Black Friday Australia 2021 will happen on the 26th of November. Cyber Monday (the online sales sequel) will occur on the 29th of November, 2021.
Black Friday is the more significant event of the two. In the US, that takes place on the Friday right after the Thanksgiving festival. It is followed by Cyber Monday, but in the US, many small to medium-sized retailers have had much success by offering discounts and deals in the days that run-up to the online mega-sales event.
Conventionally, the Friday after Thanksgiving was always regarded in the US as the start of the holiday season, along with the Christmas spending period. However, recently, the concept of celebrating Black Friday has evolved into a significant shopping extravaganza not just in the US but around the world – including Australia. The timing of the event is what makes it so unique to eCommerce. It is only four weeks out from Christmas Day; it’s seen as a minor significant sales event. You can order online and get it delivered in time to be put under the Christmas Tree.
Also pushing its popularity has been the staggering discounts and impressive deals that so many businesses have thrown at it in recent years.
In Australia, Black Friday 2021 competes directly with Boxing Day – which has always been one of the leading shopping events in the country. In 2019, the National Australia Bank (NAB) estimated that shoppers spent over $2.9 billion on Black Friday sales.
In 2018, that number was closer to around $400 million.
What are Customers’ Expectations?
Black Friday Australia 2021 is going to challenge the entire eCommerce industry. On the one hand, retailers and suppliers will need to develop new and exciting customer propositions. The event’s popularity means that every business now needs to offer some heaving discounting or another source of value – like free shipping.
To keep pace with your competitors, your deals need to be of comparative value. If your competition is offering 30% off, you need to provide 40%. If they’re offering guaranteed delivery before Christmas – you need to match that or do better.
This is the harsh reality and new normal that Black Friday Australia 2021 presents all retail businesses amidst the ongoing pandemic.
To help you get prepared, here are some of the trends in customer expectation that you should look to be fulfilling:
Delivery to Serve as the All-new Differentiator
Just like warehousing, securing the packed boxes to the doorstep of the consumers is equally important. The time is ripe for coming up with alternative delivery solutions and stricter scrutiny on the overall delivery costs.
Drive-Thru Shopping
Most leading retailers offer buy-online and pickup in-store shopping options as cost-effective alternatives. It assures that the shoppers receive what they require when they need the same. There are chances that shoppers might expect stores -especially those based in malls, to deliver a complete range of curb-to-trunk delivery services.
Optimized Mobile Experiences for a Wide Audience
As per a recent study report, it is observed that spending through smartphones accounts for around 46.5 per cent of the overall holiday sales through the Black Friday sales. Therefore, retailers should make sure that all of the respective digital experiences are highly personalised for the specific requirements of all age groups -with font sizes and colour schemes to deliver optimised browsing experiences.
Less Convincing Needed to Encourage Self-indulgence
After several months of living in utter lockdown and saying ‘no’ to almost everything, shoppers nowadays feel entitled to indulge in a splurging session. With the given intention to self-indulge, it is estimated that shoppers will go through discount hunting. Retailers can expect to observe improved results when they promote low-frequency discretionary products that are both functional and fun.
How can My Business Make the Most of It?
Some practical tips for businesses for the upcoming Black Friday Australia 2021 event are:
Personalise
With great offers competing for the consumers’ attention, customers are unlikely to get attracted to a blanket of heavy discounts. Instead, you should aim at segmenting the customers based on your information -including their age, buying frequency, gender, geography, and so more. Then, you can serve them with personalised shopping experiences.
Extending the Campaign
As you run the Black Friday sale just on the given day, it implies that you are competing with an endless number of brands for customer attention. To gain more, you can extend your sales to some days or even weeks.
Engagement Messages
When you serve meaningful messages at the right time, it can help minimise the effect of several other promotions to grab the consumers’ attention. You can build on the specific message campaign to encourage the customers to ensure proper actions in return for some reward.
What do I Need to Do to Get Ready?
As more customers are expected to visit your store for Black Friday Australia 2021, you can expect a spike in your website’s traffic. With a sudden increase in traffic, you should be well-prepared for the big day ahead. Here are some tips:
- Start planning early
- Check the website speed
- Audit the checkout process of your website
- Get relevant customer support on the dashboard
Conclusion
With record-breaking shopping numbers every year, Black Friday Australia 2021 is expected to be worthwhile. To see how your business can make the most of it check out our eCommerce insights. Get ready for the massive shopping extravaganza in advance, and impress your customers with lucrative deals.
Remap Online is a Social Media Marketing Agency based in Sydney Australia and an Official Facebook Marketing Partner.