Are pre-Black Friday sales a clever tactic or show a lack of confidence?
Is it just me or has Black Friday gone on for a week already? I have noticed more and more retailers shouting about their ‘pre’ Black Friday discounts – and they haven’t been small discounts either. Many retailers have been offering 40%, 50% and even 60% off their whole site or smaller categories for a few days now. But why not save it all for the big day?
Black Friday Failure
It is no secret that Black Friday has ended in disaster for many retailers, especially when it first hit the UK. So, of course, it makes sense for retailers to offer discounts in advance to try and limit the damage and the risk of a bad customer experience by reducing the traffic to their site on Friday. However, I can’t help but wonder if this year’s pre-event excitement is actually a lack of confidence on the part of the retailers…
A fall down of a website on Black Friday will spell disaster for any retailer, not to mention the brand damage it can cause a household name. But if retailers were truly confident in their ability to not only survive but thrive on Black Friday, should they not just be saying “Bring it on!”?
The reality is that many retailers still can’t commit to a fabulous customer experience, accurate visibility of inventory, a slick supply chain with efficient fulfilment or a returns process that can stand up on the busiest time of the year. And let’s face it, the consumer isn’t any less demanding in the run-up to Christmas if anything they are probably more demanding. This means that now is the time for retailers to show they can meet that demand.
It’s all in the tech
By investing in technologies that can give retailers the confidence they need to reap the rewards of the over-excited Black Friday shopper, retailers will be able to manage the traffic and demand on them during peak and still offer the experience they thrive to achieve throughout the year. It is those background systems like an efficient WMS, a user analytics platform behind the website and innovative omnichannel solutions that will ensure your customer is happy at all touch points, that will make a difference and give retailers the confidence to not cut their traffic but boost it.
What do you think? Are pre-Black Friday sales tactical? Answer our Twitter poll and let us know!
