BFCM (Black Friday Cyber Monday) is a huge shopping event—like the retail world’s Super Bowl. Consumers rush to grab items during this event, businesses see more sales, and retailers hustle to meet the massive demand. Take Shopify’s stores, for example—they hit an amazing US$ 9.3 billion in sales over the BFCM weekend.
So, how can retailers capture that magic in 2025? This article will highlight the essential things that businesses should do before the BFCM shopping event.
Table of Contents
10 Things to do ahead of BCFM 2025
1. Start with a longer sales window
2. Craft a standout BFCM offer
3. Revisit your shipping strategy
4. Let data drive your product selections
5. Reward your longtime fans
6. Pinpoint your best sales channels—and double down
7. Bring back former customers with retargeting
8. Launch your email campaigns early
9. Simplify your returns and exchanges
10. Convert holiday bargain-hunters into repeat shoppers
Final words
10 Things to do ahead of BCFM 2025
1. Start with a longer BFCM sales window
We often think of Black Friday through Cyber Monday as a four-day sprint, but shoppers are now scoping out deals weeks in advance and continuing to buy after the main event. One survey found that over half of U.S. consumers took advantage of pre-Thanksgiving promotions in recent years.
Consumers aren’t waiting for doorbuster deals on one specific day. They’re spread out and looking for bargains in the lead-up—and sometimes in the aftermath—of BFCM. So, instead of limiting discounts to the Friday-Monday window, plan to launch your offers early and possibly extend them beyond Cyber Monday. Also, ensure your social media channels, email campaigns, and on-site banners highlight any extra days you plan to include.
2. Craft a standout BFCM offer
Every online store on the planet will run some sort of sale during BFCM. So, how can you stand out from the crowd? Here’s how:
- Jaw-dropping discounts: Some merchants opt for a “loss leader” strategy, offering one irresistibly discounted product that entices people to visit your store, hoping they’ll add more profitable items to their cart.
- Tiered promotions: Offer progressively better deals as customers add more items to their orders. For instance, “Spend $50, get 10% off; spend $100, get 20% off.”
- Free shipping thresholds: Setting a minimum order amount for free shipping can encourage shoppers to add that little extra to their carts.
- Upsell and cross-sell: Recommend complementary products or upgrades to boost the size of each order.
The bottom line is that you want to ensure that your offer is compelling enough to attract attention but structured so that you still walk away profitable.
3. Revisit your shipping strategy
Shipping is a deal-breaker for many holiday shoppers. A slow or costly delivery option can prompt them to abandon their cart and check out a competitor. So, consider the following options:
- Clear shipping tiers: Offer free shipping on purchases over a certain amount, such as $50 for reduced shipping or $75 for free shipping.
- Local pickup: If you have a physical storefront, let local customers pick up their purchases in person. This can save them money and free them from complex shipping logistics.
- Manage expectations: During BFCM, shipping carriers often face delays. It’s vital to be upfront about possible wait times and share tracking details as soon as possible.
- Communicate everywhere: Mention your shipping policies and deadlines on your homepage, in the FAQ section, and within your email marketing. Customers feel more at ease when they know exactly when to expect their orders.
4. Let data drive your product selections
Relying on gut instinct alone can be risky when deciding which products will receive the BFCM spotlight. Instead, consider your store’s sales reports, inventory stats, and historical data from prior holiday seasons.
- Shopify reports: If you use Shopify, zero in on the top-sellers products last year around the same timeframe. You can filter by date range—particularly the previous BFCM weekend—to spot the best performers.
- ABC analysis: This framework groups your inventory based on how much revenue each product brings in. “A” items are your stars, generating the majority of your income, while “C” items might be slow sellers (or dead stock). For BFCM, you’ll likely promote your A-listers with moderate discounts or special bundles, while you might deeply discount or bundle “C” products to clear them out.
- Inventory planning: If you rely on suppliers or manufacturers, order your holiday stock sooner rather than later. Lead times have grown since the pandemic, and you don’t want to be left empty-handed when demand spikes.
5. Reward your longtime fans
It’s one thing to attract new holiday shoppers—it’s another to keep the ones you already have happy. Showing gratitude to your loyal customers can pay off exponentially. Consider doing the following to keep them happy:
- Exclusive early access: Send private email invites or text messages letting VIPs shop your BFCM deals a day or two before everyone else.
- Bonus loyalty points: Double or triple the usual reward points during BFCM to encourage bigger purchases.
- Referral perks: Give loyal fans a unique discount link they can share with friends. If their friend makes a purchase, both get a perk (like a $10 coupon off a future purchase).
Loyalty is a two-way street: treat your repeat customers well, and they’ll return the favor with positive reviews and word-of-mouth promotion.
6. Pinpoint your best sales channels—and double down
If you’re only selling on your website, you might miss a chunk of your potential audience. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and even online marketplaces give you a broader reach. So, identify top performers by looking at your analytics—it helps see which channels drove the most conversions last time so that you can focus your energy there first.
Additionally, sync Inventory tools to your store to centralize product listings. That way, your overall stock will adjust automatically when items sell on one channel. Finally, consider live shopping. Some brands successfully host live streams on social media, demoing products, answering questions, and sharing discount codes in real-time.
7. Bring back former customers with retargeting
Did someone visit your site, put something in their cart, and leave? Or did they buy from you six months ago and never come back? Retargeting is your chance to tap them on the shoulder. Consider using the following methods to grab their attention again:
- Meta Pixel: If you run ads on Facebook and Instagram, installing the Meta Pixel allows you to show ads specifically to people who have engaged with your site.
- Segment based on behavior: Serve different ads to one-time customers, loyal multi-buyers, or those who just visited product pages.
- Email reminders: Cart abandonment emails can recover about 10-15% of lost sales. They are especially effective if you pair them with a small discount or free shipping code.
8. Launch your email campaigns early
Email remains one of the best ways to nurture leads and keep your brand top-of-mind. Consider capturing emails as soon as possible with simple pop-ups or banners inviting visitors to sign up for your BFCM updates. You can also promise sneak peeks, early access, or exclusive deals.
Then, a few weeks before BFCM, start teasing what’s coming. Send a “Mark Your Calendar” email or reveal a hint of your biggest deal. Remember to use email marketing platforms that allow you to tailor subject lines, use first names, or recommend products based on past purchases.
Once your BFCM sale ends, show gratitude. A heartfelt follow-up can pave the way for future loyalty (and even capture extra sales with a bounce-back coupon).
9. Simplify your returns and exchanges
Holiday promotions can lead to impulse buys—and potential returns. A hassle-free policy can also turn a disappointed buyer into a repeat customer. For this reason, posting your return policy in multiple prominent places and offering a slightly longer return period can make shoppers feel safer making that big purchase.
10. Convert holiday bargain-hunters into repeat shoppers
The end of BFCM is the start of your next growth phase. Send a warm thank-you email with a small discount code for a future purchase. Invite potential customers to share photos or unbox videos on social channels, as user-generated content can help you stay top-of-mind. If you sell consumable goods, now is a great time to nudge folks into a recurring subscription or membership program.
Final words
Holidays are difficult for businesses, but their opportunities are too massive to ignore. Brands can connect with new shoppers while making their existing ones more loyal—a win-win situation. However, getting the most out of these events requires preparing early and having many things in place (like the 10 tips discussed here). Do this, and your brand will easily stand out in a sea of BFCM offers this year.
