Peak Season Promotions: Beyond the Typical 20-30% off

Although the most common BFCM deals range from 20-30% off, you have to do what works best for your business and doesn't get lost with all the other deals that will be happening during BFCM weekend. Is your goal for BFCM to get more traffic? Increase your AOV? Go viral? Clean out inventory? Creating a deal that supports your goal while also making your customers feel special and capturing their attention, will help you win this shopping season.   

Let's take a look at some not so traditional discounts to help you stand out this season. 

Daily Deals
Daily deals create a sense of urgency that motivates customers to act quickly. Offering time-sensitive discounts on select products encourages shoppers to check your site regularly and make purchases to avoid missing out. You can highlight one product per day leading up to BFCM to build excitement. This is ideal for stores with multiple collections, offer several brands in store, or have a large email subscriber list with segmented audiences. 

Tiered Discounts
Encourage your customers to spend more by offering tiered discounts based on their total purchase amount. For example, "Spend $50, get 10% off. Spend $100, get 20% off." This strategy not only increase the average order value but also creates a win-win situation for both you and the customer. This strategy will work well for luxury brands, brands with low margins, and brands who have a lot of overstock that needs to get out. 

Mystery Discounts
Add some fun to your sales with mystery discounts. Customers can reveal their discount by participating in an interactive experience like spinning a wheel or opening a virtual envelope. The surprise factor builds excitement and can increase conversions as customers are more likely to buy if they feel like they’re getting a great deal. Mystery discounts would work great for brands who have viral products or brands with a good social media presence. 

Not Doing Discounts? Here's Some Alternatives 

Sometimes, offering discounts isn’t the best route, especially when you want to maintain your brand’s premium image or protect your profit margins. Here are some alternatives that can drive sales without cutting prices:

Product Launches
Instead of lowering prices, build anticipation around new product launches. By promoting a fresh or exclusive product, you can create demand without offering a discount. Pre-orders or limited-time exclusives can increase urgency and excitement among your customer base.

Donation Incentives
Appeal to your customers’ values by offering donation incentives. For example, pledge to donate a portion of each sale to a charitable cause during a specific time frame. This resonates with customers who prioritize social responsibility and allows them to feel good about their purchase while contributing to a greater cause.

Gifts with Purchase
Offering a free gift with a purchase is a great way to increase customer engagement without heavily discounting your products. Not only does this add perceived value to the customer’s order, but it can also help you move excess inventory that may not be selling as quickly. This strategy would work well for brands who are focused on customer retention and the overall customer lifetime value.  

Promotional Strategies for BFCM Success

The BFCM weekend is the biggest shopping event of the year, but you’ll need more than just discounts to stand out. Here are some additional strategies to help you during this season:

1. Start Holiday Promotions Early
Customers begin their holiday shopping well before Black Friday, so starting your promotions early helps capture attention before the rush. Use early-bird offers or pre-BFCM sales to engage customers and secure purchases ahead of the official sale weekend.

2. Gift Guides and Bundling
Help customers by curating holiday gift guides that feature your products. These guides can make it easier for shoppers to find gifts for their loved ones while increasing your chances of selling multiple items. Additionally, bundling products together offers added value and encourages customers to buy more in one transaction.

3. Gamification Tactics
Engage your customers in a fun and interactive way by incorporating gamification into your BFCM promotions. Ideas like scavenger hunts, spin-the-wheel discounts, or digital scratch cards can encourage repeat site visits, extend the time customers spend on your site, and ultimately increase conversions.

All in all

By considering these creative discount strategies and discount alternatives you can still win on BFCM without resorting to heavy price cuts. Whether through tiered discounts, exciting product launches, or engaging games, these strategies will help you create a memorable shopping experience for your customers.