Every year, Black Friday / Cyber Monday (BFCM) is our version of the AFL Grand Final – if you’re in the business of digital marketing, eCommerce, and other related spaces.
But, the 2024 iteration of it comes with a twist.
We’re firstly talking Cyber Monday in December, which hasn’t happened since 2019 (*and that was when the pandemic hit, so not nearly similar contexts at all).
Election year also throws a wrench into businesses’ ad spend plans, so if you're a brand owner or marketer, this is the year to think fast, act smart, and stay in the know.
Here’s five reasons why this BFCM is anything but ordinary.
The “CM” in BFCM Shifts into December
In 2024, Cyber Monday falls on December 2nd – unlike most years prior where the entire BFCM period exists nicely within November. Meaning, a unique challenge for Q4 forecasting. With this date shift, the typical November sales surge will roll into December, so when comparing year-over-year (YoY) data for 2023 and 2024, November overall might look underwhelming, while December could seem inflated.
For marketers and business owners, this means rethinking your end-of-year strategies and giving more attention to how December’s performance might affect your full Q4 targets. Also, it will (or should) affect your budget projections and when you decide to go hardest on investment.
But data and financials aside, we ought to think about consumer behaviour as well.
“Extended” shopping seasons (i.e. Cyber Monday blending into December) may make customers believe they have more time, spreading out sales and lengthening consideration phases. Early bird promotions, frequent sale reminders, and late-season urgency tactics (e.g. countdown timers) could be more important than ever.
Shorter Gifting Window (By A Full Week!)
With Cyber Monday finding itself in December, we’re left with only 17-18 days between this big sale and Christmas itself. That regular gifting period you’re used to for the purchase and delivery of gifts? Cut short.
So, this shorter gap between two massive sales puts immense pressure on businesses to get creative.
One possible strategy is to reposition your BFCM sales period as THE peak time for gifting time – especially for brands in sectors like apparel, lifestyle or tech (which heavily rely on gift sales).
Perhaps encourage self-gifting early in November, and promote this time as a treat-yourself moment before the real holiday rush begins. Then, as soon as the actual BFCM kicks off, transition swiftly into holiday gifting mode as your messaging.
P.S. Keep an eye on shipping cutoffs too.
US Election Year Impacts The World
Most of us reading this will be based in Australia.
But the upcoming US presidential election will have a ripple effect across all digital advertising, especially if you’ve got storefronts worldwide. It’s expected that CPMs and CPCs will skyrocket by 30% in October, as political campaigns flood the market and ad bidding auctions.
In short? Costs of reaching your target audience will be much higher than usual.
To mitigate this, it might be valuable to shift your marketing budget after the election chaos dies down. Brands historically recoup losses from weaker October sales with a strong BFCM push once consumer attention returns to shopping, but that said, keep in mind that consumer confidence and spending may be influenced by election outcomes.
You can always adjust your ad spend strategy — like reallocating to cheaper channels such as email or SMS marketing during October, to help counteract some of these effects.
Not sure where to start when it comes to this? Try our elite CRM team.
AI, Mobile-First & Tech Takeovers
More so than ever before, eCommerce has grown heavily reliant on AI, mobile-first, and social media connections. Expect AI-driven personalisation to be at the forefront of 2024 marketing solutions, whilst customers expect their shopping experience to feel more tailored and efficient.
This year, 54% of all online sales are expected to come from mobile.
And social commerce (i.e. shopping directly on platforms like TikTok and Instagram) will continue its rise, driven by influencer collaborations, livestream shopping, and viral flash sales.
Brands that lean into social-first content will see higher engagement and sales, and capitalising on influencers (esp. micro-influencers who have proven time and time again that high-converting content IS their thing) will be key for reaching niche audiences and driving authentic, community-driven sales.
Have you secured your partnerships yet? Doing so in time for BFCM might be cutting it close, but we’ve only just started Q4 – so it might be worth chatting with the experts at our sister-agency Sticki if you’re 100% certain you’re ready to lock in collabs.
Extended BFCM Sale Periods
One final trend to watch is the extension of the BFCM sales window.
More and more brands are starting their holiday promotions as early as September, and running them all the way through December with differing offer types.
It’s not just about offering endless discounts, though — it’s a strategy to ease the pressure of the holiday season for both businesses and consumers.
For businesses, this stretched-out period means you can experiment with different promotions, sharing early-bird specials in September, and ramping up to more urgent, last-chance deals in November. Never underestimate the power of an A/B test.
For customers, it creates a less stressful shopping experience, as they don’t have to cram all their holiday buying (and spending!) into one weekend. This extended period is also great for building loyalty and keeping shoppers engaged over a longer timeframe
To wrap up, BFCM in 2024 is not BAU.
It’s got factors and unique characteristics that might make for a tougher landscape to work with, but not unless you’ve got future planning and curated strategies in place.
Adjust your strategies, make the most of early promotions, and be agile with your budget allocation to stay ahead of the game! Our experts are equipped to tell you just where your existing strategies can do with a little spice… And you can find them here.
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