If you’re a Shopify store owner that’s landed here, welcome - you’re in the right place. How are you feeling about Black Friday? Getting there with your prep?

You might be feeling completely overwhelmed (we get it, don’t worry), or just looking for some extra guidance and fresh marketing ideas.

This guide takes you step-by-step through your Shopify Black Friday Cyber Monday marketing plan, from start to finish. We’ll cover everything - from building a solid foundation for your store and using strategies that help you stand out, to running marketing campaigns that truly connect with your customers. It’s all here to help you make the most of the biggest shopping weekend of the year.

Let’s jump in! 

Pre-Black Friday Prep: Laying the Groundwork

Optimise your Shopify store 

Speed and usability are key, especially on mobile, where slow pages can easily turn shoppers away, killing conversions before they even begin. In fact, 40% of shoppers will abandon a website if it takes longer than three seconds to fully load.

So it’s worth taking time to look at your images and videos, because compressing larger files without losing quality can help your site load faster.

Performing a walkthrough of the checkout is also important: is it smooth, clear, and easy to follow? Double-check that payment options and shipping calculations are working as expected.

And don’t forget your apps - sometimes an outdated or buggy app can slow your store down or create hiccups along the shopping journey, so tidy them up now. Even making these small adjustments now can have a big impact when traffic spikes over the Shopify Black Friday Cyber Monday weekend. 

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Inventory & logistics 

Stock management is also really important during BFCM; it can help to review last year’s sales data and your current top sellers to get a sense of which of your products might be in high demand, and think about any new deals or bundles you plan to feature this year. 

Ask yourself if you’re ready for the increase in orders, because nobody wants the trouble of backorders, not you or your customers. 

Being clear with your customers about shipping times and delivery expectations can help avoid confusion, and making return policies simple and easy to find gives shoppers confidence.

Having these details in place helps the shopping experience run smoothly and builds trust, especially during a busy sales period. Clear policies reduce questions and also build trust, which matters even more when you’re running big promotions.

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Customer Support 

Having great customer support can really set your Shopify store apart during Black Friday. Make sure that live chat is active, and maybe have a few quick, standard responses for common questions like, “When will my order arrive?” or “What’s your return or exchange policy for sale items?”. 

If you have a support team, brief them on all the codes, promotions, and deadlines so everyone’s on the same page.

Nail the basics early, and everything will run way smoother when the weekend arrives. 93% of customers are more likely to repurchase from brands that provide excellent customer service - so every great interaction helps drive both BFCM sales and long-term loyalty.

Once the Black Friday weekend hits, you’ll want to focus on getting orders out and keeping promotions rolling, not scrambling to fix problems that could’ve been avoided.

Shopify Black Friday Cyber Monday Marketing Strategy 

Once your store is ready behind the scenes, it’s time to think about how you’ll actually attract, engage, and convert customers across Shopify Black Friday Cyber Monday.

Last year, Shopify merchants hit a record-breaking $11.5 billion in sales over the BFCM weekend - a 24% jump from 2023, Plus, more than 76 million customers around the world shoppers with brands powered by Shopify.

So, competition is high. 

A good marketing strategy will keep you focused - it’s easy to get caught up in discounts, but the best results come from knowing what part of the customer journey you’re targeting.

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The marketing funnel

Think of your Black Friday marketing like a funnel. At the top is awareness - this is where new shoppers discover your brand through organic social media posts, ads, influencer content, or word of mouth.

Next comes engagement, where people start interacting with you - maybe signing up for your emails, adding items to their wishlists, or following your brand for sneak peaks.

Then, there’s conversion, the big moment when browsers reach purchase. Your discounts, urgency tactics, and checkout experience all come into play here. 

And finally, retention - a stage you don’t want to overlook. These are the customers you’ll want to keep coming back long after the BFCM weekend ends, through follow-up offers, loyalty programs, and a great post-purchase experience.

You don’t have to overcomplicate it, just make sure your marketing speaks to each stage. Shoppers at the awareness level need different messages than those who are already filling their carts.

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Setting your goals

Before you start scheduling campaigns or spending on ads, take a step back and define what success looks like for you. Are you trying to drive more traffic, boost your conversion rate, or increase your average order value (AOV)? 

Knowing your priorities makes it easier to decide where to focus your efforts and budget. For example, if you’re chasing higher AOV, you might focus on promoting bundles or upsells. If your goal is traffic, paid ads and influencer content might take the lead. 

Setting these goals early keeps your BFCM campaigns aligned and helps you measure what’s actually working once the sale goes live.

Email & SMS Marketing Campaigns 

Email and SMS are two of the best-performing channels for Shopify Black Friday Cyber Monday. They reach people directly, they’re relatively inexpensive, and they let you control your message without relying on algorithms. The key is timing and tone, and making sure each message adds value rather than noise.

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Building up to BFCM

The lead-up to BFCM is all about building anticipation and warming up your audience. Start teasing what’s coming up 2-6 weeks in advance, whether that’s an exclusive early-access sale, limited-edition products, or a VIP discount code for loyal customers. This helps your most engaged subscribers feel special and gives them a reason to prepare their basket early.

If you’ve been quiet for a while, this is also the time to re-engage your Shopify email campaigns list. A simple, “We’re getting ready for something big…” email to introduce your Black Friday sale can get people interested.

For SMS, short, friendly messages work best, for example something like, “It’s almost here…up to 40% off this BFCM 👀”, or “You’re on the early access list 🎉 Our black Friday sale drops on Wednesday”.

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During Shopify Black Friday Cyber Monday

When your sale goes live, clarity and urgency matter most. Keep your emails and texts short, visual, and direct - people are shopping around and they are shopping fast. Highlight your main offer right away and make the CTA impossible to miss.

It’s a good idea to send reminders about your sale and its deals, but pace them carefully throughout the weekend. SMS can also be used for quick updates like “Flash deal: extra 10% off our Black Friday sale”, or “Almost gone: your favourites are selling fast!”

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Post-BFCM retention

Once the dust settles, don’t go silent. The post-sale period is perfect for turning new customers into loyal ones. Send a thank you-email, feature “what’s next” like new arrivals or seasonal collections, and invite buyers to stay connected with your brand through a loyalty & rewards program. 

Remember, email and SMS are for more than just pushing sales, they’re your way to engage customers, build trust, and grow retention. 

Paid ads strategy (Meta, Google, TikTok)

Paid ads help you to reach new shoppers, as well as re-engage ones who nearly checked out but didn’t. During Shopify Black Friday Cyber Monday, competition for attention is fierce, so it’s all about smart targeting, clear messaging, and eye-catching creative that stands out in busy feeds. 

Your BFCM paid ads strategy 

Start by focusing on your warm audiences; people who’ve visited your store, added to cart, or interacted with your content recently. Since they already know your brand, they’re much closer to buying, and are therefore the easiest to re-engage. 

Personalised ads that highlight products or deals they’ve previously looked at, now discounted for BFCM, tend to resonate well. It feels relevant without being pushy and serves as a gentle reminder that something they liked earlier is now on sale. With 66% of customers expecting personalised experience during Black Friday, this is going to be a major advantage.

Your ad creative works best when it matches the fast pace and energy of BFCM. Short, punchy messages and clear visuals tend to stand out when everyone’s running promotions at once. 

Light touches of urgency, like a countdown, “ends soon,” or “limited stock” tag, can help create FOMO without feeling forced. 60% of millennial consumers said they make a reactive purchase after experiencing FOMO, most often within 24 hours. That’s exactly why this tactic is so effective during BFCM, when deals are time-sensitive and urgency is high.

The idea is just to catch someone’s attention long enough for them to take a closer look.

If you’d like some more tailored guidance on running Meta ads for your Shopify store, discover our services at StoreLab or chat with one of our friendly experts here. 

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Influencer marketing

If you’re working with creators or influencers, this is the moment to make the most of those relationships. Shopify Collabs makes it easy to track affiliate performance, and influencer content tends to feel more authentic in a sea of brand ads. 

63% of shoppers say they’re more likely to buy a product if it’s recommended to them by a social media influencer they trust. A trusted voice recommending your product through Shopify influencer marketing can drive traffic and conversions far beyond what a standard ad can.

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Budget planning & spending 

When it comes to budget, planning goes a long way.

The pre-BFCM period is a good time to focus on awareness and testing, see which audiences and creatives seem to perform best, and then gradually shift more spend toward retargeting and conversion once the sale begins. This approach helps you learn what’s working early so you can lean into it when things get busy.

Paid ads can move fast (and budgets can vanish even faster), so keep a close eye on performance throughout the weekend. Small tweaks to audience targeting, creative, or frequency can make a noticeable difference, especially when every click counts.

Organic Marketing Efforts 

Organic marketing is all about putting in the time to build and nurture your channels so they can pay off when it matters most. Growing your social following, engaging with your audience, and creating a store that ranks well in SERPs doesn’t happen overnight - but the effort can significantly boost visibility during BFCM.

Organic social 

Your organic social channels are perfect for creating buzz and engaging your audience. Leading up to Shopify Black Friday, post sneak peeks of upcoming deals, behind-the-scenes content, or countdowns to build anticipation.

Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest are great channels for this because they also have built-in shopping features, making it easy for followers to browse, buy, or just save items directly from your posts.

As BFCM approaches, share posts, stories, and short-form videos that highlight your best offers, feature social proof like customer reviews, or show products in action. Encouraging engagement in your captions or stories -like “this or that” polls - and responding to comments and DMs helps build a following that trusts your brand.

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SEO

Optimising your store for search engines can bring in a steady stream of shoppers looking for BFCM deals. Update product pages with clear titles, accurate descriptions, and keywords that match what you sell or what you want to rank for, whether you’re a clothing, accessories, health & beauty, or jewellery brand. 

Having dedicated landing pages or collections for your offers will also make it easier for both shoppers and search engines to find your deals.

Publishing a blog, like a Black Friday shopping guide, can help capture search traffic from shoppers looking for advice or deals. You can also link to your key product pages within the blog, which adds long-term SEO value.

Even small improvements to your Shopify SEO, like optimised meta descriptions, fast-loading pages, or structured content linking to products, can improve your visibility when competition is high.

Shopify Mobile App & Push Notifications

A great mobile experience can really enhance Black Friday sales. With 73% of Shopify BFCM browsing on mobile, having a mobile app for your Shopify store, combined with push notifications, can make the difference between a sale and an abandoned cart. 

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Marketing your Shopify mobile app 

Encourage customers to install your Shopify app before Black Friday by offering app-exclusive discounts or early access to incentivise installs - for example, “Download our app and get 10% off your first Black Friday order.”

Even small perks like this can increase engagement and make customers more likely to shop through the app when the sale goes live.

Since Shopify mobile apps are built specifically for phones, they naturally offer a smoother, more intuitive experience than a mobile website. A well-designed app keeps navigation simple, speeds up checkout, and reduces friction, helping shoppers move quickly through the conversion funnel. 

If you’re not already convinced, these stats back it up: mobile apps have a 157% higher conversion rate than mobile websites, and 85% of consumers prefer mobile apps over mobile apps. 

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Shopify mobile app push notifications 

Push notifications are such a simple but effective marketing tool, helping your brand stay front-of-mind through short, relevant, and timely messages sent straight to your customers’ phones.

In the pre-Shopify Black Friday Cyber Monday period, you might send teasers to get people excited. And during the sale, urgency-based messages can create FOMO and abandoned cart reminders can help nudge shoppers toward purchases. After BFCM, push notifications can be used to say thanks, remind customers of loyalty points, or encourage re-engagement. 

Keeping messages personalised and under 10 words with a clear CTA usually works best. Combining push notifications with email or SMS as part of an omnichannel strategy can make sure your message reaches customers wherever they prefer to engage.

To learn more about the benefits of having a mobile app for your Shopify store this BFCM, read our article or feel free to get in touch with a friendly member of our team. 

Conversion Optimisation 

Once shoppers are browsing your site during the Shopify Black Friday Cyber Monday weekend, targeted suggestions, like complementary products, bundles, or free shipping threshold, can turn their interest into a conversion, as well as increase AOV.

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Bundles & Upsells

Bundles and upsells can be particularly effective during Black Friday, when shoppers are already on the hunt for deals.

In fact, 72% of salespeople use upselling and cross-selling tactics, and these strategies account for roughly 30% of their revenue. When applied consistently, they can drive as much as 42% more revenue.

Let’s use a makeup store as an example, though these strategies can easily be tailored to your own products. You might create a “complete the look” set; for instance, if someone adds a foundation to their cart, you could suggest a matching concealer discounted specifically for BFCM, or offer a full-face Black Friday bundle available only during the weekend.

Another option is offering a discount when customers buy two or more complementary items, like a lipstick and lipliner, making it simple for shoppers to stock up on favorites while taking advantage of your BFCM deals.

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Optimised landing pages & checkout 

Your landing pages should guide shoppers straight to the Black Friday deals they’re most likely to buy, but the checkout itself can also help boost conversions.

Features like “You might also like” or “Complete the look” product recommendations, or reminders that their total is only a small amount away from free shipping, or highlighting items frequently bought together can gently encourage extra purchases. 

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Post-purchase offers & one-click upsells

Even after someone completes their Black Friday purchase, there are still ways to grow your Shopify sales. With post-purchase offers and one-click upsells, shoppers can be tempted to buy more from your brand without needing to re-enter payment details or go through the checkout again.

For example, once a purchase is confirmed, you might show a related item at a discounted price or a limited-time bundle upgrade. 

These small but effective opportunities often convert really well since the customer is already in the buying mood. In fact, half of consumers say that receiving personalised offers in post-purchase tracking communications makes them more likely to buy again.

The secret behind this marketing tactic is relevance - when your suggestions feel personalised and helpful, customers are happy to spend more. 

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Shopify Apps & Integrations

There's so many apps, integrations, and tools on the Shopify App Store. Choosing the right ones for your store can make a huge impact during BFCM, helping you see more conversions, streamline operations, and create FOMO.

Here’s three of our favourite recommendations for Shopify apps to help your business thrive and maximise your sales this Black Friday weekend and beyond…

1. StoreLab

At StoreLab, our Shopify Growth Service is designed to help you grow sales and strengthen customer relationships through powerful tools like our Shopify mobile app builder. 

With an easy drag-and-drop builder, you can create a fully branded iOS and Android mobile app for your Shopify store without needing any technical expertise. It integrates smoothly with your existing Shopify tools and supports features like push notifications - perfect for promoting limited-time deals, restocks, and abandoned cart reminders during BFCM.

Combined with targeted Meta ads, your app can turn casual browsers into loyal, repeat customers. Learn more.

2. Discounty

Discounty makes setting up Shopify Black Friday Cyber Monday promotions quick and stress-free. You can create bulk discounts, volume pricing, and classic BOGO deals, like “Buy 2, Get 10% Off”, while adding countdown timers, sale badges, and free shipping highlights to drive urgency. 

It’s also easy to apply these discounts to specific products or collections, helping shoppers find the offers that matter most. Everything is managed from a simple, user-friendly dashboard, so you can launch your BFCM deals in minutes.

3. Hey! Scarcity Low Stock Counter

Hey! Scarcity Low Stock Counter helps create that sense of urgency that drives fast decisions during BFCM. It displays current stock levels and custom messages like “Only 3 left!” or “Low stock - selling fast!” on your product pages. 

You can customise widgets, set stock thresholds, and show countdown timers to let shoppers know when items are almost gone. It’s a simple but powerful way to turn hesitation into action.

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To discover more of the must-have Shopify apps to grow your Black Friday sales, check out our full guide here. 

Tracking, Analytics, & Refinement 

It’s pretty clear by now that a successful Shopify Black Friday Cyber Monday sale involves more than just launching discounts and hoping for the best. Keeping an eye on the numbers across the weekend shows what’s actually working and where you might need to adjust.

Focus on key metrics like traffic sources, top-selling products, conversion rates, cart abandonment, and average order value. Tools like Shopify Analytics, Google Analytics, and your app and Shopify mobile app dashboards make it easier to spot trends right away and make small refinements during the sale if needed. 

For example, If a product is selling faster than expected, you might highlight it more prominently or check stock levels. If a campaign isn’t performing, you can shift messaging or reallocate spend to what’s resonating.

Once BFCM is over, take a look at the weekend as a whole, and then again after the returns period to see what sold well, what didn’t, and what could be improved. These insights are going to be invaluable for planning even stronger campaigns next year.

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Looking for more ways to grow your Shopify sales?

If you’re looking to maximise your success this Shopify Black Friday Cyber Monday, you’re in the right place. Our Shopify growth experts are here to help you skyrocket your sales, increase AOV, boost customer retention, and more.

Get in touch with our team at StoreLab today to see how we can help you make the most of BFCM and beyond!