Top 5 BFCM Mistakes Shopify Merchants Should Avoid (And How to Fix Them)

Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) is the ultimate test for every Shopify merchant. It’s like the championship game for your store, where your site, promotions, and customer service are put through the ringer. With so much riding on these few days, making a mistake can cost you more than just a few missed sales - it could hurt your reputation, and long-term growth.

But don’t worry, that’s exactly what this guide is here for. We’re diving into the top 5 BFCM mistakes Shopify merchants should avoid, along with actionable strategies to sidestep these pitfalls and set your store up for a winning holiday season. Let’s dive in.

Mistake #1: Not Preparing for High Traffic

You’ve been working tirelessly to build hype, create irresistible offers, and design stunning product pages. But when the big day arrives, your store slows down - or worse, crashes. Imagine dozens of frustrated customers leaving your site because of poor performance, never to return again. It’s a nightmare scenario that no merchant wants to face.

Why It Happens:

Many merchants underestimate just how much traffic their stores will see during BFCM. A surge in visitors, coupled with complex product pages and high-resolution images can strain your site’s performance. If you don’t take the time to optimize and stress-test your store, you might find yourself watching customers bounce just as quickly as they arrive.

The Solution:

• Conduct Load Testing Before BFCM
  Don’t wait until it’s too late. Perform load testing on your site to see how it handles high traffic. Shopify offers a built-in Online Store Speed Report that gives you insights into your store’s performance. Additionally, third-party tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can help identify areas for improvement.
  
  There are different types of load testing you can perform. Consider running stress tests to see how your store handles sudden traffic spikes, or volume tests to gauge how steady increases in traffic impact performance. Using tools like LoadImpact and WebPageTest can provide more granular insights beyond Shopify’s built-in reports.
• Optimize Site Speed
  Every second counts when it comes to page load time. Compress images, use lazy loading for visuals, and reduce the number of third-party scripts that run in the background. If you’re using high-quality videos or animation, make sure they don’t impact your site’s performance.
• Upgrade Your Hosting or Plan
  If you’re expecting a huge influx of visitors, consider upgrading your hosting plan temporarily. Shopify Plus merchants have access to more bandwidth and priority support, making it a worthwhile investment for the holiday season.
• Consider CDN (Content Delivery Network) Usage: Mention using a CDN like Cloudflare to handle global traffic better, reduce server load, and improve site speed. A quick note about the benefits of CDNs during high-traffic events like BFCM could be useful.
• Simplify Your Store’s Design
  Complex layouts, animations, and heavy visuals can slow down your site. Aim for a clean, minimalist design that showcases your products without overwhelming your visitors.

Pro Tip: Use Shopify’s built-in tools and third-party services like NitroPack to boost your store’s performance. Remember, a fast site means happy customers - and happy customers mean more sales!

Mistake #2: Neglecting Data Privacy Compliance

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of running promotions and capturing leads during BFCM, but don’t forget about the legal side. Data privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA are stricter than ever, and ignoring them can lead to hefty fines.

Why It Happens:

With so much focus on boosting sales and expanding customer lists, compliance can easily slip down the priority list. Many merchants either don’t understand the requirements or assume they’re not affected because they’re not based in a specific region. This mindset is risky, especially if you’re reaching international customers who fall under these regulations.

The Solution:

• Review and Update Your Cookie Consent Banner
  Every visitor to your site should be greeted with a clear, compliant cookie banner. This banner should give them the option to “Accept All,” “Reject All,” or customize their preferences. The goal is to be transparent about how you’re using their data.

• Use Consentmo for Compliance
  Managing GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy laws manually can be overwhelming, especially during a high-traffic season like BFCM. Consentmo simplifies compliance by automating cookie consent management. Our app offers features like automatic scanning, and customizable consent banners, verifying that your store meets global compliance standards without manual effort.
• Update Your Privacy Policy
  Make sure your Privacy Policy is up-to-date and easily accessible from your cookie banner and footer. It should outline all your data collection practices, including what information you collect, how you use it, and what third parties (if any) have access.
• Implement a Data Request System
  Under laws like GDPR, customers have the right to access, modify, or delete their personal data. With Consentmo, handling these Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) is straightforward, making it a perfect addition to your compliance toolkit.

Pro Tip: Want to save time and stay compliant? Try Consentmo’s all-in-one compliance management. It’s like having a personal compliance assistant for your store!

Mistake #3: Offering Generic Discounts That Fail to Stand Out

It’s tempting to think that deep discounts are all you need to win customers over. However, in reality shoppers have become more discerning. They’re bombarded with promotions, and a basic “10% off” doesn’t cut through the noise. Offering a generic discount can not only reduce your margins, but also make your brand seem less valuable.

Why It Happens:

Creating unique offers takes time and creativity. Many merchants take a shortcut and roll out blanket discounts, hoping that lower prices will be enough to attract buyers. But during BFCM, when competition is fierce, you need to offer more than just a lower price.

The Solution:

• Personalize Your Offers Based on Customer Segments
  Analyze your customer data to create tailored offers for different segments. For example, loyal customers might appreciate an early-bird discount, while new customers could be enticed by a welcome offer. Personalization can significantly boost your conversions.
• Example Scenarios: For instance, a store selling fashion items could offer their regular customers early access to BFCM deals, while new customers get a welcome discount for signing up. Personalized offers like these have been shown to increase conversions by up to 20% compared to generic promotions.
• Create Bundled Deals and Tiered Discounts
  Instead of slashing prices across the board, create bundled offers or tiered discounts. For example, “Buy 2, Get 1 Free” or “Spend $100, Save $20.” This strategy not only increases the perceived value but also encourages customers to spend more.
• Use Scarcity and Exclusivity
  Limited-time or exclusive deals (e.g., “Only 50 units available!” or “VIP-only discounts”) create a sense of urgency. Shoppers are more likely to act quickly when they know the offer won’t last forever.
• Highlight the Value of Your Product, Not Just the Discount
  Instead of focusing solely on the discount percentage, emphasize what makes your product unique. Why is it worth the investment? What benefits does it provide?

Tiered offers work by incentivizing larger purchases. For example, ‘Save $10 on $50, $20 on $100, or $40 on $200.’ This type of discount structure not only encourages customers to spend more but also allows you to maximize your average order value during BFCM.

Pro Tip: Use email segmentation and dynamic pricing tools to offer tailored discounts based on purchase history, interests, and past interactions.

Mistake #4: Ignoring Mobile Optimization

If your site isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re losing out - big time. More than half of online shopping traffic comes from mobile devices, and that number spikes during BFCM. If your store is hard to navigate on a phone or takes too long to load, customers will leave and shop elsewhere.

Why It Happens:

Many merchants focus on desktop design, assuming shoppers will switch devices when they’re ready to make a purchase. But the reality is that customers want a seamless mobile experience. If it’s clunky, slow, or confusing, they won’t hesitate to bounce.

The Solution:

• Use a Responsive Design
  Make sure your store adapts to any screen size. Text should be readable, buttons should be easy to tap, and the overall layout should feel clean and organized.
• Simplify the Checkout Process
  Reduce the number of steps and fields required at checkout. Offer mobile-friendly payment options like Shop Pay, Apple Pay, or Google Pay to minimize friction.
• Speed Up Load Times
  Slow sites lose customers. Optimize images, compress files, and consider using Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) to boost speed.
• Test Your Store on Multiple Devices
  Don’t just assume your site works well on mobile - test it! Use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to identify issues. Make sure to test on both Android and iOS devices.

Mobile shoppers have a lower tolerance for intrusive pop-ups and busy visuals. Be selective with your use of overlays, and avoid full-screen pop-ups that obscure the main content. Use mobile-specific pop-ups that are easy to close and don’t interrupt the shopping experience.

Pro Tip: Create mobile-specific discounts or campaigns to target this audience directly. Consider running mobile-exclusive ads to capture on-the-go shoppers.

Mistake #5: Failing to Build Urgency and Scarcity

Immediacy and scarcity are two of the most powerful triggers for driving sales. Without them, shoppers may browse, add items to their cart, and then abandon it, thinking they can always come back later. During BFCM, when time-limited offers are everywhere, building a need for quick action is vital.

Why It Happens:

Some merchants worry about appearing pushy or gimmicky, while others simply forget to incorporate quick-response tactics. This pressure to act now is pivotal for motivating quick decisions, especially when competition is high.

The Solution:

• Use Countdown Timers
  Add countdown timers to product pages, checkout, and even emails. This visual cue creates a sense of time pressure, prompting shoppers to act quickly.
  
  Why does urgency work? It’s all about psychology. Humans are wired to avoid missing out - this is known as loss aversion. Creating a sense of immediacy taps into this instinct, making customers feel like they have to act now to avoid regret.

• Highlight Low Stock Levels
  Display messages like “Only 5 left in stock!” to show customers that they need to grab the deal before it’s gone.
• Run Flash Sales
  Offer flash sales for a few hours, announcing them via social media or email. This encourages immediate action and boosts engagement
• Show Real-Time Updates
  Use tools that display real-time data, like “X people are viewing this item right now” or “John from New York just bought this!” Real-time updates create social proof and show customers that others are acting fast.
• Create Limited-Time Exclusives
  Offer deals that are only available for a set period (e.g., “Early Bird Discounts” or “24-Hour Flash Sale”). Limited-time exclusives make customers feel special and encourage them to take advantage of the deal right away.
• Use Time-Sensitive Language (But Avoid Spam Triggers!)
  Incorporate phrases like “Act Now!” “Don’t Miss Out!” or “Ends Soon!” in your product descriptions, banners, and emails. This type of language communicates the need to act quickly. However, be mindful not to overdo it in email subject lines or headers, as overly aggressive wording can make your emails look spammy and lead to lower deliverability.
  Before start advertising or sending your emails, run your content through a Free Spam Checker Tool. This tool will evaluate your subject lines, body text, and even the HTML structure of your emails to highlight any potential spam triggers, verifying your message reaches your audience’s inbox and doesn’t get stuck in the spam folder.

‍Pro Tip: Combine a sense of immediacy with a clear CTA (Call-to-Action). For example, “Only 10 units left - grab yours before they’re gone!” paired with a big “Get Now” button.

Conclusion

Avoiding these five common BFCM mistakes can transform your Shopify store’s performance during the biggest shopping season of the year. Whether it’s optimizing for high traffic, staying on top of compliance, crafting personalized offers, or creating urgency, each step will help you stand out and keep customers coming back for more.

Ready to take your BFCM strategy to the next level? To make things even easier, we’ve created the Ultimate BFCM Checklist packed with actionable steps and expert tips to guide you through every stage of your BFCM planning. Best of all, it’s completely free to download!

So, get started, fine-tune your store, and make this your most successful BFCM yet. Happy selling, and may your conversions be high and your cart abandonment rates low!

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