Everything you need to know about dropshipping during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just around the corner, and if you're in the dropshipping business, you know these aren’t just ordinary shopping days—they’re a goldmine of opportunity! As Black Friday and Cyber Monday collide and create one of the most prolific sale events of a shopper’s calendar, there’s no time like right now to rethink your dropshipping offering. So, hurry up and hustle.
This online sale event is unmissable on a global scale. Everyone and anyone will be fighting tooth and nail to get their hands on the very best deals. And that’s where your dropshipping store comes in!
This year Black Friday lands on November 24th and the sales are expected to continue right through to Cyber Monday on November 27th. Customers expect jaw-dropping discounts and what ensues year after year are record-breaking sales for online retailers and dropshippers alike. Fancy a piece of that pie? We thought you might!
Many retailers use Black Friday and Cyber Monday to clear out their stock ready to add new lines in the new year. Customers take advantage of this unique opportunity to get their hands on the best deals ahead of the Christmas frenzy.
But, why is it important for dropshippers to make the most of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events to increase their sales. And what should dropshippers be considering adding to their existing catalogues ahead of the sales. We’ll unveil all this and more in our epic guide to navigating the Black Friday sales like a pro. Read on to find all that need-to-know info!
Why is Black Friday One of Biggest Shopping Events of the Year?
Black Friday is a colloquial term used to describe the Friday following the US national holiday Thanksgiving. Black Friday is widely regarded as the official start of the Christmas shopping season in the US. And every year more and more retailers get on board the Black Friday and Cyber Monday train. Some physical stores offer extended opening hours to try and compete with the accessibility of the online shopping world. But the numbers speak volumes when it comes to the continued rise in popularity of this epic shopping weekend.
Online sales during Cyber Week, which included the five days following Thanksgiving, increased by 7.8% in 2023 over the previous year. Cyber Monday e-commerce expenditure in the United States was $12.4 billion, up 9.6% year over year.
The most popular products among U.S. customers who planned to shop online on Black Friday and Cyber Monday were electronics, apparel and accessories, and toys.
In 2022, customer spending in the US reached a record $9.12 billion on Black Friday. That’s a 2.3% increase on recorded customer spends in 2021. And as of right now, a new record is forecast to be set in 2023.
If you want to boost your sales and profit totals, Black Friday offers possibly the best opportunity of the year. The numbers demonstrate the level of customer demand. And with some clever marketing tactics and some careful product optimisation, your dropshipping store could soar to new heights during the 2023 Cyber Weekend.
Ultimate Dropshipping Tips to Maximize Your Sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday
If you’re keen to get in on the sales action boasted by Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there are a number of things you need to do. And that starts with your customers. Let them know they have some great deals and discounts to look forward to in advance. Read on for our top tips to help you achieve dropshipping success in the 2024 Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
1. Prep Your Online Store for Sales
If you’ve ever shopped in the Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales, you’ll have noticed that many of the leading retailers online platforms undergo a makeover of sorts. With dedicated Black Friday store themes and templates readily available, this is really easy to achieve. If your customers are greeted with a Black Friday or Cyber Monday store theme, you can count on them being aware of the discounts and sales happening right now.
Whichever platform your dropshipping platform is managed through, you’ll have access to a bunch of different themes and templates that can also be customised to suit your brand. And if you have some graphic design skills, why not create your own custom banners ahead of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday events? Also, make sure there is no technical glitch while checkout due to increased traffic to give your customers a smooth shopping experience.
2. Tag Product Listings
Tagging your products makes life easier when you’re trying to find them while allowing you to keep track of their performance during the sales. If choosing to add new products specifically for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales event, tag them as such.
When the sales are over, you’ll be able to analyze their performance with the help of product tags. Look at the products tagged for the event and compare their performance with the performance of your usual product catalogue. Any that underperformed can be deleted (and replaced if you like) in favour of keeping the best-sellers. Keeping a log of product performance from the Black Friday sales this year can help you make important decisions when looking at which products to sell next time around.
3. Limited-Time Deals are Great Sales Tactic
If your Black Friday and Cyber Monday dropshipping deals are only available for a limited time, this is a tactic you can use to boost your sales. With a sense of urgency, customers are more likely to convert so as not to miss out on the limited availability of the discounts. Just look at Amazon Prime Day - that’s loaded with mini limited-time deals that drop intermittently. That type of exclusivity is a great way to encourage your potential customers to convert fast. For this add a countdown timer showing the deals which will give your customers an adrenaline rush to buy products.
Emphasize on the limited-time deals throughout the Black Friday and Cyber Monday and you’ll drive more sales. It’s also good from a reputation standpoint too! Make customers believe that your dropshipping store is a go-to for those wow-worthy deals they’re hoping for. And with Spocket suppliers in your arsenal, you won’t have to worry about the quality of the products you sell being a letdown when they arrive with your customers.
Success in dropshipping is all about reputation. And a good reputation leads to easier customer retention.
4. Consider Extending Your Sale
Once your Black Friday and Cyber Monday dropshipping sale is in full swing, extending the sale period is a great way to encourage your customers to return and spend more. Many top global retailers extend their Cyber Monday sales for the whole week following the Black Friday weekend. Why not do the same and extend your deals and discounts to maximise sales during this unique period of shopping frenzy.
Reserve your very best deals on your best selling products for Black Friday. And then follow this up with a slew of new daily offerings to keep the sales rolling in. What’s more, you can also attract new customers who missed the boat on those initial Black Friday products.
5. Create Content Around Black Friday Sales
Consider creating a blog post or an article dedicated to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales event. Although this could take a bit of effort, it’s valuable for your customers and Google SERPs reward high-quality content.
This blog post or article can then be worked into your email and social media marketing strategies.
Add featured deals in a listicle format. Be sure to add internal links to the products on your site to ensure your customers have convenient access. And don’t forget to mention that these items will be discounted during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
It’s also a good idea to feature any related blog posts or articles you have written for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales on your dropshipping store’s homepage. Doing so will maximise visibility and draw in more organic traffic.
6. Maintain Competitiveness of Your Store
With every customer trying to track down the very best deals during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, staying competitive with your prices is essential. Yes, lower your prices. But ensure you are still able to maintain a steady profit while doing so. Make sure you check the pricing of competitors to avoid being undercut but a couple of cents.
At the end of the day, more sales with slightly less profit per purchase is still preferable to having fewer sales. And, don’t forget to revert the prices to their original margins after the sale is over.
7. Partner with More Dropshipping Suppliers During Sales Events
Partnering with just one dropshipping supplier limits the selling potential of your online store. What’s more, when relying on one dropshipping supplier, you could end up limiting the number of products you can actually sell.
Working with multiple suppliers gives you access to new trending products, which will in turn give you the flexibility you need to grow your dropshipping business. Whether you’re new to the world of dropshipping or are a seasoned Black Friday veteran, working with more than one supplier is a good idea.
8. Plan Your Marketing Strategy
Marketing strategies ensure you are targeting the right audience. And this couldn’t be more important than during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Here are a few ideas to help you on your way to successfully creating and executing your dropshipping Black Friday and Cyber Monday marketing strategy.
Offer Your Customers a Glimpse of What They Can Expect
If you want the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales to be successful, start building anticipation now. Give them a sneaky peek at the unmissable deals and discounts you’ll have up for grabs when the sales arrive. The goal is to spark consumer curiosity to the point where they cannot avoid returning on Black Friday.
Harness the Power of Social Media Platforms
Social media is an extremely powerful tool in the world of marketing. So, why not use it to your advantage by circulating your Black Friday and Cyber Monday dropshipping deals through Instagram, or Facebook, or Threads? By creating visually engaging social media posts you’ll be able to draw customers to your store.
Remember to make use of any and all relevant hashtags. Encouraging (or incentivizing) your followers to share your social media posts will enhance their impressions too. Be present in the lead up to and throughout the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. This will help to keep your followers in the loop and excited about the upcoming event.
Consider Ad Campaigns
nvest in targeted advertising strategies to increase dropshipping sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Instagram Ads are three examples of ad campaign tools we can use to reach potential customers that are on the lookout for discounts and deals.
Consider Discount Codes
Discount codes are a fan favourite amongst online retailers and customers alike. So, if you’re going to offer a discount via the use of a code during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday event, name it something relevant! BLACKFRIDAY25 or CYBERMONDAY15 give customers a clear indication that the discounts are exclusive to the event.
And, if you do go with a site-wide discount code this Black Friday, plaster it everywhere you have the opportunity to. Display it within all of your marketing strategies and on your website homepage too. Doing so will remind your audience to associate the Cyber sales with your store!
Email Marketing
When it comes to retaining your customers, their email address is one of the most valuable tools you can have. Email marketing helps to create long-term relationships between online stores and their customers. And by staying in touch with your customers you can drive more sales.
And so, using your email list, create a dropshipping Black Friday email marketing campaign.. If you don’t have one, start building one today. Right now.
15+ Dropshipping Products that You Must Add to Your Store During Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales
So, now you know how to successfully plan, navigate and execute the dropshipping sales, it’s time to talk about products. Here are our top 10 products to consider adding to your catalogue for Black Friday 2023.
1. Tech Accessories
The landscape of technology is ever-evolving. But luckily for you, everyone is trying really hard to keep up. And tech deals are always popular during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
In 2023, tech is all about the modcons of tech. From wireless headphones and bluetooth speakers to selfie sticks, ereaders and beyond there’s a type of tech that’s tailored to every shopper. So, why not cash in on this high demand shopping niche this Black Friday?
2. Bedding
As the months turn colder, we spend more time thinking about being tucked up warm in bed. So, offering your customers some discounted bedding during the Black Friday sales is sure to boost your sales.
And while most trending products aren’t timeless, home décor is a consistently popular niche in general and that doesn’t look like it’ll change any time soon. If choosing to add bedding to your dropshipping catalogue during the Black Friday event, a little research goes a long way. Use Google trends to figure out what’s popular right now among your target audience.
And be sensible with what size bedding you offer too. How many grown adults do you really know that would want a Pokemon bedding set (for example)? Sure this is a consistently highly searched for trend but, is offering it in a California King size really necessary?
3. Women’s Clothing
Women’s clothing is consistently a top trending product category and that’s true more so than ever during the Black Friday sales. With women across the globe looking to get their party wardrobe in check ahead of the festivities at a steal, now is the time to cash in! Plus, considering the speed at which fashion evolves, you may find that this niche will work for your dropshipping business year-round.
4. Jeweley
Jewelry is always trending. And affordable trending pieces are readily available from our partnering dropshipping suppliers. So, if you’ve been wondering what products will work for your startup or just want to add some additional dropshipping products to your existing Black Friday eCommerce offering, jewelry could be ideal.
And to stay on top of the latest jewelry trends, keep your eyes open and your ear to the ground.
Celebrity-inspired pieces are known to catch fire quickly with their followers eager to source replicas. As a Spocket member, staying ahead of the curve is much easier. Our algorithms identify and recommend top trending products so, why not review our recommendations in the jewelry category and keep your offering up to date?
5. Pet products
There are millions of pet owners across the globe. But, there are actually very few pet product specialists to choose from. So here’s a really viable Black Friday niche you can embrace.
And the type of pet products you add to your catalogue this Black Friday and Cyber Monday is up to you. That said, we forecast an influx in the sale of seasonal pet products such as Christmas pet clothing and food bowls in this year’s event.
6. Toys
Toys are a timeless general trend. However, it’s those actual toy trends – as in that one toy that every kid in the world wants for Christmas this year – that evolve fastest. The takeaway from this information is to stay up to date with which toys are trending right now and add them to your dropshipping site ahead of the Black Friday sales.
The popularity of toys grows organically as we get closer to the holiday season. But, with so many kids comes so many birthdays and so, there is actually consumer demand for toys all-year-round. So, post this year’s sales, why not trial your toy collection a little longer and see whether it’s worth offering year-round to accommodate the masses?
7. Diffusers
Diffusers are a great gift whatever the occasion. Given that diffusers can help promote mental wellbeing and global media is fixated on mental health, we’re predicting diffuser sales will fly through the roof in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales this year.
8. Fitness Equipment and Accessories
Given that the vast majority of your customers don't have space to accommodate a full home gym setup, we’d recommend adding items such as hand-weights, yoga mats, kettlebells, and resistance bands to your dropshipping store for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
Fitness equipment is a hot topic. And as the festive season grows closer, so too does the new year. And many of your dropshipping customers will have their own fitness goals planned out for their 2024 resolutions. So, why not give them some irresistible discounts and encourage them to prepare for their new year’s resolution while the price is better than alright?
9. Candles
Candles are another product shoppers like to stock up on during the Black Friday sales. Given their instantly calming appeal and ability to set the mood, scented candles are proving extremely popular in eCommerce right now.
A little research relating to which scents are trending on top ahead of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday event will help you boost sales in Q4.
10. Sex Toys
There was a time that talking about sex was considered taboo. But that time has long since passed. And now, with an endless stream of adult toys to indulge your every desire, adults are actually having fun shopping for toys.
With the subject of sex no longer being regarded as taboo, sex toys have become extremely marketable. And as a result, they’re in demand. So, why not trial sex toys in your Black Friday and Cyber Monday dropshipping range this year? We’re predicting products will fly off the virtual shelves!
11. Beauty Products
Beauty products such as facial cleansing brushes, jade rollers, and LED masks are not only trendy but also necessary! Everyone wants to treat themselves with a fresh and amazing look, especially as the holidays approach. Offering these cosmetic essentials means participating in the self-care trend, making your business a must-visit place for skincare enthusiasts. Plus, these things are ideal for gifting, making them even more appealing throughout the holiday season!
12. Winter Apparel
Who doesn't enjoy snuggling up in comfortable winter clothing? Winter clothing, including warm socks, elegant beanies, and fleece coats, is a seasonal staple that sells out on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Customers are in search of style as well as comfort, and offering a selection of trendy winter clothes will help you increase sales while keeping them warm.
13. Car Accessories
Car accessories are popular among customers who wish to improve their driving experience. Phone mounts, mini vacuums, and Bluetooth adapters are practical solutions that make driving easier and more fun. During Black Friday and Cyber Monday, these modest yet significant products are ideal for impulsive purchases, boosting your dropshipping store with little effort.
14. Travel Essentials
As travel resumes, customers are looking for travel basics such as packing cubes, neck pillows, and toiletry organizers. These products are not only useful but also add to the thrill of approaching vacations. Stocking these items in your store allows you to connect with tourists who are eager to explore, making their packing process easier—and your sales grow!
15. Personalized Gifts
Personalized gifts are the perfect holiday hit! People enjoy giving personalized gifts, such as custom mugs, engraved jewelry, or monogrammed items. Offering personalized products appeals to customers looking for exclusive, considerate gifts. This category is a treasure during the holidays, ideal for customers who want to go above and beyond for their loved ones.
How to Choose Which Products to Add During the Sales
Product research is the key to securing your success during the sales this year. It can help us to identify product trends and thus identify which are more likely to sell. So, to maximize sales this Black Friday and Cyber Monday, champion trending products are what your dropshipping store really needs.
Spocket is on hand to help you with its user-friend features and product search functionality.
Once you’ve discovered which trending products are right for your dropshipping store, importing them is super easy. Monitoring the performance of new products and analyzing peaks and troughs in sales will help you decide whether to continue offering them. Delete any products that underperformed. Additionally, you can use product research tools to get a detailed idea of trending products.
Securing the success of your dropshipping store depends on your ability to complete ongoing product research. It may be a timely process, but the results will be worth the time you’ve invested in the end.
Here are some of the characteristics of the different types of products you want to look to add to your dropshipping portfolio:
- Evergreen products
- Products with a high profit margin
- Products with a high perceived value
- Medium and high ticket products
- Products that are relevant to your chosen niche
Evergreen products are those that are consistently in demand year-round. These are a staple of any dropshipping store as they help ensure year-round sales. Choosing products with a high perceived value enables you to price items so that you can benefit from higher profit margins.
Medium to high ticket products are a safe bet during sales events like Black Friday. Customers are more likely to save up their hard earned cash to make bigger purchases. And typically, they’ll wait until the very best deals are on the table before parting with their savings. So, consider adding more expensive items like appliances, tech, and furniture pieces to your dropshipping store during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday events.
Our Conclusion
We’ve given you that all-important info you need to make the most of this year’s most highly anticipated sales event. If you want to break sales records during your dropshipping Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale, put the strategies outlined in this guide to good use and start preparing your store, marketing strategies, and product offerings today.