5 Steps to Prepare for Black Friday 2022 Now

It’s never too early to start planning for the biggest revenue windfall of the year. Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2022 might seem like forever away. But preparing for them can take time — and starting to make those preparations now can pay off significantly in the long run.

Now that we’re in Q3, it’s a great time to start your Black Friday preparations. In this guide, we’ll cover why focusing on this day matters so much, along with the benefits of starting to plan your eCommerce Black Friday strategy now. We’ll finish with some actionable tips to help you get started.

The Importance of a Black Friday and Cyber Monday eCommerce Strategy

It’s difficult to overstate just how important both Black Friday and Cyber Monday are to meeting your eCommerce revenue targets. In 2021, Shopify owners alone earned a collective $6.3 billion in revenue between these two days, a whopping 23% increase from the prior year.

Generally speaking, Americans are six times more likely to buy online on Black Friday than on any other Friday, which explains why online stores report store traffic increases of more than 200% and revenue increases upwards of 300%.

That’s just a typical year, of course. All signs point to the fact that preparing for Black Friday 2022 will rise even more in importance. Global eCommerce revenues continue to rise significantly every year, while major retailers continue to build longer, all-encompassing sales strategies that reach far beyond the actual day. To compete for this enticing revenue stream, a comprehensive strategy is key.

Why eCommerce Stores Need to Prepare for Black Friday 2022 Now

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are no longer one-day sales efforts. As TechRadar reports, holiday-related details begin to pop up as early as October. This explains why an Adobe Analytics study found eCommerce spending for November up by almost 12% in 2021, even though spending on Black Friday alone was actually down 1.3%.

More comprehensive campaigns, of course, require more comprehensive planning. Simply executing disconnected Black Friday ideas for eCommerce will not be enough when looking to build month-long campaigns. A more integrated strategy requires planning further ahead, especially when considering the fact that simply running back last year’s strategy is probably not enough.

As outlined by eMarketer, Black Friday 2021 brought with it several lessons that online store owners will be well-advised to keep in mind when planning their 2022 campaigns:

• In 2021, out-of-stock messages for Black Friday-related sales were up 124% compared to 2020, likely due to continuing global supply chain issues.
• 54% of consumers experienced higher product prices in 2021, and 37% found fewer discounts. This was likely related to continued inflation that will also play a role in 2022.
• Smartphones accounted for almost 45% of Black Friday-related digital transactions in 2021, an increase from just 10% in 2020.
• 70% of consumers began their holiday shopping in October, compared to 66% in 2020 and just 61% the year prior.

Meanwhile, Shopify data showed that sales made or initiated through social media for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2021 almost tripled compared to 2020’s numbers. Accounting for these trends takes time, which means that Q3 is the perfect starting point to prepare for Black Friday 2022.

5 Steps to Prepare for Black Friday 2022

Just knowing that you should prepare is only the beginning. Let’s run through some actionable steps that help you start any planning and strategizing now.

1. Clearly Define What You Want to Offer

Most common eCommerce Black Friday strategies take one of two shapes:

1. Offer discounts across your store, or
2. Choose a select few products you’ll sell at a discounted rate.

Especially given continued supply chain shortages, the second is the more viable strategy in 2022.

That means now is the time to define exactly what products you plan to offer as Black Friday deals. Use insights from your audience, including revenue data from 2021 or recent sales reports, to make the decision. Even a direct customer poll can help you determine the popularity of your products as you make this call.

2. Ensure Your Supply Chain Reliability

Once you’ve tentatively selected the products you want to offer, verify that the supply chain from manufacturer to end-user can actually support that decision. The last thing you want is to be sold out early or have delivery troubles after purchases have been made. Stock up on inventory, and check with your suppliers and mailing services to make sure they can handle an influx in demand around the holidays. Your business partners need to prepare for Black Friday 2022 just as much as your own business does.

3. Check on Your Server’s Capacity to Handle Traffic and Transactions

Just like your supply chain, your online store’s server has to be able to handle an influx in demand. Check in to ensure that the above-mentioned traffic and transaction rates, between 200% and 300%, are realistic for a limited time within your current server. Meanwhile, you can also put backups in place that can handle traffic surges without decreasing the user experience.

4. Review and Update Your Key Landing Pages

With the technical details out of the way, it’s time to focus on UX. Key landing pages need to be in top shape to support increased interest ahead of and during Black Friday. That includes:

• Your home page
• Category pages
• Individual product pages
• Any campaign-specific landing pages you might have built for paid campaigns

Best practices continue to apply to these pages; from product reviews to product descriptions, every element on these pages plays a defined role in driving towards the conversion.

5. Build a Social Promotional Strategy to Prepare for Black Friday 2022

Finally, the increase in social commerce around last year’s holidays indicates a clear need for an integrated strategy in preparation for Black Friday 2022. Whether or not you sell directly through your social media channels, they join email marketing in a core role of attracting and converting prospective customers on the biggest sales day of the year.

Ready to Start Your eCommerce Black Friday Preparation?

Preparing for Black Friday now is complex. Fortunately, you don’t need to be on your own. From optimizing your Shopify website to creating comprehensive email campaigns, we can help you turn general eCommerce Black Friday ideas into strategic efforts designed to drive attention and revenue. Ready to get started? Get in touch with Future Holidays to start prepping for Black Friday today.