How to Boost Your Dropshipping Sales for BFCM 2024

[JasonH]

We recently spoke with Zopi developers @Zopi about how dropshipping businesses can enhance their sales during this holiday season.

BFCM, short for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, occurs this year on November 28 and December 2. Since the 1960s, BFCM has become a major shopping event, marking the start of Christmas and New Year’s shopping. It’s one of the most anticipated sales periods for all merchants, both online and in-store, including dropshipping stores. 

Did you know? In 2023, Shopify merchants reached a record of $9.3 billion in sales over Black Friday-Cyber Monday (BFCM) weekend — a 24% increase from the year before.

Table of Content

• Build a planning timeline
• Plan for strategies
• Set clear goals
• Conduct market research for BFCM 2024
• Tailor your marketing campaigns
• Craft compelling deals
• Customize your customer emails
• Engage with Social Media audiences
• Optimize your online store
• Ensure fast loading times
• Test mobile responsiveness
• Enhance customer experience
• Communicate actively with buyers
• Reward loyal customers
• Simplify the return process
• Use apps to elevate your BFCM game
• ZOPI - AliExpress Dropshipping
• Transcy: AI Language Translate
• OneLoyalty: Loaylty & Rewards
• TrueProfit: Profit Analytics
• Ali Reviews: Kudosi Reviews

 

Build a planning timeline

Creating a timeline for BFCM is crucial for executing your marketing, operations, and sales strategies effectively. A structured timeline helps you prepare in advance, allocate resources wisely, and track performance, ultimately driving more sales during this key shopping period.

Pre-BFCM (8-10 weeks before BFCM)

1. Finalize product selection & inventory: Identify winning products using tools like Zopi and ensure suppliers have adequate stock. Prepare contingency plans with alternative suppliers.
2. Set clear goals: Define sales and engagement targets using the SMART goals system (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
3. Test website functionality: Conduct stress tests to ensure your site can handle increased traffic. Optimize loading speed and checkout processes.
4. Plan marketing campaigns: Develop marketing strategies, including ads, email marketing, and social media promotions. Create compelling BFCM offers.
5. Build & segment email list: Segment your customer base and prepare teaser emails for loyal customers and early subscribers.
6. Launch early teasers: Send teaser emails and social media posts to build anticipation, offering exclusive early access to sales for VIP customers.
7. Prepare customer support: Train your support team to handle BFCM-related queries efficiently.
8. Push email marketing: Send reminders and countdowns to your email list, highlighting exclusive offers.
9. Run Ad campaigns: Review ad targeting, budgets, and creatives to ensure alignment with your strategy.

 

During BFCM

1. Monitor sales & website performance: Keep an eye on site speed and product availability, making real-time adjustments as needed.
2. Engage customers on social media: Respond actively to comments and questions to maintain engagement.
3. Launch flash sales: Introduce limited-time offers to create urgency.
4. Track campaign performance: Review and adjust marketing campaigns based on performance.
5. Continue email and social pushes: Update your audience on stock availability and last-minute deals.
6. Customer support: Ensure your team is ready to handle inquiries promptly.

 

Post-BFCM

1. Analyze performance: Review sales data and customer behavior to assess your store's performance.
2. Gather customer feedback: Send post-purchase surveys to gain insights on customer satisfaction.
3. Process returns & handle after-sales support: Ensure efficient processing of returns and address any fulfillment issues.
4. Retarget customers: Engage customers who didn’t complete purchases with follow-up promotions.
5. Evaluate your strategy: Meet with your team to assess the BFCM strategy, document lessons learned, and plan improvements for future events.

 

 

Plan for Strategies

Set clear goals

Before preparing for BFCM, it’s essential to define clear goals. Without well-defined objectives, your efforts may lack focus, leading to wasted time and missed opportunities. Setting goals provides direction, allowing you to prioritize tasks, allocate resources effectively, and measure progress.

Source: Diard, A. (2024, May 14). Why Your Company Needs SMART HR Goals - PeopleSpheres.

Utilize the SMART framework for effective goal setting:

1. Set specific goals: Make your goals clear and actionable. For example, instead of saying “increase sales,” specify, “increase sales by 30% during BFCM 2024 compared to last year.”
2. Make your goals measurable: Include specific metrics to track progress. For instance, aim for $100,000 in total sales.
3. Ensure goals are achievable: Set realistic targets based on your resources. For example, “We need to fulfill 200 orders per day during BFCM, and our supplier can handle this.”
4. Set relevant goals: Align goals with your long-term business objectives. If customer retention is a focus, aim to boost repeat purchases or grow your email list.
5. Make goals time-bound: Establish a clear deadline to motivate your team. For example, “Achieve $30,000 in sales on Black Friday and $20,000 on Cyber Monday.”

 

Conduct market research for BFCM 2024

Conducting market research is vital for preparing your dropshipping store. Start by analyzing consumer behavior trends from previous years to identify peak shopping times and popular product categories. Use tools like Google Trends to predict what customers will seek during BFCM 2024.

Next, analyze competitors’ promotions, marketing tactics, and pricing strategies. Subscribe to their email lists and follow their ad campaigns to understand their positioning.

Understanding your audience is also key. Analyze customer behaviors, preferences, and demographics to tailor your offers. Conduct surveys or review feedback to gauge expectations regarding discounts and shipping times.

Finally, leverage dropshipping tools like Zopi to discover trending products that resonate with your audience. This research will help you offer the right products at competitive prices while staying ahead of the competition.

 

 

Tailor your marketing campaigns 

Crafting Compelling Offers

1. Source products early: Order products as soon as possible to ensure timely delivery. Suppliers may require lead time, especially during peak seasons.
2. Create irresistible discounts: Offer attractive discounts on popular products to draw customers in. Consider tiered discounts, flash sales, or exclusive bundles to encourage higher cart values and clear inventory.

 

Customize your customer emails

1. Prioritize email campaigns: Start sending teaser emails weeks in advance to promote early bird deals and VIP access for loyal customers.
• Optimize for Email Capture: Make it easy for visitors to sign up for updates.
• Personalize Campaigns: Use personalization to increase engagement and conversions.
• Send Warm-Up Emails: Tease your BFCM offers to build anticipation.
• Thank Customers Post-Sale: Follow up with a thank-you email after the event to strengthen relationships.
• Create Abandoned Cart Emails: Capture lost sales with automated reminders for abandoned carts.
2. Build and segment your email list early:
• Use lead magnets: Offer incentives like discounts or free shipping to encourage sign-ups.
• Promote on your website: Use pop-ups and banners to highlight email sign-up offers.
• Run targeted Ads: Drive traffic to a dedicated landing page for email opt-ins.
• Utilize checkout lists: Automatically add customers to your email list during checkout.
• Implement referral incentives: Encourage existing customers to invite friends to join your email list.
3. Segment your email list: Tailor campaigns based on:
• Purchase history: Send targeted offers based on previous purchases.
• New vs. returning customers: Offer welcome discounts to new customers and loyalty rewards to returning ones.
• Behavior-based segmentation: Target cart abandoners with reminders and personalized discounts.
• Demographic segmentation: Offer region-specific deals based on customer demographics.

 

Engage with social media audiences

In addition, social media engagement is key to keeping your audience excited and informed. Use platforms like Instagram, TikT ok, and Facebook to create buzz around your BFCM offers. Share sneak peeks, use countdown timers, and engage with your followers through interactive content like polls, Q&A sessions, and user-generated content to increase visibility and build momentum leading into BFCM.

You can incorporate seasonal motifs into the hero image on your social media like cover image, avatar, or just another special theme and extend that imagery to multiple sales channels, for a memorable, cohesive campaign.

 

 

Optimize your online store

Ensure fast loading times

Optimize your dropshipping store for Black Friday traffic to prevent slow load times and crashes. Use tools like PageSpeed Insights to test your site, as even a 0.1-second speed improvement can boost conversions by 10%. 

Streamline your site’s architecture by removing unnecessary tools and minimizing pop-ups. Enhance product pages with clear calls-to-action (CTAs), detailed descriptions, and efficient payment methods to improve conversion rates.

 

Test mobile responsiveness

With many shoppers using mobile devices, ensure your site is mobile-responsive. Test navigation, button accessibility, and checkout processes. Offer mobile-friendly payment options like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal to simplify transactions.

 

 

Enhance customer experience

Communicate actively with buyers

Prepare your support team for the busy BFCM period by providing comprehensive training in communication and problem-solving. Equip them with pre-written responses for common issues like lost orders or product dissatisfaction. Focus on developing listening and empathy skills to enhance customer satisfaction.

 

Reward loyal customers

Prioritize your loyal customers by offering exclusive discounts, early access to sales, and referral perks. Implement a customer loyalty program to provide bonus points and special deals, encouraging repeat purchases and word-of-mouth referrals.

 

Simplify return process 

A clear and fair return policy is crucial for building trust. Display your return policy prominently on your website and in order confirmation emails. A hassle-free return process can significantly influence purchasing decisions.

 

Use apps to elevate your BFCM game

• ZOPI - AliExpress Dropshipping: Discover and import trending products from AliExpress and automate fulfillment with ease.
• Transcy: AI Language Translate: Translate your store into multiple languages and offer real-time currency conversion to reach global customers effortlessly.
• OneLoyalty: Loyalty & Rewards: Implement a loyalty program that rewards customers for purchases and engagement, offering redeemable points for discounts and perks.
• TrueProfit: Profit Analytics: Track your store’s true profit in real-time, unlocking valuable insights to inform your business decisions.
• Ali Reviews: Kudosi Reviews: Import reviews from AliExpress and Amazon to build trust, automate review requests, and enhance your product credibility.

 

Wrapping up

We hope this article sets your dropshipping store up for success in the upcoming BFCM 2024. Feel like learning more about dropshipping? Explore ZopiSupport’s app page for additional options and resources! 

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