Introduction
Black Friday isn’t just “an American thing” anymore. In South Africa, it’s become one of the biggest shopping events of the year, both online and in-store.
Just in the past few years, we’ve seen a major shift in consumer behaviour. People aren’t just impulse buying. They’re waiting for Black Friday to make their big purchases like phones, TVs, sneakers, kitchen appliances, fashion, beauty products, gifts, you name it. And they’re looking online first, especially on mobile.
If you’re reading this now, whether you already own an online store or you’re starting from scratch, you still have time to catch the rush. But the window to prepare is closing fast. That’s why this blog and the free resources we’re sharing alongside it are designed to help you:
• Launch a store quickly if you haven’t started
• Optimise your existing store to increase sales
• Plan irresistible offers and promotions
• Get your marketing in place before the flood of competition starts
This is not the time to “wing it.” If you prepare properly, even just the basics, you can ride the Black Friday weekend straight into December holiday sales and even New Year traffic.
No Store Yet? You’re Not Too Late — But You Need to Move Fast
Believe it or not, you can still make money this Black Friday even if you don’t have a store yet. But the key is to start now, not next week, not in November — NOW.
Here’s the truth: you don’t need months of planning to launch a successful online store. What you need is a solid foundation, a good product niche, and a working store that looks trustworthy.
If you move fast and follow a proven plan, you can have everything set up within a day or two and start running your first promotions in less than a week.
Option 1: The Fastest Route — Buy a Readymade Store
If time is not on your side (and you want something that’s been tested and structured properly), this is the fastest route:
• Fully designed Shopify store
• Winning products already loaded
• Local supplier connected
• Mobile-friendly and responsive
• Policy pages, product descriptions, banners — all done for you by me and delivered in less than 2 hours for just R500
With a readymade store, your job is to start marketing immediately and get your first sales. You skip the setup headaches and focus on promoting.
This is ideal if:
• You’ve been thinking about starting but keep delaying
• You don’t know how to design or build a store yourself
• You want something legit that you can actually launch within 24–48 hours
Option 2: Build It Yourself (With the Right Tools)
If you’re building from scratch, you’ll need to be clear and focused. Here’s the minimum setup you need to go live fast:
Black Friday Store Setup Checklist:
Not sure where to start or what to prioritise when setting up your store?
Download the Black Friday Starter Checklist. This is a practical to-do list that guides you through the minimum essentials needed to launch your store fast. It covers:
• Store setup basics
• Policy and payment setup
• Product upload tips
• Simple launch prep
📥 Click here to download the free checklist and make sure you’re not missing any critical steps.
Reminder: You’re Not Just Building a Store. You’re Launching a Sale.
Here’s where most beginners go wrong: they think they’re just “starting a store.” But your goal right now is to prepare for a sale — a Black Friday offer.
Focus your efforts on:
• Having at least 1–2 strong products (with good images and pricing)
• Creating one strong offer (a discount, bundle, or freebie)
• Getting your first few posts or TikToks ready to promote it
Even if you start small, you can make sales, test what works, and ride the momentum into December
Already Have a Store? Here’s How to Prepare It for Black Friday 2025
Having a store is a great start — but for Black Friday, it’s not enough. With thousands of online stores going live with deals, the ones that win are the ones that are fully optimised.
This is not the time to “just hope for the best.”
Your store needs to be fast, trustworthy, and offer clear value from the moment someone lands on it — especially for mobile users.
But where do you even begin?
What should you be fixing or adjusting before the Black Friday weekend starts?
To make things easier, I created a step-by-step checklist that breaks down the 5 most important areas to review in your store right now:
- Design & Mobile Experience
- Trust & Credibility
- Payment & Checkout
- Product Preparation & Strategy
- Final Pre-Launch Checks
Whether you’re just touching up your store or doing a full revamp, this checklist will help you:
• Spot weaknesses before they cost you sales
• Tick off what’s done so you stay on track
• Focus on what matters most without getting overwhelmed
📥 Download the free printable checklist here — and start preparing like a pro.
Keep it open while working on your store, or print it and use it as your personal launch assistant.
Marketing Your Offers & Driving Traffic for BFCM
Now that your store and offers are ready, the real question is: how will people find you?
Thousands of sellers are going to be shouting at the same time, so the key is to start building visibility before the Black Friday weekend begins.
Here’s how to break down your marketing strategy into three core stages:
- Pre-Black Friday Warm-Up (Now until mid-November)
• Start building hype early — “Something big is coming…”
• Share behind-the-scenes prep: packaging, store updates, product teases
• Post educational content: “Why Black Friday deals are your chance to save big”
• Use polls and countdowns on stories to drive engagement
• Build your WhatsApp or email list — they will become your best traffic source
• Drop small flash offers to test systems and collect interest
2. Black Friday Weekend (22–25 Nov 2025)
• Start strong: launch your deal early Friday morning (even midnight if possible)
• Send messages/emails multiple times a day with:
- Restocks
- Limited bundles
- Order cut-off times
• Use language like:
- “Only available today”
- “Almost sold out”
- “Only 3 left in size 6”
• Create urgency in your captions and design: countdowns, slashed prices, red colours, “Final Hours” posts
• Run short TikToks and Reels showing live updates, packaging orders, results, testimonials
3. Post-BFCM Momentum (26 Nov – 20 Dec)
• Turn BFCM buyers into holiday buyers by offering:
- Free shipping on repeat orders
- Loyalty discounts for early Christmas shopping
- Clearance bundles or New Year kits
• Share customer reviews and unboxings from BFCM weekend
• Start prepping for January sales and “back-to-school” content
Remember: visibility beats perfection. Don’t spend weeks designing one flyer.
Get your message out consistently. Focus on:
• Daily content
• Short, punchy promo messages
• Clear visuals of offers and deadlines
• Engaging with every DM and commen
Don’t Just Read — Use These Tools to Get Results
To make sure you don’t just read this guide but actually apply it, I’ve created two practical, no-fluff checklists, one for beginners with no store and one for current store owners.
Black Friday Store Readiness Checklist (for existing store owners)
Make sure your store is not just online, but actually ready to sell and convert during Black Friday.
This checklist includes:
• Mobile view and speed test steps
• Policy, FAQ, and trust section review
• Payment gateway testing
• Discount visibility and urgency triggers
• What to fix before you launch your promo
🧾 Download the Store Readiness Checklist (PDF)
Black Friday Launch Checklist (for beginners with no store yet)
This is a fast-action checklist to help you launch your store within 24–48 hours, even if you’re starting from scratch.
This checklist includes:
• Choosing your product or niche quickly
• Setting up Shopify and a clean theme
• Connecting local payment methods
• Uploading products and adding prices
• Publishing your first offer post or story
🧾 Download the Launch Checklist (PDF)
That’s it. Simple. Clear. Actionable.
You don’t need fancy tools. You just need to move — and these checklists will guide you step by step.
Final Thoughts: You’re Not Too Late, But You Need to Start Today
Black Friday 2025 is coming fast and every day you delay, you lose momentum.
Whether you’re launching a new store or fixing an old one, use the checklists, stay consistent, and keep things simple.
Let’s make this your biggest sales weekend yet.