Black Friday 2025: When and how to plan to maximize sales

Who hasn’t wondered at some point what the ideal moment is to start planning Black Friday? In this article, besides discovering the answer, you’ll also explore the best strategies to increase sales. Find out here.

Start planning Black Friday 2025 well in advance, ideally two months ahead. This is essential to create campaigns, prepare offers, and boost sales.

But here’s the issue: while some online businesses double or triple their revenue, others fall short of expectations, lost in a price war without strategy.

The difference between success and failure on Black Friday is not only about the discounts offered. It lies in meticulous preparation, precise execution, and above all, in a digital marketing strategy that puts the customer at the center of every decision.

This guide will show you exactly how to turn the next Black Friday into your best campaign ever.

Why do so many e-commerces fail on Black Friday?

Every year we see the same pattern: companies that prepare only a few weeks before, lower prices without logic, and wait for results to appear as if by magic.

Preparation for Black Friday begins in September, not November.

The best email marketing campaigns are planned two months in advance. Stock levels are adjusted based on historical data and demand forecasts. Teams are trained to handle traffic surges and order volumes.

When you talk to e-commerce managers who break records year after year, you discover they all follow a similar pattern: they treat Black Friday as a complex business project, with clear timelines, defined responsibilities, and well-established success metrics.

The three phases of strategic preparation for Black Friday

Phase 1: Analysis and planning (September to October)

The first phase determines the entire success of your campaign. There’s no room for improvisation here. Start by analyzing data from the previous Black Friday: which products sold the most? Which channels brought the most qualified traffic? What was the average order value?

These data will form the foundation of your 2025 strategy. If you don’t have sufficient historical data, study your competition and focus on products with the highest profit margin. The goal is not to sell the most units, but to maximize profitability.

Also analyze Google Trends and keyword tools to determine which products have the highest demand in your sector. And make sure you have enough stock of them!

The next step is to set SMART goals for the campaign. It’s not enough to say “I want to sell more.” Define specific targets: increase sales by 150 percent compared to the same period last year, reach an average ticket value of $85, or achieve a conversion rate of 3.2 percent.

In addition to commercial objectives, set technical performance goals. Will your website withstand a 300 percent increase in traffic? Can your email marketing platform process 50,000 emails per hour? These technical details make the difference between a successful campaign and an operational disaster.

Phase 2: Implementation and optimization (October to November)

The second phase is where strategy turns into action. The main focus should be on creating segmented, personalized email campaigns. Segmentation is fundamental: VIP clients receive exclusive offers, potential clients get incentives for their first purchase, inactive clients get reactivation campaigns.

Create automated email sequences that begin 15 days before Black Friday. A typical sequence includes warm-up emails, exclusive offer announcements, wishlist reminders, and last-minute urgency campaigns.

At the same time, optimize your website for conversions. Load speed should be under three seconds, the checkout process should have a maximum of three steps, and every product page should include customer reviews and satisfaction guarantees.

Don’t forget mobile: more than 60 percent of Black Friday purchases in Portugal are made via mobile devices. Your site must deliver a flawless experience on smartphones and tablets.

Phase 3: Execution and monitoring (November to December)

The third phase is the most intense. In the days leading up to Black Friday, your team must be prepared to adjust campaigns in real time according to incoming data.

Monitor key metrics daily: email open rate, campaign clicks, website conversions, average ticket value. If any metric is below expectations, act immediately.

During Black Friday itself, focus on customer experience. Recent data show that 44 percent of consumers consider good customer service fundamental, especially in high-volume periods like Black Friday.

Respond quickly in chat, solve technical problems urgently, and maintain constant communication on social media. A frustrated Black Friday customer will rarely come back during the rest of the year.

How to create irresistible offers without sacrificing profit margin

The biggest mistake seen in Black Friday is businesses that reduce prices purely at random, believing bigger discounts always generate more sales. The truth is more complex.

The ideal Black Friday discount falls between 20 percent and 40 percent, depending on the sector and profit margin. Discounts above 50 percent can create the perception of low-quality products, while discounts below 15 percent don’t create enough interest.

A smart strategy is to create product bundles. Instead of reducing the price of a single product, offer a pack of complementary items at an attractive price. This increases the average order value and maintains healthy margins.

Progressive discounts also work well: 15 percent off purchases over $50, 25 percent above $100, 35 percent above $200. This strategy drives higher-value purchases and improves profitability.

For low-margin products, consider non-monetary offers: free shipping, extended warranty, complimentary products, or exclusive content access. These perks have high perceived value but low real cost.

The power of data: how transaction history transforms your Black Friday

Your customers’ transaction history is a goldmine for planning highly effective Black Friday campaigns. This data reveals behavioral patterns that let you create irresistible personalized offers.

Analyze seasonal buying trends from the past two years. Which products sell most in November? Which customers increase their order size during promotions? This analysis helps forecast demand, adjust stock, and create targeted product offers with more potential.

E-goi makes this process easier. With our platform, you can import the complete order history (via integrations with e-commerce platforms, API, or CSV files) and create segments based on criteria like customer lifetime value, purchase frequency, preferred categories, or last transaction date.

Identify your high-value customers—the ones who spend more, buy frequently, or generate higher margins. Create special campaigns for them with early access, exclusive discounts, or limited products. A client who already spent $500 deserves different treatment than one who only made a $30 purchase.

Segment by recent buying behavior. Customers who bought in the last 30 days may be more receptive to related products. Customers inactive for more than 90 days need stronger reactivation incentives. Use this knowledge to adapt both the offer and the message.

Another valuable insight is analyzing products often purchased together. If 70 percent of customers who buy product A also buy product B, create bundles specifically for Black Friday. This boosts the average order value and simplifies buying decisions.

For example, Prozis, one of Portugal’s largest sports supplement companies, increased its Black Friday sales by 280 percent in just one year thanks to a fully integrated email marketing and automation strategy.
They created hyper-personalized segments based on previously purchased products, buying frequency, average ticket value, and website behavior.

So, what are you waiting for to analyze your clients’ purchase history? Start now by requesting a free demo.

Email marketing strategies that multiply Black Friday sales

Email marketing remains the channel with the best return on investment during Black Friday. But not every strategy works equally well. Behavioral segmentation and lookalike customer grouping are key for this period.

Divide your database into groups based on buying behavior: frequent buyers, occasional shoppers, visitors who never bought, one-time customers.

Each group gets different messages, adapted to their profile. How? By analyzing the client’s transaction history.

For VIP customers, create early-access campaigns. These clients receive discounts 24 hours before the general public, feel privileged, and tend to buy more. For potential clients, offer progressive discounts: 10 percent on one item (or up to $X), 15 percent for two (up to $Y), 20 percent for three (up to $Z).

Personalization goes far beyond using the customer’s name in the subject line. Use browsing data to recommend specific products, include reviews of previously viewed items, and adjust send-time based on individual user activity.

An underused but highly effective tactic is creating educational content during the campaign. Instead of sending only promotional emails, include buying guides, product comparison charts, and usage tips. This kind of content increases engagement and positions your brand as an expert.

Most common Black Friday mistakes and how to avoid them

• Late preparation: effective campaigns start in August or September. With e-commerce growing 15 percent annually during Black Friday, competition is intense and requires advance planning.
• Price focus only: consumers care about the overall experience. 68 percent abandon carts due to poor navigation experience, even with heavy discounts.
• Ignoring hyper-segmentation: according to Shopify, segmented campaigns achieve 88.9 percent open rates versus 54.5 percent for generic messages.
• Skipping tests: in 2024, websites that didn’t test beforehand registered 45 percent higher cart abandonment due to technical issues.
• No contingency plans: online traffic can rise up to 300 percent. Well-prepared servers process 50 percent more transactions per hour.
• No follow-up: Black Friday clients are three times more likely to repurchase within 90 days, often representing up to 25 percent of Q4 sales for organized retailers.
• Not optimizing for mobile: 60 percent of transactions are now on mobile devices, with order values 30 percent higher than average.

Conclusion

Black Friday 2025 will be different. More competitive, more demanding—but also full of opportunity for those who prepare well. Success won’t come to those who offer the biggest discounts, but to those who create the best overall experience for their customers.

After years of analyzing Black Friday campaigns in Portugal, one pattern is clear: companies that treat this period as a complex strategic project achieve extraordinary results. It’s not just about discounts or technology—it’s about deeply understanding your customers and orchestrating all touchpoints to create a memorable experience.

Are you ready to turn the next Black Friday into your biggest commercial success?

E-goi provides all the marketing automation tools you need to implement these strategies: from personalized email campaigns and transaction history import, to omnichannel automations that connect all customer touchpoints.

Contact our team and discover how we can help you break records this Black Friday.

FAQs about Black Friday strategies

When should I start preparing for Black Friday?
In September: analyze last year’s data and set goals. October is the month to implement strategies and create content. November is for execution and final adjustments.

What is the ideal Black Friday discount?
Between 20 and 40 percent, depending on margin and brand positioning. More than 50 percent can harm your brand; less than 15 percent doesn’t generate interest.

How can I increase average order value?
With bundling, tiered discounts, and recommendations for complementary products at checkout.

What metrics should I monitor?
Conversion rate, average ticket, cart abandonment, email opens and clicks, and revenue per visitor.

How do I prepare my website for traffic peaks?
Optimize website speed, stress test your server, simplify checkout, and monitor in real time.

How do I analyze transaction history?
Spot seasonal patterns, segment customers by value and behavior, analyze products bought together, and use these insights for personalized offers.

Should I take part in Black Friday if I’m a premium brand?
Yes, but adapt your strategy: instead of aggressive discounts, offer added value such as exclusive products, premium services, or special experiences.