Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) isn’t just another shopping weekend—it’s the biggest eCommerce event of the year. In 2024, Shopify merchants alone generated $11.5 billion in sales during BFCM weekend, and 2025 is expected to be even bigger.
But, with record-breaking sales comes record-breaking competition. Shoppers are bombarded with deals from every direction, and standing out requires more than just slashing prices. You need the right BFCM strategy to attract traffic, convert browsers into buyers, and keep those customers coming back long after the sale ends.
In this article, we’ll share the top BFCM strategies for Shopify merchants—from early planning and high-impact marketing to product personalization and customer retention. Whether you’re a small business or scaling fast, these tips will help you maximize sales and make this your most successful BFCM yet.
Key Takeaways
- Plan early and prepare your store well before November to handle traffic surges, inventory needs, and marketing campaigns without last-minute stress.
- Optimize for speed, mobile, and personalization to deliver a seamless shopping experience and boost AOV with custom product options using tools like Easify.
- Leverage multiple channels—email, SMS, ads, and influencers—to build hype, retarget warm leads, and keep your brand top of mind throughout BFCM.
- Use creative urgency and scarcity tactics like limited editions, milestone unlocks, and inventory-based rewards to encourage faster buying decisions.
- Focus on post-BFCM retention with loyalty programs, personalized offers, and follow-up campaigns to turn one-time buyers into repeat customers.
1. Start Planning Early
One of the biggest mistakes Shopify merchants make with BFCM is waiting until the last minute to prepare. The reality? By the time November rolls around, your competitors have likely been planning their campaigns for months.
Starting early gives you time to:
- Forecast demand accurately so you’re not running out of bestsellers mid-sale.
- Optimize your website for speed, mobile-friendliness, and seamless checkout.
- Plan your marketing calendar — from teaser campaigns to final-day flash sales.
- Secure inventory and shipping logistics to avoid delays during peak order volumes.
Many successful Shopify merchants start BFCM prep at least 8–12 weeks in advance. This allows you to test ad creatives, set up email flows, and QA your store so everything runs smoothly when the traffic surge hits.
Use this time to analyze last year’s sales data. Identify which products drove the most revenue, what marketing channels performed best, and where you lost potential customers (e.g., abandoned carts, low mobile conversions). This data-driven approach will help you double down on what works and fix what doesn’t before BFCM weekend.
2. Optimize Your Store for Speed & Mobile
BFCM shoppers are impatient. If your Shopify store takes too long to load or isn’t mobile-friendly, you risk losing potential buyers to competitors. In fact, studies show that even a 1-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by up to 7%—and during BFCM, every second counts.
Here’s how to make sure your store is ready for the surge:
Boost Site Speed:
- Compress images without sacrificing quality using tools like TinyPNG or Shopify’s built-in image optimization.
- Minimize apps and scripts that slow down your site—keep only what you truly need.
- Use Shopify’s Online Store 2.0 themes, which are faster and more lightweight than older themes.
Ensure Mobile-Friendly Design:
- Use a responsive theme so your site looks great on all screen sizes.
- Simplify navigation and checkout for mobile users—fewer clicks mean higher conversions.
- Add mobile-friendly payment options like Shop Pay, Apple Pay, or Google Pay for a one-tap checkout experience.
Test Before BFCM:
Run tests on tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check performance scores. Do a full mobile shopping experience walkthrough on your own store—fix any friction points you encounter.
Many Shopify merchants create a staging version of their store to test page speed, new themes, and discount codes before making changes live. This ensures no surprises on BFCM weekend.
3. Use Customizable Product Options to Boost AOV
One of the best ways to stand out during BFCM and increase your Average Order Value (AOV) is to offer customizable product options right on your product pages. Shoppers love personalized products—think engraved jewelry, gift messages, or custom gift boxes—and they’re often willing to pay extra for these unique touches.
Here’s why product customization works so well for BFCM:
- It increases perceived value. A simple mug can become a premium gift when you add a custom name or photo.
- It drives upsells and cross-sells. Add-ons like gift wrapping, extended warranties, or exclusive accessories boost cart value.
- It creates urgency. Limited-time personalization options for BFCM make products feel more exclusive.
This is where Easify Product Options comes in. Unlike other apps that simply create product variants, Easify turns product options into powerful sales tools. With features like:
- Product Personalizer with Live Preview: Shoppers can see engraving, text, or images appear in real time before purchase—perfect for gifts.
- Price & Product Add-ons: Easily link custom options to specific products for upselling.
- Custom Fields & File Uploads: Add text boxes, image uploads, date/time pickers, or even custom dimensions.
- Conditional Logic: Show or hide options based on previous selections for a clean, user-friendly experience.
Whether you’re selling custom jewelry, holiday gift sets, or personalized apparel, Easify helps you create infinite product options that not only delight customers but also increase your BFCM revenue per order.
4. Craft Irresistible BFCM Deals
BFCM shoppers expect big savings, but discounts alone won’t guarantee conversions. The most successful Shopify merchants design creative, layered offers that excite customers and keep them coming back for more.
Here are some ideas to make your BFCM deals stand out:
- Tiered discounts work well because they reward bigger purchases. For example, you can offer 10% off orders over $50, 20% off orders over $100, and 30% off orders over $200 to encourage higher spending.
- Bundle deals increase AOV when you package complementary products together at a discount, such as “Buy two, get one free” or “Create your own holiday gift set.”
- Flash sales create urgency by offering limited-time deals throughout BFCM weekend. Announce them via email, SMS, and social media to build anticipation.
Highlight your best deals across banners, pop-ups, and email campaigns so shoppers see them at every step of the journey. The goal is to make offers too good—and too easy—they can’t ignore.
5. Build Hype with Email & SMS Campaigns
BFCM success isn’t just about the deals you offer—it’s also about how you build anticipation before the sale even begins. Email and SMS campaigns are two of the most powerful ways to stay top of mind and drive traffic when it matters most.
Here’s how to make them work for you:
- Start early with teaser campaigns so customers know what’s coming. Send “Save the Date” emails and SMS alerts a few weeks before BFCM to build excitement.
- Create VIP early-access offers for your most loyal subscribers. Giving them first dibs on the best deals not only drives early conversions but also strengthens customer loyalty.
- Leverage urgency with countdown timers inside your emails and SMS messages. Phrases like “Only 3 hours left” or “Sale ends tonight” create FOMO and boost conversions.
Always include mobile-friendly designs and clear calls-to-action. Most BFCM shoppers browse and buy on their phones, so your campaigns need to be easy to read and act on with a single tap.
6. Retarget and Convert Warm Leads with Ads
Not every visitor will buy on their first visit during BFCM—many will browse, compare deals, and then disappear. Retargeting is your way to bring them back and close the sale. Here’s a simple approach:
Who to target: People who viewed products, added items to cart, or engaged with your social ads.
Where to reach them: Meta (Facebook & Instagram), TikTok, and Google Ads are ideal platforms because they support dynamic retargeting campaigns.
What to show them:
- Ads featuring the exact products they viewed or added to cart.
- Limited-time discounts or bundle offers to spark action.
- Urgency cues like “Your cart is waiting” or “Sale ends in 6 hours.”
Retargeting often delivers the highest ROI because you’re reaching people who already know your brand—perfect for BFCM when competition for attention is fierce.
7. Leverage Influencers & Affiliates
Influencers and affiliates can be your secret weapon for BFCM. They help you reach new audiences, create authentic content, and drive sales fast. But to get the most out of these partnerships, here’s what to do—and what to avoid:
Do:
- Partner with micro-influencers who have a loyal, niche audience. Their followers trust them, and conversion rates are often higher than with mega influencers.
- Offer unique affiliate discounts or early access codes so partners can promote something exclusive to their followers.
- Provide clear content guidelines and ready-to-use visuals to make it easy for influencers to share your offers quickly.
- Track performance with affiliate links or codes so you can see exactly who drives sales and reward top performers.
Don’t:
- Don’t rely solely on follower count when choosing influencers. Engagement rate and audience fit matter more than big numbers.
- Don’t leave campaigns until the last minute. Influencers need time to create content and schedule posts before BFCM weekend.
- Don’t forget about post-BFCM relationships. Long-term partnerships perform better than one-off collaborations.
You can also consider combining influencer marketing with retargeting ads—show ads to people who engaged with influencer content but didn’t buy. It often converts better than cold traffic ads alone.
8. Add Urgency with Scarcity Tactics
BFCM shoppers have countless deals to choose from, so creating a sense of urgency can help push them to buy sooner rather than later. Here’s a quick checklist of tactics to try:
- Limited-edition products – Launch exclusive BFCM-only versions of your products. Once they sell out, they’re gone for good.
- Price drops over time – Reverse the usual discount approach by starting with the deepest discount on Day 1, then reducing it each day to push early purchases.
- Inventory-based rewards – Offer freebies or bonuses for the first 100 orders. Shoppers won’t want to miss out.
- Milestone unlocks – Reveal bigger discounts or special gifts as total sales hit certain milestones, making shoppers part of the excitement.
- BFCM mystery deals – Create surprise offers that unlock at random times, keeping shoppers checking back throughout the weekend.
This should goes without saying, but please use urgency ethically. Shoppers can spot fake scarcity, so make sure your offers are genuine to maintain trust and credibility.
9. Prepare for High Traffic on BFCM Day
BFCM weekend can bring a flood of traffic to your Shopify store. To avoid downtime, checkout errors, or frustrated customers, here’s a simple before, during, and after plan to keep everything running smoothly:
Before BFCM Weekend:
- Stress test your site to make sure it can handle traffic spikes. Tools like Shopify’s built-in analytics or third-party load testing tools can help.
- Double-check all discount codes so shoppers get the right deals without glitches.
- Set up customer support channels such as live chat, chatbots, or a BFCM FAQ page to answer common questions quickly.
During the Sale:
- Monitor site speed and checkout performance in real time. Be ready to troubleshoot if something slows down.
- Keep inventory levels visible so shoppers know what’s in stock and what’s selling fast.
- Watch ad campaigns and email flows so you can adjust budgets or creatives on the fly for top-performing offers.
After the Sale Ends:
- Review sales and traffic data to see what worked and what didn’t.
- Check customer feedback to improve the shopping experience for next year.
- Thank your customers with post-purchase emails and loyalty offers to encourage repeat business.
10. Turn BFCM Buyers into Repeat Customers
BFCM may bring in a flood of first-time buyers, but the real win is turning those shoppers into long-term, loyal customers. Here’s a simple three-step approach to make it happen:
Step 1: Follow Up with Post-Purchase Emails
Don’t let the relationship end after checkout. Send thank-you emails, order updates, and personalized product recommendations to keep buyers engaged. A post-BFCM “We appreciate you” discount for a future purchase can work wonders.
Step 2: Introduce Loyalty and Referral Programs
Give customers a reason to come back with points-based rewards or referral bonuses. Loyalty perks like early access to future sales or free shipping thresholds keep them connected to your brand long after BFCM ends.
Step 3: Retarget with Relevant Offers
Use email, SMS, or retargeting ads to promote complementary products or exclusive bundles to BFCM buyers. The key is relevance—recommend items that align with what they already purchased.
Segment your BFCM buyers in Shopify so you can tailor communications and offers based on their first purchase. Personalized outreach feels more genuine and drives higher repeat purchase rates.
Final Thoughts
BFCM is the biggest opportunity of the year for Shopify merchants, but success doesn’t happen by accident. From early planning and high-converting marketing campaigns to offering personalized product options and creating urgency, each strategy plays a key role in helping you stand out in a crowded market.
The most successful stores focus on more than just discounts—they deliver a seamless shopping experience, unique offers, and reasons for customers to return even after the sale ends.
And if you want to make your products more engaging and increase your average order value this BFCM, Easify Custom Product Options makes it simple. With customizable fields, live previews, conditional logic, and upsell features, you can give shoppers the personalization they crave—and boost your sales in the process.
Start preparing now, experiment with these strategies, and you’ll be ready to make this BFCM your most successful yet.
