Listen closely. Can you hear that? It’s the faint, terrifying sound of the retail world’s largest, most chaotic event barrelling towards us. No, it’s not the Christmas rush just yet. It’s the Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) stampede, and if you’re only just starting to think about it now, let’s be blunt: you’re already behind. But don’t worry, the trusty team at Empire9 are here to help you through what can be the customer cash splash of the year.
While you’ve been enjoying the first hints of spring, your customers have been plotting. They’ve been making lists, bookmarking pages, and getting their wallets ready for the biggest shopping weekend of the year – and we’ve been setting up campaigns, planning EDMs and targeting those early Christmas present shoppers, before they’ve even kicked off the spending. It’s just what we do… And you can too!
Black Friday is mega.
This isn’t just a hunch; it’s a data-backed reality. Last year, Kiwis dropped a staggering $253 million online over the four-day BFCM weekend. That’s a 6% jump from the year before, proving this shopping frenzy isn’t slowing down. It’s evolving, and marketers need to evolve with it.
So, if you’re feeling a bead of sweat forming, good. A bit of pressure is exactly what you need. Now, let’s channel that panic into a plan. We’ve got this.
The hard truth – your competitors are coming for your customers if you don’t get moving for Black Friday.
The biggest mistake brands make is assuming the BFCM race begins on Friday morning. The race began weeks ago, so use October to your advantage. Plan, test, revise and prepare. We know from last year’s data that a massive 64% of shoppers start their research before the sale period even kicks off.
They are actively comparing prices, reading reviews, and deciding which brands will get their hard-earned cash. If you haven’t been warming them up, teasing your offers, and making your presence felt, you’re not even in the running.
So, the time for action is right now.
The last-minute Black Friday hit list:
- Make your offer a no-brainer.
A meek ‘10% off’ isn’t going to cut it. Not for Black Friday. Keep in mind, 79% of shoppers are hunting for deals, and 71% are actively comparing prices between you and your competitors. Your offer needs to stop them in their tracks.
Think bigger:
- Tiered Discounts: Reward bigger spenders (e.g., 15% off $100, 25% off $200).
- Compelling Bundles: Group popular products together for an irresistible price.
- Exclusive Free Gifts: Add a high-value gift with purchase that they can’t get anywhere else.
- Loss Leaders: Take a small hit on a hero product to get customers in the door (virtual or physical) to buy more.
Whatever you choose, make it sharp, clear, and more compelling than the next guy’s.
- Mobilise Your Website (Seriously)
Here’s a stat that should light a fire under your web developer: 58% of all online purchases during last year’s BFCM were made on a mobile device.
If your mobile website is clunky, slow, or a pain to navigate, you might as well just set your money on fire.
Go through your entire purchase process on your phone right now. Is it seamless? Is it fast? Can you check out in under a minute? If the answer to any of these is “no,” you know what your top priority is. A frustrating mobile experience is the fastest way to lose a sale.
- Unleash Your Multi-Channel Attack
Relying on a single channel for BFCM is like betting your entire life savings on one horse. You need to be everywhere your customers are, and the data tells us exactly where that is.
- Paid Search (Accounted for 25% of traffic): Get your Google Ads in order. Your ad copy should scream urgency and value. Use countdown timers, highlight specific discounts, and make sure your ads point to dedicated, high-converting landing pages. Don’t send them to your homepage to fend for themselves.
- Social Media (Influenced 34% of purchases): This isn’t just about traffic; it’s about influence. Start teasing your offers now. Use Instagram Stories with countdown stickers, run engaging polls, and create short-form video content showcasing your deals. Put ad spend behind your best offers, targeting warm audiences like past website visitors and email subscribers.
- Email Marketing (Drove 21% of sales): Your email list is pure gold. These are people who have already said they want to hear from you. Segment your list and give your VIPs early access. Schedule a sequence of emails: a teaser, a “sale is live” announcement, and a “last chance” reminder. And for the love of all things digital, have a BFCM-specific abandoned cart automation running. It’s free money.
How to build momentum for Black Friday:
- Capture email addresses early and send out VIP Early Access to your database
- Graduate your messaging and media spend
- 3–13 Nov (Teasing & early push): ~25% of media spend
- 14–26 Nov (Mid-Nov warm-up): ~35% of media spend
- 27 Nov – 1 Dec (Black Friday through Cyber Monday): ~40% of media spend
- A well-considered timeline. Here’s what we’re recommending in 2025
- Tease from 3rd November
- Friday 7th Nov (campaign start)
- Friday 14th Nov (Google shows a demand peak each Friday leading into Black Friday)
- Friday 21st Nov (same as above)
- Biggest upweight: Friday 28th Nov
- Saturday 29th – Sunday 30th Nov
- Monday 1st Dec (Cyber Monday / end of sale)
Let’s stop panicking. and start profiting.
The clock is ticking, and the opportunity is massive. Once upon a time, Black Friday was a singular day of deals. Then came Cyber Monday delivering digital discounts. Then it was 4 days of promotion to capitalise on the period. Now, brands are observing record-breaking e-commerce months with Black Friday deals launching weeks in advance in what has become a promotional period with more gravitas and uptake than Christmas.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t just another sale; they are a critical event that can define your entire quarter… #nopressure. Consumer habits have shifted with the convenience of online shopping preferred to the hellscape of the Westfield Riccarton carpark. Shoppers anticipate Black Friday will deliver the best deals of the year and withhold spending accordingly.
You can either wing it and hope for the best, or you can execute a sharp, data-driven plan that captures your share of the market. We’d pick the latter.
Feeling the pressure? Good. That’s the sound of opportunity knocking. If you’re ready to turn that last-minute panic into a powerful, profitable campaign, you know who to call (psst it’s us).
Get in touch with the team at Empire9, and let’s get your BFCM strategy firing on all cylinders. May the bargains be plentiful and the ROI through the roof.
