Review inventory levels and supply availability based on data from prior years. Talk to suppliers early to ensure enough stock. Expand warehouse capacity if needed to accommodate extra inventory. Begin promoting deals and priming customers weeks in advance of Black Friday and Cyber Monday rather than last-minute.
Order fulfillment is extremely important, as over 50% of customers say one bad delivery experience means losing their business forever. Make sure you have the staff, resources, and delivery network to rapidly process a high volume of orders.
Go all out with deep discounts, doorbuster deals, bundles, gift incentives and other attention-grabbing offers. Cyber Monday and Black Friday represent the best times of year for promotions since customers expect and look for big sales.
Start planning for Cyber Monday and Black Friday at least a few months in advance. Work with suppliers to shore up inventory needs and capacities. Begin teasing deals and getting customers excited weeks ahead rather than just before. Use staging and intentional promotions in the lead-up.
Identify any gaps or weak points in your disruption response plan, especially with winter weather on the horizon. Strengthen areas that could cripple operations if a problem occurs. Consider partnering with a 3PL to offset capacity issues.
Very important. Even when customers return items, a smooth, simple returns and exchange process makes them much more likely to shop with you again in the future. Prioritize reverse logistics.
