“Black-Cyber-Friday-Monday-Thanksgiving- Weekend”: It’s Not Just About One Day Anymore …

Tis officially the season! With Thanksgiving nearly upon us, to be followed immediately by Black Friday, the traditional kick-off to the holiday shopping season is here and it should be a great one for savvy shoppers and retailers alike. But it’s not about one day standing-in-line-for-deals anymore. It’s a full five-day “Black-Cyber Weekend” of shopping deals and buying sprees.

The term “Black Friday” has come to be synonymous with retail pricing deals (fun side note: the term “Black Friday” was first used in Philadelphia by police officers, as a descriptor for the intense traffic which occurred on the big shopping day after Thanksgiving) and now extends beyond the single day after Thanksgiving. Beginning on Thursday -- Thanksgiving Day -- and continuing through the following (Cyber) Monday, retailers now offer shoppers incredible pricing deals and shopping steals around the clock for five straight days. In fact, retailers have now co-opted the term “Black Friday” for Summer sales events, as witnessed by Google Search queries this past July:

Also, look at how queries stay at a peak throughout the holiday weekend -- now starting on Thanksgiving Day -- for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, coupons, shopping deals and more…

The great news for retailers this week? It’s not too late to ensure that your online campaigns are ready for the “Black Friday - Cyber Monday” rush and beyond. Here are some pointers to keep in mind:

Keep Your Budgets Open Starting On Thanksgiving Day. Google queries related to shopping are going to start increasing on Thanksgiving Day this year. Make sure your Search plans are ready to handle the volume and convert those queries to sales. All day.

Think beyond Black Friday. Make sure you’re ready for shoppers looking for deals beyond Black Friday--tout your specials and deals from Thursday through Monday. As people get back to the office on Monday and look to buy the gifts they couldn’t snag over the weekend, make sure you’re offering new incentives to drive them to purchase from you.

Remember that Mobile matters. Today’s research cycle doesn’t stop when shoppers leave their homes. People are searching, using Google Shopper and Near me Now to comparison shop and find what they are looking for while on the go. Make sure your online campaigns are opted in to show on mobile devices, and that your mobile website is ready for prime time.

Make the Online to Store connection seamless. Shoppers don’t make the same distinction between online shopping and in-store shopping that existed 10 years ago -- so make sure that you are encouraging shoppers on your website to visit your store, and shoppers in your store to visit your website. The multi-channel connection is relatively seamless and you need to be sure that your message and incentives are consistent across channels, and that shoppers can find what they’re looking for when they’re looking for it.

Buckle Up and get ready to start the Holiday Shopping season in full this week! But make sure to spend time with family and friends this holiday season. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and Super-Cyber-Black- Friday- Holiday- Monday- Weekend!

Posted by Dan Schock, Retail Industry Director, Google Retail Team