Why BFCM Isn't Just About Discounts

Based on our internal frameworks that generate 7-figure Black Friday results, here are the three pillars that separate profitable campaigns from revenue killing disasters:

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1 → Value Perception Over Discount Depth

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• Stack benefits, not just discounts ("Free gift + free shipping + 20% off")
• Frame offers competitively ("Spend £100, get £30 free credit" vs. "30% off")
• Create personal urgency through gamification (such as spinning wheels)

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2 → Margin Protection Through Smart Structuring

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• Calculate your breakeven point before setting any discount percentage
• Favour structures that lift AOV: tiered discounts, bundles, multi-buy offers

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3 → Urgency That Drives Action

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• Limited stock messaging ("Only 100 units left")
• Time-bound offers ("Ends midnight", on-page countdowns)
• Real-time social proof ("5 sold in the last hour")

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Real Client Success: Turning Dead Stock Into Gold

One of our DTC furniture clients in August last year realised they had heaps of unsold inventory gathering dust in their warehouse. Cash just sitting there, eating into margins.

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Instead of desperate clearance discounts, we spent 90 days building a "Black Friday Exclusive Collection" that strategically combined dead stock with popular hero pieces.

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The Results:

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• 43% BFCM revenue increase vs. previous year
• Massively reduced dead stock opening up capital to invest in better products.
• Increased new customers that helped drive over 80% YoY growth for 2025 Year to Date.

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Black Friday doesn’t just impact Q4 - if you play it right you can continue huge momentum right into the following year. The 90-day runway gave us time to reframe the narrative and build anticipation rather than desperation.

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Your Black Friday Readiness Audit

Ask yourself these critical questions right now:

• Have you calculated your true breakeven point for different discount levels?
• What offers did your competitors run last Black Friday, and how will yours stand out?
• Do you have dead stock that could be repositioned as exclusive or limited edition?
• Are your ad platforms optimised for promotional traffic?

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Why Early Preparation Isn't Optional

The brands crushing Black Friday 2025 treat it like a product launch, not a last-minute sale. 

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At Public Nectar, we have KPI tracking tools that calculate and monitor performance during both off-peak periods and promotional campaigns. 

This dual approach helps identify what drives profitable growth versus vanity metrics.

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Don't let October panic dictate your Q4 profitability.

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