With the lines increasingly being blurred between the online and offline world, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are no longer seen as two completely distinct retail events, but instead, consist of a week, or even longer in some cases, of discounted consumer spending. In this article, we will look at how merchants can get the most out of this time of year and drive efficiencies to generate more revenue.
Is it worth getting involved?
Alongside issues relating to sustainability, there are also many sceptics who fail to see the value and purpose of participating in Black Friday in the UK. There is a divide between those who are uninterested in the event and those who eagerly anticipate its arrival and it is the task of merchants to keep both groups on side.
Despite the UK not being the original target market for Black Friday or Cyber Monday, many British consumers have embraced the retail event over the last decade and there is a growing demand for brands from all sectors to get involved. Additionally, as Christmas is just around the corner many consumers wait until Black Friday to snap up essentials for the festive period and buy presents at discounted prices. For merchants, it is a prime opportunity to tap into this period of increased consumer spending and put their brand in front of new customers.
With estimated sales of £4.3 billion up for grabs this year, it’s worth throwing your hat into the ring for Black Friday 2019. Global Data
Creating a positive customer experience
There is a lot of steep competition on Black Friday and a small misstep could cost you a sale. In order to reduce the risk of this happening, ensure that all your processes are optimised beforehand. It is integral to consider every step of the customer journey from search visibility to the payment page.
Marketing
Marketing is key for making both new and existing customers aware that your brand will be participating in Black Friday and alert them to your offers. Many consumers rely on email newsletters and social media to find out about deals so make sure you are utilising these channels. Throughout the Black Friday weekend, there will be a saturation of messaging so any marketing efforts will have to stand out from the crowd. Also, due to the increased competition for ad space be prepared for the cost of paid advertising to be more expensive.
SEO
Make your website as easy to find as possible to increase your chances of attracting new customers. Not only should you focus on keywords related to Black Friday and your product offering, but also optimise around more general terms, such as Black Friday 2019. It is a highly competitive keyword, but there’s no harm in trying to get ranked for it. If you have a blog it is worthwhile publishing some articles in the lead up to Black Friday that will help drive traffic. This evergreen content can be updated and recycled each year to maximise its benefits.
Homepage
Once you have attracted customers to your site, you need to be able to keep them there. Your homepage needs to be attention-grabbing and informative with clear navigations to product pages. It should provide a clear snapshot of all the enticing deals you have to offer. However, you also need to prioritise fast load times and finding the right balance between speed and aesthetics is essential to secure conversions.
The customer interface needs to be user-friendly and give potential customers no excuse to turn away. Furthermore, discounts should be clearly visible so that consumers know exactly how much they are saving.
Manage expectations if you’re experiencing high volumes of traffic by notifying customers that they may have to wait for X number of minutes to complete their purchase. Provide something visually appealing for consumers to look at while they wait for the page to load.
Payments
Payment options should be tailored to the audience you are trying to reach and if focusing on the UK market, you will need to research their preferred methods. It is beneficial to offer a combination of traditional methods such as debit and credit cards, alongside a number of APMs. Assurance that payments will be safe and fast is also necessary so that customers trust you will handle their payment data securely. Retail businesses who are looking to get involved in Black Friday should ensure that they are working with an experienced payment provider who is dedicated to helping them generate more revenue.
If you want to find out more about how we can help you optimise your payment performance, get in touch with a member of the team today.
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