20+ BFCM Promotion Ideas That Stand The Test of Time

Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM), the year’s largest sales holiday, is just around the corner. If you want to sell like hotcakes, you’ll need to provide enticing deals. Yet, a meticulously planned BFCM promotion strategy goes beyond just that.

There are multiple questions you might need to consider, such as:

• What is the best way to reach your customers with the message?
• Which deals have the strongest impact on your potential shoppers?
• How to optimize your sales channels for Black Friday Cyber Monday.

The list goes on and on, just like that.

Don’t worry if you’re unsure about starting to drive more sales for the upcoming BFCM; we have you covered.

We have curated a list of the 14 tried-and-true BFCM promotion ideas that are promised to help you close more deals this year.

1. Run early access promotions

Why wait for the big day when you can start the party early? By offering deals before the official BFCM weekend, you’re giving your customers a chance to shop without the stress of competing with the masses.

Not to mention that instead of cramming all your sales into a few days, running an early access promotion will allow you to stretch out your BFCM season for as long as you like it.

Here are some tips to run early access promotions effectively:

• Email your loyal customers: Give your email subscribers or loyalty program members first dibs on your deals.
• Use social media teasers: Drop hints about your early access deals on your social platforms to build anticipation.
• Offer exclusive perks: Provide early-bird shoppers with additional benefits like free shipping or a gift with purchase to sweeten the deal.

2. Build a mobile app for your Shopify store

Did you know that product viewers on mobile apps convert four times more than on mobile websites? Hence, if you want to expand your business and build a channel that helps drive sales for your BFCM, now is the time to start building your app.

There are tons of mobile app builders on the Shopify App Store that can help you quickly turn your store into a functional mobile app. One such is OneMobile. The app has beautiful pre-made app themes for specific niches and an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, allowing you to build a sales-driven mobile app in clicks.

3. Localize your website

It’s true: BFCM originates from the United States. Nevertheless, it’s now more and more popular across other countries as well. Therefore, if you want to gain an edge over your competitors and drive sales globally for the upcoming BFCM, an effective tactic is localizing your website so international shoppers can browse your products in their local language and check out in their local currency.

Nevertheless, Shopify doesn’t support built-in localization tools, so you’ll need to leverage a credible translation app like Transcy to localize your store. The app allows you to translate your store into 148+ languages and offers real-time conversion for 168+ currencies.

It even automatically detects your customers’ geolocation to showcase your website in the appropriate language and currency settings.

4. Prepare your email and push notifications calendar

Don’t leave your BFCM communication to fate. A carefully crafted schedule for your emails and push notifications can significantly help you stand out amidst the noise.

Here’s how to perfect your messaging timeline:

• Start early: Begin hinting at your BFCM offers in late October to generate excitement.
• Increase frequency: As BFCM nears, boost your communications, but ensure that it does not overwhelm your audience.
• Mix it up: Switch between emails and push notifications to maintain audience interest without overloading one channel.
• Time it right: Schedule key messages during peak engagement periods, such as evenings or lunch breaks.
• Plan for follow-ups: Remember post-BFCM messages to express gratitude to customers and potentially present a final offer.

5. Offer free shipping

Did you know that high shipping costs are one of the main reasons customers abandon their carts? In addition to discounts and bundles, offering free shipping can be a powerful incentive to boost sales during BFCM.

For instance, Fashion Nova, a well-known online fashion retailer, frequently promotes free shipping during BFCM. They usually provide free shipping on all U.S. orders without a minimum purchase requirement, which strongly encourages customers to choose them over competitors.

However, like any discount, it’s important to ensure that free shipping doesn’t significantly cut into your profits. A strategic approach is to set a minimum purchase threshold that customers must meet to qualify for free shipping.

6. Give more loyalty points exclusively for BFCM

If you have a loyalty program in place, make the best out of it for your BFCM promotion. One way to do so is by offering your customers more points (1.5x or 2x points) for purchases during your BFCM campaign.

For instance, you can use OneLoyalty to quickly adjust your loyalty program point settings and showcase an announcement bar to promote your deal.

For example, you can use OneLoyalty to easily adjust your loyalty program’s point settings and display an announcement bar to highlight your offer.

7. Use countdown timers for urgency

Based on the psychological principle of scarcity, people tend to value items or opportunities more when they perceive them as limited or rare. Therefore, using a real-time updating timer can motivate your customers to make quicker purchasing decisions, potentially boosting your conversions.

• Be strategic with placements: Position your countdown timer in prominent locations to ensure visibility. For example, place it in the hero section of your website or at the top of your mobile app’s home screen.
• Use clear messaging: Pair your timer with concise and straightforward text that explains the offer and its expiration.
• Ensure mobile responsiveness: Verify that your timers display correctly across all devices, with a particular focus on mobile.

8. Gamify your Black Friday promotion

Make your BFCM campaign more exciting and interactive by turning shopping into a game. Gamification not only keeps shoppers engaged but also encourages repeat visits, higher spending, and social sharing. Here are a few fun ideas you can try:

1. Lucky Spin: Add a “spin-to-win” wheel on your website where customers can spin for discounts, free shipping, or surprise gifts. It creates instant excitement and motivates impulse purchases.

2. Daily Check-in: Reward customers who visit your store or app every day during the sale period with bonus points or exclusive deals, a simple way to boost retention and repeat traffic.

3. Scavenger Hunt: Hide special promo codes or icons across your website or social media and let shoppers find them for prizes. It keeps customers exploring your store longer and increases product discovery.

4. Digital Scratch Cards: Let users “scratch” a virtual card to reveal their reward, such as a discount, free item, or cashback, a fun and quick engagement booster.

5. Referral Race: Encourage customers to share your sale with friends. The more successful referrals they make, the bigger the rewards they can unlock.
6. Spend & Earn Challenge: Set spending milestones (e.g., $50, $100, $200) and offer increasing discounts, points, or rewards as customers reach each tier.
7. Mystery Box: Offer surprise bundles where buyers don’t know exactly what they’ll get until it arrives, a great way to create buzz and move extra inventory.

8. Leaderboard Competition: Show a live leaderboard for top spenders, referrers, or point earners during BFCM and reward them with exclusive prizes.
9. Countdown Missions: Create time-limited tasks like “Shop before midnight for an extra gift” to build urgency and keep engagement high.
10. Lucky Draw Entries: Give shoppers entries into a prize draw with every purchase or action (like sharing your campaign) – simple, fair, and highly motivating.

Each of these gamification tactics adds fun and interactivity to your Black Friday campaign while encouraging customers to stay engaged, spend more, and spread the word about your brand..

9. Bundle deals and product discounts

Bundle deals and product discounts are timeless BFCM strategies that consistently deliver results year after year. By offering these types of promotions, you can boost your average order value while providing customers with the satisfaction of getting more value for their money.

Here’s how to effectively utilize bundle deals and product discounts:

• Create themed bundles: Combine related products to form enticing packages. For instance, consider a skincare bundle that includes a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer.
• Offer tiered discounts: Motivate larger purchases by increasing the discount as customers spend more. For example, offer 10% off for spending $50, 15% off for $100, and 20% off for $150.
• Use BOGO promotions: “Buy One, Get One” deals are always a crowd-pleaser. You can offer the second item for free or at a discounted rate.
• Highlight the savings: Clearly indicate how much customers save with the bundle compared to buying items separately.
• Allow customization: Enable customers to create their own bundles from a selection of products for a personalized shopping experience.

Take Glossier, for example; the brand offers a variety of product bundles and even allows shoppers to create their own bundles.

10. Promote new product launches

While BFCM is typically linked with discounts on existing products, it’s also a prime opportunity to create buzz around new product launches. The heightened traffic and consumer attention during this period can significantly boost your new offerings.

To maximize the impact of new product launches during BFCM, consider these strategies:

• Create a pre-launch campaign: Build anticipation by teasing your upcoming products in the weeks leading up to BFCM. Use email marketing, app and plugin marketing services, social media posts, and your website to generate interest.

• Email your customers: Notify your customers about new product launches during BFCM. This direct communication can effectively capture their attention.

• Offer early access or special pricing: Provide exclusive early access or special pricing on new products for your loyal customers or email subscribers. This rewards their loyalty and encourages engagement.

• Bundle new products with bestsellers: Introduce your new offerings to a broader audience by bundling them with popular items. For example, a skincare brand might pair its new face serum with its bestselling moisturizer at a special BFCM price.

11. Host giveaways on social media

If you’re seeking cost-effective ways to boost your brand exposure during BFCM, hosting giveaways on your social media channels is a great strategy. By tapping into the excitement of the holiday shopping season, you can generate buzz around your brand and products while expanding your social media following.

First, think about the prize that aligns with your target audience’s interests. This could be one of your popular products, a curated bundle, or even a shopping spree at your store.

Then, determine how participants can enter your giveaway. Common methods include:

• Following your account
• Liking the post
• Tagging friends in the comments
• Sharing the post to their stories

For instance, you can use this Instagram giveaway post template as reference:

“Win our Ultimate BFCM Bundle worth $[amount]! To enter:

1️⃣ Follow @yourbrand

2️⃣ Like this post

3️⃣ Tag 2 friends who love [your product category]

4️⃣ Share to your story and tag us!

Winner announced on Black Friday. Good luck!

#BFCMGiveaway #YourBrandName”

12. Offer product add-ons

During BFCM, shoppers are often looking for gifts for themselves and their loved ones. Product add-ons can significantly enhance the shopping experience by adding value and convenience. Here are some effective ideas:

• Gift wrapping: Offer complimentary or premium gift wrapping services. This convenience is attractive to customers who want their purchases to be ready for gifting, making the shopping experience more seamless and appealing.
• Name carving or personalization: Allow customers to personalize items with names, initials, or special messages. This option is especially appealing for products like jewelry, leather goods, or tech accessories, adding a unique and personal touch.
• Gift cards: Provide a customizable gift card option that can be included with purchases. This allows recipients to choose their preferred items, adding flexibility and thoughtfulness to the gift.
• Bonus samples: Include free samples of other products with each purchase. This encourages customers to explore more of your offerings and adds perceived value to their purchase.

13. Offer limited-edition products

The allure of owning a limited-edition item from a favorite brand can be a powerful motivator for customers, particularly during Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM).

These products are perceived as rare and unique, making them highly desirable and often instilling a sense of pride and satisfaction in customers.

A notable example is Lush’s previous Black Friday campaign, where they launched a limited-edition orangutan-shaped soap. This product was not only unique but also supported a charitable cause, with proceeds going to the SOS and the Orangutan Information Center.

Lush produced exactly 14,600 soaps, reflecting the number of Sumatran orangutans left in the wild. The campaign was a huge success, with all soaps selling out, demonstrating the power of combining exclusivity with a meaningful message.

14. Run referral discounts

If you have a strong customer base and want a cost-effective way to boost your store’s visibility during BFCM, a referral program is a smart choice. Unlike traditional advertising, referral programs are relatively low-cost. You’re essentially using your satisfied customers to spread the word. Not to mention that people trust recommendations from friends and family more than brand advertising.

If you’re interested in launching a referral program to acquire more customers this BFCM, here are some tips and tricks to keep in mind:

• Make sure your offers are attractive enough: Reward both your referrers and referees with the rewards they actually like to receive. Use your past data for this. Do your customers love discount codes, gifts, or free shipping?
• Set clear policies against referral exploitation: It’s best practice to reward referrers when the referees actually make a purchase to ensure that the program is beneficial for your business
• Use cookies for tracking: Implement cookies to track referrals. This helps capture customers who visit the referral link but don’t immediately make a purchase, allowing you to credit the referrer if the purchase happens later.
• Promote your program on multiple channels: Use various channels like email, social media, and your website to inform your customers about the referral program.

15. Partner with influencers

Looking to make a big impact on this BFCM? Influencer marketing can be a powerful strategy. Despite its higher cost, influencers have trusted voices that can significantly boost your revenue for the upcoming Black Friday.

Some of our pieces of advice to help you run effective influencer campaigns:

• Define what you want to achieve– is it brand awareness, increased sales, or more followers on your social media?
• Experiment with micro-influencers who have highly engaged audiences. They often have more personal connections with their followers and can be more cost-effective.
• Don’t interfere too much with the influencer’s content creation process. Instead, trust the influencers you work with just like you trust the process.
• Consider assigning personalized discount codes to each influencer. This not only tracks performance but also makes their followers feel special.

16. Create unique and helpful gift guides

Help shoppers find the perfect gifts faster by curating themed collections like “Gifts under $50” or “For the beauty lover.” Around 70% of holiday shoppers search for inspiration before buying, and gift guides make that process effortless (according to PGM Unique Data Insights). They also spotlight your bestsellers, clear old inventory, and boost average order value. Keep them simple, visual, and organized by budget or interest, and add quick “Shop Now” buttons to turn browsing into buying.

Amazon’s annual Holiday Gift Guide is one of the most recognized examples. It lets shoppers filter gifts by recipient, category, or price, like “Gifts for Her,” “Under $25,” or “Tech Lovers.” The platform also uses personalized recommendations based on browsing history, making the experience feel tailored and effortless.

17. Support your customers better with AI

AI can help you handle the BFCM support rush efficiently and keep shoppers happy because it combines speed, intelligence, and personalization through the following features:

• Instant replies: With AI chatbots available 24/7, customers can get immediate answers to common questions like order tracking or stock updates. This eliminates long waiting times and ensures every shopper receives timely support, even during peak traffic.
• Smart routing: Moreover, when a request becomes too complex for automation, AI can automatically route it to the right human agent. This seamless handoff shortens resolution time and helps your support team focus on high-priority cases.
• Personalized help: In addition, AI can analyze each customer’s data and behavior to deliver tailored recommendations or proactive solutions, for example, “Your order’s delayed, here’s a discount for next time.” This not only solves problems but also builds trust and loyalty.

Proven results: As a result, brands that use AI-powered support often report up to 80% faster response times and 20–30% higher customer satisfaction rates, especially during sales surges like BFCM.

By connecting automation with human understanding, AI enables you to serve more customers, resolve issues faster, and maintain a smooth, positive shopping experience, even on your busiest days.

L’Oréal – Integrates AI chat support and virtual try-on tools that help customers choose products online. This reduces confusion, boosts confidence, and leads to fewer post-sale issues.

18. Host a livestream selling event

By going live on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and directly in your mobile app, you can showcase products, demonstrate how they work, answer questions, and offer limited-time discounts while viewers watch. This format builds trust and urgency, shoppers see products in action and feel part of the moment.

According to McKinsey, livestream shopping can drive conversion rates up to 10 times higher than traditional ecommerce, and viewers typically spend more per session. For smaller brands, it’s also a cost-effective way to humanize your brand and stand out during the noise of BFCM.

To make your livestream successful:

• Announce it early and promote countdown reminders on social media.
• Offer exclusive deals or giveaways available only to live viewers.
• Keep the session short (20–40 minutes), engaging, and interactive, encouraging comments and questions.
• If possible, host it inside your mobile app using tools like OneMobile, so shoppers can watch, chat, and check out without leaving the stream.

When done right, a BFCM livestream isn’t just about selling, it creates community, excitement, and real-time engagement that can continue driving traffic long after the event ends.

SHEIN runs frequent livestreams on its app, especially during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, featuring influencers who try on products and drop exclusive discount codes live.

19. Donate to a cause for every purchase

Adding a charitable element to your BFCM campaign can help your brand stand out and build stronger emotional connections with customers.Instead of only focusing on discounts, you can pledge to donate a portion of every sale or contribute one product for every purchase made during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

For example, a clothing store could donate a warm item to a shelter for each jacket sold, or a beauty brand could fund clean water initiatives with every order.

20. Extend your sale with a Cyber Week campaign

Don’t let the excitement end on Cyber Monday. Many shoppers still browse for deals throughout the week after BFCM, so extending your sale into Cyber Week gives you more time to capture those extra purchases.

Instead of ending your discounts abruptly, consider gradually reducing offers or shifting the focus, for example, from sitewide discounts to bundle deals or loyalty rewards. This approach helps maintain momentum while protecting your margins.

You can also use Cyber Week to target customers who showed interest but didn’t buy during BFCM. Send them personalized reminders, restock alerts, or “last chance” emails to re-engage them.

A well-planned Cyber Week campaign keeps your store visible when competitors have already wrapped up, giving you a valuable edge in customer acquisition and repeat sales.

21. Launch “Localized Flash Sales” by region

Shoppers in different parts of the world don’t all shop at the same time, or for the same reasons. Launching localized flash sales that match each region’s timezone and cultural habits can help you boost conversions around the clock. For example, start your sale at midnight local time in Japan, run a lunchtime deal in the U.K., or push evening offers in North America when online activity peaks.

This approach not only makes your deals more relevant but also creates a sense of exclusivity and urgency for each market. According to Shopify data, brands that personalize promotions by region see up to 20% higher conversion rates compared to one-size-fits-all campaigns.

22. Create Geo-targeted popups and banners

Not all shoppers respond to the same message, so let your website speak their language, literally. Using geo-targeted popups and banners, you can deliver region-specific promotions based on a visitor’s IP address, browser language, or currency setting.

For instance, show a message like “Free Shipping to Canada on Orders Over CA$100” to Canadian visitors or “Enjoy 10% Off in EUR!” to shoppers in Europe. Studies show that localized on-site messages can increase engagement rates by 80% because they make customers feel seen and valued.

Transcy’s localization features let you automate these personalized experiences without coding. By combining relevant offers with local context, you build immediate trust and connection, which often leads to higher conversions and longer session times.

Amped up to finish the year strong?

The biggest flash sales season of the year is approaching. If you want to break through the limits and round up your bottom line, this is your shot, so plan ahead, analyze your past data (if any), experiment with new promotion ideas, and make every move count.