The Ultimate Guide to Mastering BFCM for Shopify Brands

Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) are the biggest sales events of the year, making them crucial for driving revenue and customer engagement, and they are coming in a very short time. To stand out from the competition in BFCM 2024 and make the most of this opportunity, businesses need a strong communication strategy.

Whether you’re looking to drive traffic, increase conversions, or keep customers coming back long after the sale, this guide is packed with strategies to help your Shopify store thrive during BFCM and beyond.

What is BFCM?

BFCM stands for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the most important shopping period of the year and it is a great opportunity for e-commerce businesses to drive more sales.

It kicks off right after Thanksgiving, offering massive discounts and promotions that drive a huge surge in sales worldwide.

What to expect in BFCM 2024 as a Shopify brand

During Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM), businesses face a flood of deals and overwhelming competition, making it difficult to stand out in the crowd. Ads get expensive, and many companies focus on attracting one-time shoppers who are only seeking discounts. To achieve better results, your Shopify store can adopt a different approach—one that saves time, reduces costs, and ensures long-term engagement beyond the BFCM period. Having a mobile app can be one of these different strategies you can take.

In 2023, Shopify merchants achieved a record-breaking $9.3 billion in sales during BFCM, which represents a 24% increase compared to the previous year.

Here are more statistics we gathered about mobile shopping:

Black Friday was the biggest day of Cyber Five for mobile traffic in 2023, and it got 55.3% of sessions occurring on mobile devices.
51.8% of online sales during Cyber Week came from mobile devices, up from 49.9% in 2022.
Across the whole season of BFCM 2023, 51.1% of online sales came through smartphones (up from 47% in 2022).
An impressive 61 million customers made purchases from Shopify-powered brands, highlighting the platform's strength in empowering businesses.
Sessions on ecommerce apps during Black Friday grew 20% YoY.
Mobile sales also saw a significant increase in 2023, with 75.7% of BFCM sales made online, up from 55% in 2022. This shift towards mobile shopping underscores the importance of having a mobile-optimized store.

BFCM planning checklist

We brought you a list of steps or ideas to think of to get prepared for the upcoming BFCM 2024.

Target the right customers

Focus your efforts on segments most likely to convert:

Use analytics:
Leverage data analytics to identify high-value customer segments. Analyze purchasing history, browsing behavior, and demographic information to pinpoint who is most engaged with your brand. This insight allows you to allocate your marketing resources more efficiently.
Personalized marketing:
Use personalized emails, product recommendations, and targeted push notifications that address the specific needs and interests of each segment.
Loyalty programs:
You can start loyalty programs that would be backed by your analytics of customer behavior. This way, based on your customers’ interactions, your brand can offer loyalty exclusive offers.

Leverage marketing & sales strategies

Build hype with sneak peeks:
Share glimpses of upcoming deals on your social media channels, website, and mobile app. This creates excitement and encourages customers to keep an eye on your platforms for more information.
Email teasers:
Send out email newsletters to your subscribers hinting at the amazing deals to come. Use engaging subject lines and compelling visuals to increase open rates.
App-exclusive discounts:
Encourage customers to download your app by offering deals only available there, boosting both sales and app engagement.
Push notifications:
Use push notifications through your mobile app to send instant updates about flash sales, limited-time offers, or restocked items. This direct line of communication can significantly boost engagement.
Content marketing:
Publish blog posts, gift guides, or product spotlights that provide value to your customers while subtly promoting your BFCM deals.

Build a mobile app for your store

As mentioned in the strategies above, having an app can actually enable direct communication with your customers through their fingerprints during this peak period.

Leveraging targeted push notifications can be a good idea to let your customers know your hottest deals during BFCM or to remind them about articles they checked before.

By using an app, you can avoid the high costs of paid ads since you can bring customers back to your Shopify store for free because your mobile app has already been downloaded to their phones.

You can also increase the mobile conversion rate since more than 80% of the traffic is generated from mobile, and provide the best mobile shopping experience with a better UI & UX.

Online sales during the previous Black Friday and Cyber Monday reached $298 billion globally (a 6% increase YoY) with traffic seeing a 5% increase YoY:

Black Friday: Online sales increased 8% globally, 9% in the U.S., and 8% in Europe YoY.
Cyber Monday: Online sales increased 5% globally, 3% in the U.S., and 10% in Europe YoY.

By leveraging a mobile app during BFCM, you position your brand to capitalize on increased mobile traffic and provide customers with a convenient shopping platform. This strategic move can lead to higher customer satisfaction and set the stage for sustained growth well beyond the holiday season.

Encourage mobile app downloads

Now that you know how important a mobile app can be for your Shopify store, how can you get your customers to download your app?

Create a banner for your mobile app:
You can use the mobile app install banner on your webpage to promote and get users to use the app of your Shopify store.
Offer exclusive in-app discounts:
These special deals create a sense of exclusivity and urgency, giving shoppers a compelling reason to install your app before BFCM 2024.
Promote your app through social media campaigns:
Leverage your social media platforms to highlight the benefits of your mobile app. Share engaging content like user testimonials, or interactive features to encourage your followers to download the app before BFCM 2024.

Optimize your customers’ experience

Reduce cart abandonment by leveraging abandoned cart recovery push notifications:
Simplify the checkout process to minimize cart abandonment. Ensure that your website and app load quickly and that the checkout steps are straightforward.
Offer multiple payment options and clearly display shipping costs and delivery times upfront. Sending friendly reminders to customers who have left items in their carts can also encourage them to complete their purchases, which you can do by using push notifications.
Enhance customer support:
Provide exceptional customer service to assist shoppers during their BFCM experience. Offer multiple channels like live chat, email, or phone support to address queries promptly. Quick and helpful responses can significantly improve customer satisfaction and encourage them to complete their purchases.
Provide detailed product information and high-quality images:
Ensure that each product page includes comprehensive descriptions, specifications, and multiple high-resolution images from different angles. This helps customers make informed decisions and reduces uncertainty. By offering clear and detailed product information, you enhance trust and satisfaction, encouraging shoppers to complete their purchases during the BFCM rush.

Set up your BFCM Communication strategy

Plan your targeted push notifications:
Schedule push notifications that are timely and relevant to your customers. A well-timed notification, especially when it’s personalized, can remind customers of an item they were interested in or alert them to a special deal they don’t want to miss. For your existing customers, this can increase both engagement and retention as they feel connected to your brand in real time.
Personalize your offers and messages:
Use personalization techniques in your emails, app messages, and advertisements by incorporating customers' names and recommending products based on their previous interactions with your brand.
Personalized offers make customers feel valued and can significantly boost conversion rates during the BFCM season. By using insights from past purchases, you can tailor messages that resonate deeply with your loyal customers, fostering long-term retention.
Offer exclusive previews or early access:
Reward your loyal customers by giving them early access to your BFCM deals or exclusive previews of upcoming promotions. This approach builds anticipation and makes customers feel valued, increasing engagement and driving early sales during the BFCM season.
When you offer exclusive previews or early access to customers, you can boost retention as you are showing your most dedicated or loyal customers that they are a priority.

Plan the BFCM post-period

After the BFCM rush, it's essential to keep the momentum going. You get a lot of traffic during the holidays, but what matters more is to retain these new customers even after the shopping spree! You can gain valuable insights into your customers' shopping behaviors during the sale if you analyze your customers' data and purchase history during the peak. Use this data to understand their preferences and tailor the post-BFCM experience accordingly.

Personalize the customer journey by sending targeted push notifications through your app, offering exclusive deals, and recommending products that align with their interests. You should always remind your customers to go back for more and focus on their retention after the BFCM period. You can also offer incentives for customers who share your app with others and make them download it.

Takeaway

BFCM is an opportunity for all Shopify businesses to grow.

Preparing for BFCM 2024 requires strategic planning, customer-focused marketing, and seamless execution. By building an app, you have a chance to stand out from the crowd.

By targeting the right customers, offering compelling deals, and optimizing the shopping experience, you can maximize your success during this peak season.

If you don’t have a mobile app for your store, our team at Shopney can help you go live in days!

And if you already have an app but need to optimize for BFCM, remember, preparation is key.

So reach out to us, and let's make this BFCM your most successful one yet!