With Thanksgiving right around the corner, the official start of the holiday shopping season is upon us. The majority of holiday shoppers (70%) participate in large shopping events like Black Friday, according to Capital One Shopping, which drives significant revenue to businesses. In recent years, consumers have spent roughly $50 billion in the three post-Thanksgiving sale days alone. So, how can your small business make the most out of this upcoming shopping surge? Read on for 13 ideas you can consider integrating into your holiday strategy.
What Shopping Days Fall on Black Friday Weekend?
Before getting into the strategies, here’s a closer look at the three big sale day events that immediately follow Thanksgiving.
Black Friday
Black Friday is the notorious sale day that falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving each year—November 28th in 2025. It marks the official start of the holiday shopping season and is characterized by retailers offering deep discounts both online and in-store. Consumers tend to hit big-box stores on this day, such as Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, Macy’s, and Best Buy.
Fun fact: The name “Black Friday” was coined by the Philadelphia police in the 50s and 60s due to the heavy traffic from crowds of shoppers on the day after Thanksgiving. However, by the 80s, retailers began to associate the name with moving from operating at a loss (in the red) to earning a profit (in the black).
Super Saturday
Super Saturday, also known as Small Business Saturday, falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving each year—November 29th in 2025. While Black Friday tends to draw consumers to big box stores, Super Saturday encourages them to shop with small businesses. In 2023, consumers spent an estimated $17 billion with small businesses on Super Saturday, according to Capital One Shopping.
Cyber Monday
Established in 2005, Cyber Monday falls on the Monday after Thanksgiving each year—December 1st in 2025. It was created so online shoppers could find discounts similar to those offered in retail stores on Black Friday. Over the years, it has become one of the biggest e-commerce sales days of the year.
Black Friday Weekend: 13 Strategies for Small Business Owners
As the biggest shopping days of the year approach, here are 13 strategies you can consider adding to your holiday sales strategy.
1. Flash sales
A flash sale can be the perfect baseline promotion for a Black Friday event. It involves steep discounts for a short period, usually 24 to 48 hours. For example, you could mark down select items in your inventory by 30% for Black Friday and Super Saturday. The short window creates urgency and encourages shoppers to act fast. If you’re not sure how much to discount, it may help to know the average Black Friday discount in 2024 was 38.2%, according to Capital One Shopping. However, average discounts vary greatly by product type.
2. Limited-time bundle deals
A limited-time bundle deal involves selling multiple products or services together in a bundle that’s cheaper than buying all the items individually. For example, Hickory Farms uses this strategy with its holiday gift boxes full of cheeses, sausages, and condiments. A salon or spa could also offer a package that includes a massage, manicure, and pedicure. Bundles can be great as they simplify the shopping process for customers, offer high value, and can drive up the average sale price for businesses.
3. Tiered discounts
A tiered discount promotion involves multiple discounts that increase as customers spend more or purchase a greater quantity of products. For example, you could offer 10% off a $50 purchase, 15% off a $100 purchase, and 20% off a $150 purchase. Alternatively, you could structure the discount based on volume of purchases, such as 10% off one pair of shoes, 20% off two pairs, and 30% off three pairs. By setting multiple spending thresholds, you incentivize customers to spend more to save more.
4. Free gift with purchase
The free gift with purchase strategy rewards customers with a bonus item when they meet a certain spending threshold or buy a specific product. For example, Benihana is currently offering a $10 bonus gift card when you purchase at least $50 in gift cards, and $60 when you spend $200. Further, Home Depot is offering a free power tool when you buy select starter tool kits. The free gift adds an extra bit of value that can make a purchase feel more enticing to customers.
5. Buy-one-get-one (BOGO)
The classic buy-one-get-one (BOGO) offer is another smart way to structure a Black Friday, Super Saturday, or Cyber Monday promotion. As the name suggests, this strategy involves a shopper buying one item and getting a second one free or at a reduced cost. For example, if you have a clothing boutique, you could offer a deal to buy one pair of jeans and get the second 50% off. BOGOs have a built-in “well, I might as well” effect on customers that can help boost cart size fast. The key is offering it on products or services that are popular, and that customers are likely to want more than one of.
6. Doorbusters
Doorbusters are heavily discounted offerings provided on a first-come, first-served basis for a limited period. The name originates from people literally rushing into stores and busting down the doors to get deals. As you plan a doorbuster, it should have limited stock and a short time frame of availability so customers feel the pressure to act. For example, you may offer 50% off a popular item to the first 20 customers who come in to buy it on Super Saturday.
7. Exclusive products
Another option is to offer exclusive products during the sale days. By offering customers something they can’t get year-round, you can boost excitement and demand. This could be a limited-edition item or a special holiday version of a best-seller. For example, a local candle shop may release a “Fresh Pine” or “Gingerbread Cookie” scent. The scarcity makes the item feel more valuable, so shoppers are more likely to buy quickly before it sells out. Exclusive products can also help differentiate your brand during a crowded shopping season and give customers a memorable reason to come to your store.
8. Preview VIP sale
A preview sale is a strategy that involves granting your most loyal customers access to your holiday promotions before the general public. This creates a sense of exclusivity and makes your most loyal shoppers feel appreciated. It also helps you build early momentum, gauge demand, and capture sales before the big rush. To implement this approach, invite VIP customers, email subscribers, or loyalty program members to shop the deals a few days ahead of everyone else. If you have a brick-and-mortar store, you could host an in-person VIP pre-sale event.
9. Free gift wrapping
Free gift wrapping is another way to add value and encourage a higher purchase amount during a holiday sale. You can implement it by promoting gift wrapping to customers who spend a minimum amount on the sale day, such as at least $100. This way, you remove one to-do off the customer’s list during the busy holiday season and encourage them to hit that spending threshold.
10. Free shipping
If you’re an online retailer, free shipping is another perk that can help you attract customers and close sales during major shopping events. Removing the additional cost at checkout can be the push customers need to complete a purchase. To keep it sustainable, set a minimum order amount that’s required to earn the free shipping. Doing so protects your margins and encourages customers to at least hit the threshold.
11. Social media contests
Social media contests are a fun way to boost engagement and get your audience thinking about your business around the big sale days. You’ll need a prize, such as a bundle of your most popular offerings, and a date when the winner will be chosen. Then, invite customers to enter by completing low-lift actions, like reacting to a post, tagging a friend, and following your page. The contest can help you reach new customers, show off your offerings, and build momentum leading up to the sale days.
12. Extended sales
Running an extended sale around Black Friday, Super Saturday, and Cyber Monday has become pretty common. If you look at major retailers, many start offering deals in the days or even weeks leading up to these big sale days and continue them afterward. Doing so can potentially lead to more traffic and sales, but it can also dilute the power of a big sale day and become costly. If you’re going to run a longer promotion, consider:
- Warm-up deals in the days leading up to the event (e.g., 10–20% off select items)
- Your strongest discount or bundle on the main sale day
- A lighter follow-up offer afterward to catch anyone who missed it
This approach creates a natural build-up of excitement, protects your bottom line, and preserves that “must shop today” pull when your biggest promotion drops.
13. Coupon codes
Coupon codes are a simple way to motivate online shoppers and drive sales during big sale days. Customers love the feeling of scoring a deal, and a clear, easy-to-use code gives them that instant gratification. You can program the codes to give a percentage off or a dollar amount discount when customers add them at checkout. Then, share them via email, on your social channels, and right on your website (banners work well) during the sale.
Start the Holiday Season Off Right
Black Friday marks the start of the busiest shopping season of the year. In 2024, an estimated 197 million people shopped over the 5-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend alone, according to the National Retail Federation. As a small business owner, preparing to make the most of the busy weekend is essential. Whether you lean on a single high-impact strategy or mix several together, the right approach can help you attract your ideal customers, boost traffic, and drive record sales that help you start the holiday season off strong!
