Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) aren’t just Western shopping frenzies anymore but solid fixtures on the Indian retail calendar. In fact, with the Black Friday market expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 37.4% by 2032 in India, businesses have a big opportunity to capture high consumer interest during this big event. While Black Friday gives customers the first wave of big sales, Cyber Monday follows as an online-exclusive event, offering extended discounts for those who might have missed out or are looking for further deals.
With international brands promoting BFCM in a big way, local brands are encouraged to leverage this trend to stay competitive and maximise their sales potential this season.
Below is a detailed checklist to prepare your small business for Black Friday and Cyber Monday:
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The Frenzy Behind BFCM
Before we head on to the checklist, let’s talk about what makes Black Friday and Cyber Monday so huge.
What is Black Friday?
- Black Friday is the major shopping event held on the Friday after American Thanksgiving, kicking off the holiday season with steep discounts on high-demand products. Traditionally an in-store event in the U.S., Black Friday has grown into a global phenomenon, with retailers worldwide offering irresistible deals. Originally, shoppers flocked to stores for big discounts on electronics and appliances. Now, with the rise of online shopping, millions are choosing to shop from home instead.In India, Black Friday is catching on as an enticing sales event, especially for those who may have missed Diwali deals. From lifestyle products to electronics, retailers now use Black Friday to attract Indian consumers, making it an essential opportunity for businesses to connect with eager shoppers.
What is Cyber Monday?
- Cyber Monday is the online answer to Black Friday, falling on the Monday after Thanksgiving. Launched in 2005, it was created to help smaller online businesses compete by offering exclusive digital discounts. Unlike Black Friday’s focus on big-ticket items, Cyber Monday often features deals on fashion, accessories, and smaller goods that are convenient to ship.This event has quickly gone global, and it’s gaining ground in India as online shoppers search for exclusive deals. For Indian businesses, it’s a prime chance to boost e-commerce sales and connect with tech-friendly customers. As more international brands target the Indian market, Cyber Monday gives local businesses a real opportunity to stay competitive and capture the excitement of the season.
When is BFCM 2024?
- Black Friday falls on 29 November this year, followed closely by Cyber Monday on 2 December. While these are the main dates, many businesses start rolling out their promotions in advance to build excitement and give shoppers an early taste of the deals to come.
With the BFCM buzz in full swing, here’s your essential checklist to stay ahead.
Identify Key Product Categories
Categories like consumer electronics, fashion, and accessories usually see a spike, but don’t ignore other items that could be popular among your audience.
Maximising your BFCM sales starts with knowing what people actually want to buy. According to Queue-it, electronics have dominated holiday season web traffic for the fourth year running, with a 53% share in 2023 (1.3 billion visits). This isn’t surprising, considering the massive interest in gadgets like smartphones, smartwatches, and wireless earbuds.
Apparel and accessories took the second spot in 2023, accounting for 16% of total traffic with 386 million visits. Health and beauty followed with 12%, then food and drugs at 6%, toys and hobbies at 4%, and home appliances rounding out the list at 3%.
For Indian businesses, consider these trends but keep in mind local interests. Electronics and fashion are still major draws, but lifestyle products and wearable accessories also see high demand. Knowing these popular categories will help you stock the right products and design deals that grab attention.
Offer Exclusive Discounts for BFCM
Remind yourself that BFCM is all about the deals. Shoppers have one eye on price and the other on value, so if your discounts don’t stack up, they’ll just click over to a competitor. That’s especially true with international brands competing in the Indian market. But here’s how to make your offers truly stand out.
Here are some tips for writing effective titles:
- Create day-specific offers. Start strong with Black Friday offers, but keep the excitement going by releasing fresh deals on Cyber Monday. For example, on Black Friday, you start with a bold discount on high-demand items like laptops or gaming consoles, with discounts reaching 20-30%. By Cyber Monday, you switch gears to popular but smaller items, like headphones, tempered glasses, or phone cases, offering a 15% discount. This keeps customers coming back and drives up your engagement across the weekend.
- Bundle deals for added value. Consider creating product bundles that make sense. Pairing complementary items—like smartphones with wireless earbuds or fashion accessories with apparel—encourages higher cart values and lets shoppers feel like they’re getting a great deal. Plus, bundles often seem exclusive, which can be an extra nudge for undecided buyers.
- Leverage limited-time flash sales. A flash sale can stimulate urgency and boost transaction rates by up to 35%. Apparel businesses could feature limited-edition trainers in a 2-hour sale. High-interest items with limited-time discounts can create a compelling reason for impulse purchases during these high-traffic days.
Giving sales promos is smart, but online shoppers are smarter. They’ve seen all kinds of ‘too good to be true’ deals before. Some businesses raise prices just before the sale to make discounts look larger—known as inflated discounts. This tactic can make customers lose trust, so focus on genuine, attractive deals instead. Even small reductions on popular items like electronics or fashion staples can be far more compelling than unrealistic markdowns.
Strengthen Your Online Store Experience
With Cyber Monday driving online shopping, your website must be ready for the traffic surge. A smooth, fast-loading online store is essential for keeping customers engaged and making sales. If your site falters, impatient shoppers may quickly turn to competitors. Here’s how to get your online store in top shape for BFCM.
- For Shopping Websites:
- Optimise for mobile. Last year alone, mobile devices accounted for about 25.3% of Black Friday sales online. Streamlined mobile layouts, easy-to-click buttons, and fast checkout options can reduce friction and drive conversions.
- Improve navigation and search options. A well-organised website with intuitive navigation and robust search features improves the customer experience and helps people find what they’re looking for faster. Break down product categories clearly. For instance, if you sell electronics, separate “smart home devices” from “kitchen appliances.” Adding a predictive search bar can also speed up the shopping process. Think of it like a well-organised physical store: if people can easily locate what they want, they’re more likely to buy.
- Test for speed and stability. Expect heavy traffic, so you need to conduct speed tests to make sure your website loads in under three seconds and prepare your server for high volumes. To enhance loading times, you can use a Content Delivery Network (CDN), which enables the fast transfer of assets such as HTML pages, JavaScript files, stylesheets, images, and videos. Many brands lose potential revenue because their sites crash during peak hours—don't let that be you!
- For Businesses on E-Commerce Platforms:
- Leverage platform-specific tools. Amazon’s A+ Content feature, for example, lets you add enhanced visuals and comparison charts to your product pages. A tech gadget store could use A+ Content to showcase product features or build a brand story. Shopify, on the other hand, allows for customisable themes, so take advantage of seasonal banners and exclusive BFCM pop-ups. These tools add personality and help differentiate your products in a sea of similar offerings.
- Keyword optimisation. Search terms are crucial, as many shoppers start with generic searches like “Bluetooth headphones” or “winter jackets.” Ensure your product titles, descriptions, and tags are optimised with high-traffic keywords relevant to BFCM. For example, including phrases like “Cyber Monday discounts on electronics” in your tags can push your products higher in search results.
To learn more about e-commerce search engine optimisation (SEO), check out our blog: E-commerce SEO Guide for Beginners: Strategies and Best Practices
Level Up Your BFCM Marketing Strategy
Getting your marketing game right for Black Friday and Cyber Monday is non-negotiable. Here are some strategies you can add to your lineup.
- Create buzz on social media. 1 in 3 consumers now rely on social media to discover new products and brands, according to Sprout Social. Countdown posts, sneak peeks of discounts, and influencers are some good ideas to build anticipation. Meanwhile, posting Instagram Stories, TikTok videos, and Facebook ads with eye-catching visuals can quickly spread the word about your deals.
- Send out targeted email campaigns. Start building your email list well before BFCM and segment it based on customer interests and past purchases. Email campaigns remain one of the most effective digital marketing tactics, with a reported ROI of 3,800%. Personalised emails, like early access to deals or exclusive discounts, make your customers feel valued. Include clear calls-to-action, engaging visuals, and countdown timers to create urgency—especially effective for high-intent buyers.
- Leverage retargeting ads for cart abandoners. Using retargeting ads on platforms like Facebook and Google to remind customers of their left-behind items can significantly increase conversions by 150%. A well-timed nudge is all they need.
Plan and Manage Inventory
Running out of stock mid-sale is a business nightmare, especially with back-to-back sales days. Effective inventory management is key to meeting customer demand and avoiding missed sales.
You may want to use historical data and insights from previous BFCM sales or other high-traffic events to estimate inventory needs accurately. If last year’s data shows a strong demand for specific categories like electronics or apparel, prioritise these items and consider a buffer for unexpected spikes. For example, if electronics made up 53% of holiday traffic last year, stock up accordingly.
Additionally, implementing real-time stock updates during BFCM keeps your online listings accurate, helping avoid “out-of-stock” disappointments. Customers don’t want to hear their item is unavailable, which usually happens when multiple customers add a limited-stock item to their carts. Real-time tracking lets you adjust listings, offer alternatives, or even shift your promotional focus as necessary.
Unexpected demand surges can happen, so better prepare your inventory to keep your sales rolling during these back-to-back events.
Prepare Customer Support for High Demand
Black Friday and Cyber Monday bring an influx of customer inquiries, so it’s crucial to have a solid support strategy to keep shoppers engaged and ensure smooth interactions. Here’s how to prepare:
- Set up live chat for instant support. Live chat is one of the fastest ways to address customer needs during these high-traffic events, with 63% of consumers preferring it as their go-to channel for support. This tool can provide quick responses to product questions, shipping details, or stock availability—addressing potential roadblocks that might otherwise lead to cart abandonment.
- Boost efficiency with automation. Automation is ideal for handling order status, delivery timelines, and return policies, ensuring customers receive timely responses without waiting in line. In fact, automation has been shown to lead to 36% more repeat purchases, thanks to the smooth, hassle-free experience it offers.
- Train your team to manage high demand. A well-trained support team is vital for handling the volume and pace of BFCM inquiries. Ensure that your team is ready to address everything from product specs to potential escalations, as customers expect immediate solutions during these high-demand periods. In fact, 90% of customers consider an “immediate” response as essential or very important when they have a question.
Ensure Reliable Logistics with Borzo
Now that your BFCM checklist is almost complete, it’s time to secure the final piece: dependable delivery. A fast, reliable courier like Borzo, ensures that your hard-won customers get their orders on time, which is crucial in such a competitive season. Here’s how Borzo can help you in the upcoming events:
Fast and Reliable Delivery. Borzo’s instant citywide courier service offers impressive speeds, finding a rider in under two minutes for swift pickups and timely deliveries. No matter the location, Borzo’s network ensures smooth delivery processes across India.
- Delhi NCR
- Mumbai
- Bengaluru
- Kolkata
- Pune
- Chennai
- Hyderabad
- Ahmedabad
- Surat
- Goa
- Chandigarh
Automated Solutions to Scale Your Deliveries. For seamless logistics, Borzo has automated order placement through API integration, making it easy to embed delivery functions into your website. Shopify-based businesses can also add Borzo’s delivery module directly to their checkout form, streamlining the process for multiple orders. And if you’re handling a large volume of orders, Borzo’s bulk ordering option allows you to place multiple delivery requests in one go, saving time and effort during peak shopping days.
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BFCM FAQs
Why do Indian consumers participate in Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales?
For Indian consumers, these events provide a chance to snag fantastic deals, especially for those who may have missed Diwali discounts in October. Unlike the intense Diwali shopping season, BFCM sales are often seen as less crowded and streamlined, allowing for a more relaxed shopping experience.
Are BFCM deals worth it for smaller businesses?
Definitely! BFCM can be a game-changer for smaller businesses. With creative promotions and unique deals, small brands can attract new customers, competing with larger retailers by offering something fresh and tailored, while tapping into the huge wave of holiday bargain hunters.
When should I start promoting BFCM deals?
Many top brands start promoting their deals a week or two early to build excitement. Announcing your offers in advance captures attention, allowing customers to plan their buys, which can translate to a smoother shopping experience and higher sales once BFCM kicks off.
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