BFCM Readiness Checklist

Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t just promotional days. They’re the most important test of the year for your online store. BFCM shows how ready your store is to withstand the pressure, drive sales, and maintain a controlled brand experience when traffic, expectations, and competition are at their highest. Most brands start preparing too late. The best ones start with a plan, and that’s why they grow, not just survive.

Here is Brancoy’s BFCM Readiness Checklist, based on the Black Friday & Cyber Monday Playbook 2025. It will help you build the season into a moment of controlled, measurable, and long-term growth.

1. Start with analysis, not offers

Black Friday success doesn't start with deals, it starts with data. Review last year's numbers: what the campaigns brought, what worked, what fell short. Conversion rate, average purchase (AOV) and customer acquisition cost (CAC) tell more than any discount percentage.

This is a step that many people miss, but it’s what separates reactive campaigning from strategic growth. When you understand where your sales are really coming from, you’ll know what to focus on this year and what to leave out.

2. Make the store technically reliable

During a campaign, everything happens in seconds. That's why the technical foundation of the store is more important than any single advertising campaign. Test integrations, payment methods and automations well in advance. Remove unnecessary applications, optimize image sizes and make sure that mobile shopping is quick and easy.

If your store loads slowly or the checkout is stuck, the customer won't wait, they'll move on to the next one. In BFCM, one second can cost hundreds of euros.

3. Clean product data and build campaign pages in advance

BFCM chaos often starts behind the scenes: with unclear data and fragmented content. Keep product names, categories, and metadata consistent. When data is clean, everything works – campaigns, ads, and automations speak the same language.

Build campaign pages now. They don't just showcase offers, they also test the structure of your store and the integrity of your content. A well-designed page makes the customer's purchase journey smoother and also improves visibility in search engines.

4. Automate, but don't forget the human

Email and SMS automation are the backbone of BFCM. They keep communications flowing even during peak traffic times. But automation alone isn’t enough. Customers recognize a brand that speaks to them authentically – not robotically.

Segment your audiences: loyal customers, new buyers, abandoned carts. Speak differently to different audiences. Automations drive efficiency, but tone of voice builds trust.

5. Ensure conversion and user experience

The customer’s journey to purchase should feel easy. Optimize product pages so that the most important information is immediately available and CTA buttons are clearly visible. Eliminate unnecessary clicks to checkout and make purchasing effortless. If you can, use a one-step checkout process and clearly display stock availability.

One small change, like a "Only 3 left" element or a faster checkout method, can significantly increase conversions. And most importantly, keep your brand's visual identity and messaging consistent throughout.

6. Prepare for what happens after the campaign

BFCM doesn't end on Cyber Monday, it's just the beginning. It's through post-marketing analytics, automation, and customer communication that continuous growth is created. Analyze the results immediately after the campaign: which products were successful, which traffic converted, where customers left.

Activate follow-up marketing: thank you messages, product recommendations, “back in stock” notifications and loyalty offers. Also document internal lessons: they form the basis for the success of the following year. Every campaign is an opportunity for data and learning. Use it to your advantage.

Less panic, more planning

Successful D2C brands don’t run from campaign to campaign, they build systematically. BFCM is an annual stress test – but also a moment of growth. When the foundation is in place, the pressure doesn’t break, it strengthens. That’s why preparation is the most important marketing tool a brand can have.

Read more about the topic in our Playbook: discover the structures, automations, and strategies to build peaceful growth during the busiest time of the year.

Download Brancoy's Black Friday & Cyber Monday Playbook 2025