Black Friday 2024 has come and gone, but the strategies brands used to make the most of this massive shopping event can still provide valuable lessons for sales strategies the year round.
Now, nearing the peak festive shopping season, we’re looking back to the end of November, and naming a few of our favourite strategies used by brands, big and small, for their Black Friday sales – including utilising bundling options and updating their landing page imagery.
Let’s break down the highlights and see how you can turn insights into sales.
Gordons Direct
Visual Appeal
First up: Gordons Direct made a big splash with a huge range of Black Friday discounts – many of which were showcased on their landing page.
These updated visuals helped create a seamless shopping experience, highlighting both the products and savings. They drew attention to major discounts, including specific sale figures, with vibrant product photos that were appealing and easy to navigate – a must for busy shoppers.
There was no way any customer, new or returning, was going to forget about this sale.
Lesson to learn: Make sure to update your website’s imagery so that any new customer knows about your sale and where to find it. It’s even better if you can include specific, high-value or bestselling items, alongside discount figures.
Bellamianta
Creating excitement
Bellamianta – a tanning and beauty brand based in Ireland – offered a range of deals on Black Friday. The brand added new imagery to the home page, and added labels to product images which were included in the sale for even simpler navigation.
What we want to focus on in this sales strategy, though, was Bellamianta’s use of flash sales – such as the above £12 for 12 Hours Only. This kind of limited-time offer can create a sense of urgency and excitement amongst shoppers, as they know these deals won’t last forever, and they can’t simply return to it another day.
Lesson to learn: By highlighting limited-time offers, low stock levels, or exclusive opportunities, you can create a sense of urgency and drive quicker decision-making (and sales).
Lululemon
Aiding navigation
Lululemon’s Black Friday sale featured up to 50% off popular items, an additional 25% for those who utilised the special Black Friday code, and a refresh of their “We Made Too Much” section.
What we liked about this brand’s strategy, in particular, was how they arranged their sale. For some customers, big, storewide sales can be a little overwhelming, and it can be hard for them to find what they are looking for (and take it all the way to checkout).
Lululemon made all of this simple for shoppers by adding their sale collections to their main navigation menu:
Lesson to learn: Prioritise product discovery when it comes to your sales, especially if it features a large number of items. Consider navigation bar headers, easy-to-find links, and detailed collections.
Inkey List
Bundle options
The Inkey List is a skincare brand known for offering high-quality, affordable products with a focus on simplicity and transparency – and this Black Friday, they knocked discounts off those products, too.
Most interestingly, they included a product called Black Friday Mystery Bundle, which included 7 items worth £75.50 but reduced to £45.30. This product had a sense of intrigue to it, as well as added value for the customer – and it gives The Inkey List the perfect avenue to shift slower stock, too.
They offered other bundles in their sale, as well, like this Intro Routine for Anti-Ageing, which groups together a trio of complementary products – adding value to the customer’s skincare routine and upping the average order value.
Lesson to learn: Bundling products during sales can up your average order value and create ideal upsell opportunities. They can also be leveraged to sell more of a less popular product.
Oliver Bonas
Early Access
This homeware and clothing store is known for its unique style, and this Black Friday, they gave those who signed up to their newsletter a little extra gift: early access to the sale.
While these shoppers obviously won’t have access to different deals, they certainly got first-dibs, and Oliver Bonas benefitted from the exchange, too, by way of additional email subscribers. This approach rewarded loyal customers as well as creating a sense of exclusivity and motivating shoppers to sign up and engage with the brand early.
Lesson to learn: Offering customers special early access to sales or product launches can win you their long-term loyalty. It can also be a great way to build your email list, encourage shoppers to download your app, or complete surveys.
Patagonia
Stick To Your Values
Patagonia is perhaps the best-known rejector of Black Friday, and in 2024, they have – no surprises – skipped out on the sales once again.
Instead, they have a whole page on their website dedicated to why they don’t participate in Black Friday, complete with links to product care pages, charitable causes, repair FAQs, and, of course, their own environmental footprint information.
You can expect similar campaigns from other brands which highlight environmental and ethical causes, including Lush and Lucy & Yak.
Lesson to learn: When it comes to creating marketing campaigns for your brand, whether they are for Black Friday or some other shopping event during the year, make sure that your sales strategy matches your brand values. Sharing your story authentically will resonate with like-minded customers.
Need some help with your Shopify store or strategy? You can get in contact with us via our website.
We also send out tips and tricks in our newsletter Shopify Insider, which includes advice for both Shopify store owners and Klaviyo users. Sign up to that here so that you don’t miss out on any more expertise in achieving higher conversions.
