Black Friday Readiness: Your Ultimate Last-Minute Checklist for Success

Black Friday is right around the corner, and with it comes one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Are you ready to make the most of it? To help you prepare, we’ve put together a comprehensive last-minute checklist to ensure your store is primed for success.

From fine-tuning your promotions to testing your site’s performance, this guide will help you cover all the bases so you can focus on what matters most: driving sales and delighting customers.

1. Double-Check Your Promotions

The foundation of your Black Friday strategy is your promotions. Take a moment to review everything you’ve set up to make sure it’s running smoothly.

• Are all your discounts active?
  Ensure that every code is functioning and set to apply under the correct conditions.

• Are your upsells and gift-with-purchase rules working?
  Test the flow to confirm these offers trigger at the right time and apply correctly.

• Is everything set to go live at the right time?
  Double-check your start and end times for all promotions to avoid awkward lapses or overlaps.

2. Test the Entire Checkout Process

A seamless checkout experience is crucial, especially during high-traffic days like Black Friday. Walk through the entire process just as a customer would:

• Add items to the cart to see if discounts or promotions trigger as expected.

• Apply multiple offers (if applicable) to ensure they stack as expected or work in harmony.

• Complete a test checkout to make sure payment and confirmation processes are error-free.

A frictionless checkout process can make the difference between a conversion and an abandoned cart.

3. Review Your Inventory Levels

Black Friday promotions will only be successful if you can deliver on them. Ensure your most popular products and any featured promotional items are sufficiently stocked.

• Are your bestsellers ready for a surge in demand?
  Prioritize high-demand items and communicate any potential stock limitations upfront to avoid disappointing your customers.

• Do you have backup products in case of sellouts?
  Prepare secondary promotions or discounts on similar items to keep sales flowing even if your top products sell out.

4. Optimize Your Website for Heavy Traffic

Slow load times can kill conversions. A well-optimized website ensures customers stick around long enough to make a purchase.

• Check site speed and performance:
  Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to test your site’s speed. Aim for a fast-loading site even under high traffic.

• Reduce app overload:
  Running too many apps at once can slow things down. With EG, you can handle all your promotional needs—discounts, upsells, and more—without bogging down your site. Avoid installing any apps close to BFCM without testing them and the rest of the store heavily.

5. Leverage Reminder and Alert Banners

Make sure your customers know about your offers the moment they land on your site.

• Use banners to highlight active promotions as soon as a customer arrives.
  Example: “Spend $50 and get a free gift!” or “Black Friday Deal: Buy One, Get One Free.”

• Reminder banners help re-engage customers who may have closed pop-ups or missed key offers.
  Example: “Still shopping? Don’t miss your free gift—click here to claim!”

These small touches ensure your best deals are always front and centre.

6. Prepare Backup Plans

Even the best-laid plans can encounter unexpected issues. Be ready with contingency strategies to keep things running smoothly:

• Have an emergency promotion ready in case something goes wrong with a primary deal.
  Example: A quick “site-wide 10% off” can help salvage the day if a specific discount or feature isn’t working as planned.

• Keep customer support on standby to handle inquiries about promotions, delivery times, or other common concerns.

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Final Thoughts

Black Friday is a massive opportunity to grow your business, but only if you’re fully prepared. With this checklist, you can ensure everything is in place to run smooth, profitable promotions that delight your customers.

Take a few minutes today to walk through each step, and you’ll set yourself up for a record-breaking Black Friday.

Ready to streamline your promotions? EG is here to help. From upsells and gift-with-purchase to advanced geotargeting and banner reminders, our app is designed to make your Black Friday a success.

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