For small business owners, retailers, and eCommerce everywhere, there is no longer time of the year than the holiday shopping season. While consumers start to buy more holiday gifts early in the season, retailers need to be ready now for a smooth season. As we all know, two of the busiest days are Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and retailers typically offer increased discounts to consumers. And with the pandemic causing added financial stress, consumers will be looking for the best deals, which could mean an even more significant increase in shopping during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Here are some best practices and tips to help your business prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday shipping.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Predictions You Need to Know
First, several critical holiday sales predictions for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 88% of respondents agree that retail stores should remain closed on Thanksgiving Day, and only 12% prefer retailers to open their doors. As a retailer, anticipating consumer behavior will help optimize your sales and shipping strategies.
Here are some key Black Friday consumer behavior takeaways from a recent survey done by BlackFriday.com:
- – 30% of consumers want in-store doorbusters on Black Friday.
- – 39% of respondents said stores can be open on Black Friday but shouldn’t have doorbusters.
- – 31% of those surveyed stated that all stores should be closed for in-person shopping on Black Friday.
- – 45.5% of shoppers surveyed do not feel safe returning to a store for holiday shopping.
- – 55.5% of consumers surveyed stated they feel safe returning to a store for holiday shopping.
Many retailers offer their customers online sales and curbside and contactless pickup options. In an additional survey on Cyber Monday, also performed by BlackFriday.com and SurveyGizmo, consumers surveyed stated they are more likely to do the following this holiday season:
- – 30% of consumers plan to shop for Cyber Monday sales, followed by Black Friday sales (24%), Small Business Saturday sales (18%), Thanksgiving Week sales (15%), and Fall/Pre-Black Friday sales (13%).
- – 56% of shoppers surveyed plan to shop online, while only 44% plan to shop in-store.
- – 50% of those surveyed plan to use curbside and contactless pickup
- – One-third of shoppers plan to start holiday shopping earlier this year.
