Looking forward to Black Friday 2020

In what can only be described as a rollercoaster year, 2020 looks set to end with a flourish for eCommerce equipped businesses. The recently announced move to level 5 restrictions across the Republic of Ireland will amplify the current flurry of online shopping among Irish Consumers.

In recent years, our digital marketing team have been noting an increasingly earlier start in online buying in the run up to Christmas, and given the uncertainty throughout 2020, it would appear that ultra-prepared Irish consumers have already started to splurge online. Perhaps buoyed on by increased disposable income due to social limitations throughout the year,  we have seen a sudden and significant increase in online spending since the first week in October. While many people will expect this spending increase to revolve primarily around toys and gifts,  but this is far from the reality.

Across a wide variety of industries, from farming to building supplies, gifts to fragrances, it is very evident and clear that Irish consumers are already buying online in preparation for Christmas 2020. And it really is no surprise! In a year which has seen a growing number of people make their first ever online purchase, continuing uncertainty and a genuine fear of missing out in relation to supply chains, the obvious urge to click and collect is overwhelming and it’s no wonder that Irish consumers have got a head start on their Christmas purchases. However, could the best be yet to come?

November 27^th this year will play host to the ever-popular online sales event known as Black Friday, and considering all the factors influencing our daily lives, it  could be set to be the biggest Black Friday yet. Not only, will the pool of online shoppers be greater than ever before, due to current  Covid-19 restrictions, more consumers will be looking online for value and deals.

But what can Irish Businesses do to make this their biggest Black Friday Event yet?

Google Shopping

We’ve previously spoken about the values of Google Shopping for eCommerce business in Ireland, and the value will be no more pertinent than over the Black Friday weekend. With consumers taking to Google to find the latest and greatest deals, Google Shopping will give your business a visible presence in search results and help you showcase your product range to potential consumers. Getting Google Shopping right should be your number one consideration for Black Friday 2020.

Social Media Marketing

Social Media plays a huge role in the daily lives of your consumers nowadays. However, many businesses are not utilising Social Media Marketing to their full potential. Facebook & Instagram are our social media of choice and getting the simple things right such as having a Facebook Shop or creating audiences likely to be interested in your business or products can revolutionise how your business performs online. In the run up to this years Black Friday event, we recommend creating a Product Catalogue and spending some time creating product sets that allow you amplify the right products to the right audience and in turn grow your return on investment.

Black Friday Deals Page

With value for money high on your customers agenda, make it as easy as possible for both new and returning customers to find your Black Friday Deals. Creating a Black Friday Deals page on your website and listing your reduced products or clearance items will not only make for a happy customer, but it will also lead to much more sales and that means a happy business owner.

Email Marketing

Granted, G.D.P.R. may have led to a large reduction in your email marketing lists, however, email still has a role to play in amplifying your Black Friday sales. No matter how small your marketing lists are, sharing your Black Friday deals with your email marketing lists can stimulate offline conversations and in turn lead to increased ROI over the weekend sales event.

Adopt a Black Friday Theme

One area which has become increasingly popular is a theme update for your website for the duration of the event. Doing so not only offers reassurance to your website visitors that you have Black Friday deals, but it also gives your website a fresh appeal for the duration of the event.

There is still 5 weeks until Black Friday , but preparation is key. During what can be a frantic period for eCommerce business we recommend getting a distinct plan in place for how your business will navigate not only Black Friday 2020, but the entire Christmas sale season. Doing so, will not only help  your business capitalise online, but will in fact help your business prosper at the end of what has been a tough year for retail in Ireland.