8 Tips for Black Friday Success

With Black Friday just a few days away, retailers will be busy preparing for the inevitable surge in sales as customers look to bag themselves a pre-Christmas Bargain. However Black Friday is much more than just a day, and retailers need to plan for the longer-term effects of this particular promotion. Here, three retail experts reveal their top tips for retailers looking to make Black Friday a hit, rather than a headache.

1) Don’t forget the product returns! – A surge in sales as a result of Black Friday will inevitably bring with it a higher level of returns. “Buyer remorse coupled with relaxed return policies means that retailers can expect to see up to 40%[1] of Black Friday sales coming back into the business as returns and often most of this stock can’t be put back on the shelves. It’s a growing problem and many retailers will be forced to rethink their logistics processes to better manage the rising number of product returns in the coming months” says Ben Whitaker, Director EMEA for B-Stock Solutions.

2) Location, Location, Location – For e-commerce retailers, the complexities of managing customer returns are increased due to the logistics of trading in an increasingly global marketplace, and the true cost of returns can vary greatly depending of the location of the customer. “It’s common in Germany for consumers to order multiple sizes and colours of clothing with the intention of returning the ones that don’t fit, but as a result Germany has one of the highest return rates in the EU, with around 50% of online purchases returned. Each country has its own local statutory law for returns, and the length of time it can take to get the item back and re-processed, the refund offered, and the product marketed for re-sale can be significant. It is essential that retailers account for these logistical delays in their cash flow and set up a process to recoup as much value as possible for the merchandise once it’s been returned” comments Ben Whitaker, Director EMEA for B-Stock Solutions.

3) Plan for smart management of returned stock – By launching an internet-based reselling solution – specifically an online auction B2B liquidation marketplace that can be customized, integrated, scaled and marketed based on your unique inventory needs – retailers can stop relying on just a few liquidators or middlemen to help move on returned stock. This type of solution makes it easier to have thousands of buyers compete for inventory than it is to negotiate prices with three or four buyers’ offline. “By automating the process through an online portal you ensuring a faster sales cycle for your business, as well as access to proprietary market intelligence in the form of real data on market prices” says Ben Whitaker, Director EMEA for B-Stock Solutions. “Now liquidation becomes a strategic asset that will benefit you (and only you) for years to come.”

4) Charities shouldn’t miss out – Black Friday isn’t just for traditional retailers and charity retailers can also benefit from the hype, providing they are smart in their approach. “The best way for retailers in any market to make Black Friday a success, in terms of sales, is to plan promotions based on an evaluation of how their stores, and other stores within their location, operate – including which products are popular, what the average spend is and how their stock is displayed” advises Alastair Petrie, Managing Director of BMc Azurri. “To get involved in Black Friday at the most simple level, any charity whose typical stock includes some more valuable items – such as branded merchandise, collectables or furniture – could look to make reductions to these higher-price items, pulling customers through the door and hopefully providing them with a great bargain that will make them want to return in the future.”

5) Black Friday encourages philanthropy – Some large retailers, such as Apple and Fat Face, have begun running charity campaigns around Black Friday, and the amount of focus on philanthropy that has sprung up around Black Friday also gives charities a natural edge. “With charity retailers already in the right market and the giving spirit strong across the board, it’s the perfect time of year to create some noise, bring in new customers and hopefully set up for repeat sales and an increased profile throughout the following year” says Alastair Petrie, Managing Director of BMc Azurri.

6) Plan ahead, and plan carefully – December sales growth after Black Friday 2014 was the weakest since 2008. “Striking a careful balance between volume and margin and weighing the quick profits Black Friday can bring against the December/January sales period is critical” says Simon Phillips, Head of Business Development at Barron McCann.

7) Make sure servers serve – In the last few year one of the biggest problems for retailers has been the enormous server load that accompanied the rush to buy. “Rather than investing in expensive high-capacity hosting, the ideal solution (especially in the case of SMEs) may be to turn to powerful content delivery networks like CloudFlare, Akamai and Limelight Networks to ensure that all customers have smooth and immediate access to all online facilities for the duration of the promotion” says Simon Phillips, Head of Business Development at Barron McCann.

8) Deliver on deliveries – Overstretched logistics systems cause problems for many retailers and frustration for many consumers during Black Friday. “Ensuring that delivery systems are sufficient to deal with the highest level of orders which is reasonable predicted and testing them well in advance of the event will help to ensure that supply and delivery channels remain clear and fully-functional this year” says Simon Phillips, Head of Business Development at Barron McCann.

[1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandcon...

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About the Contributors

B-Stock Solutions is a technology-enabled company powering the largest network of private-label B2B liquidation marketplaces. Hundreds of retailers, including some of the top global retailers, have leveraged B-Stock’s technology and service offerings to sell billions of dollars in consumer returned and excess inventory.
For more information please visit http://bstock.com.

BMc Azurri is an independent IT service provider, specialising in the provision of Gift Aid systems and IT services for the charity sector.
For more information visit www.bmcazurri.com

Barron McCann is an independent IT service provider, specialising in secure installation and support of distributed IT systems. It has almost 40 years experience in the implementation, transition and support of IT assets across multiple platforms and environments, and boasts an impressive portfolio of clients including Wickes, Primark, TK Maxx, The Body Shop, CostCutter and Iceland.
For more information visit www.barronmccann.com

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