ideal opportunities for brand discovery and brand showcasing.

However, it’s only by truly understanding your customers and audiences that you can create tailored experiences and promotions, for connections that last beyond 24 hours.

As the peak shopping period for many approaches, lingering pressures around the cost of living and inflation are still important to most consumers. However, it’s not stopping them from eyeing up sales and deals going into the holiday season.

Against a frugal economic backdrop, consumers are keen to make the most of Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers with 78% of consumers planning to take part in 2024 October and November sales and promotions, compared with 61% last year in 2023.

We’ve scoured surveys and reports to find out what it is that people want, and to ask the question “are retailers equipped and ready to meet their needs?”

How are you managing promotions, offers and communication?

How are you building experiences for evolving needs and values?

How are you facilitating seamless and exciting customer journeys?

How are you retaining and nurturing lasting loyalty?

How are you managing promotions, offers and communication?

Black Friday isn’t just known for deals, it’s notorious for the barrage of emails leading up to the event. What once was a one-day frenzy now seems to start earlier each year, and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of this shift.

76% of buyers say that companies spam them with too many Black Friday ads. The Washington Post noted two years ago the overwhelming effect of this in a study where one person received 86 promotional emails in a 25-minute window on the Wednesday before Black Friday.

While promoting offers is key for brand marketing, the feeling of being spammed orexperiencing inbox fatigue is a huge turn off. In this environment, customer centric and considerate communication is more important than ever. Instead of getting swept up in the hype, think about what will truly resonate with your existing customers based on their habits and behaviours

Attraction and retention are part of a continual cycle. This begins with using tools that enable more precise segmentation and communication, ensuring customers feel special, not spammed.

How are you building experiences for evolving needs and values?

To appeal to customers and create connections, it’s essential to understand what they want, but I’s equally important for them to feel understood and connected to your brand.

If Black Friday and Cyber Monday provide a chance to reach more people, how are you differentiating yourself from the competition? Are you demonstrating that you understand their needs and values?

Millennials and Gen Z, two groups with growing spending power, are key targets for brands this Black Friday. Millennials are predicted to be the biggest spenders, with an average of £188. So, what are they looking for?

Sustainability has become a top priority across all demographics, especially among younger shoppers. Over half of these consumers prioritise sustainability, wether eco-friendly products or packaging, when making purchasing decisions. In fact, 50% of UK consumers are now conscious of the environmental impact of overconsumption during Black Friday.

As a result, some brands are adopting “Green Friday” marketing concepts to meet these concerns and tap into the rising demand for sustainability. 64% of Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to buy gifts supporting a cause this holiday season, compared to 55% overall. Brands that communicate and embody these values will stand out.

How are you facilitating seamless and exciting customer journeys?

While Black Friday’s origins were in-store, with memories of huge queues and hordes of people filling stores, e-commerce and m-commerce now dominate the landscape. With the rise of Cyber Monday and Prime Day, many consumers expect delas to be better online than in physical stores.

This shift highlights the need for effective, efficient customer journeys that support buyers wherever and whenever they engage with your brand. Omnichannel is no longer just about offering many options, it’s about creating a seamless experience across devices. For example, customers should be able to save an item on their phones, complete the purchase on their desktop later, and pick up their order in-store. This requires agile, reliable technology to minimise the chance of cart abandonment and other complications.

However, not all customers what to shop purely online. Nearly half of UK consumers made Black Friday purchases in physical stores in 2023. In-store experiences, such as pop-up events, discovery zones or VIP residencies, have huge appeal, offering customers exclusivity and excitement similar to a tourist attraction.

Customers are drawn to memorable experiences, which can be created for the simplest of reasons. Whether it’s a quick and seamless checkout, an eye-catching display, or something entirely new that sparks excitement and gets people talking, these moments leave a lasting impact.

If you’re seeing crowds seeking discounts on Black Friday, focus on what will make a meaningful impression and ensure their journey is as smooth and enjoyable as possible. Don’t forget to infuse fun, excitement, and awe into your physical spaces, creating an atmosphere that people will remember long after their visit.

How are you retaining and nurturing lasting loyalty?

As the holiday season approaches, consumer loyalty is under pressure. Reports show that 48% of consumers plan to seek out more affordable retailers, 62% are switching to lower-priced brands, and 25% are considering knockoffs or “dupe” products.

Black Friday also tends to generate mistrust. 24% of shoppers believe retailers inflate prices before Black Friday and discount them on the day of the event. Post-purchase regret is also common, with 60% of Gen Z respondents feeling regret over their Black Friday purchases.

These factors make it challenging to foster loyalty, particularly when consumers are focused on short-term savings. But Black Friday can also be a chance to focus on lifetime value instead of just individual transactions. By delivering transparent, trustworthy experiences that feel personalized and exclusive, you can build long-term loyalty.

In fact, 80% of UK consumers say they would return to a retailer after a positive Black Friday experience. Turn the chaos of Black Friday into a surprise-and-delight opportunity that builds trust, strengthens connections, and nurtures lasting customer loyalty.