Black Friday and Cyber Monday (or as the kids are calling it these days, BFCM) are two of the most important dates on the retail calendar. These days offer a major opportunity for online retailers to boost sales and attract new customers. In 2023, these events shattered records, and 2024 is set to be even bigger.
In an increasingly competitive market, it's tough to keep shoppers engaged. AI shopping assistants are transforming the customer journey by offering personalized experiences that boost conversions and satisfaction. We’re here to guide you through your game plan for making the most of this holiday season—with a little help from AI.
The takeaway? A single day of sales won’t cut it anymore. To make the most of this extended shopping period, retailers need a strategy that spans multiple days and captures customers' attention throughout the week.
Customer service teams are the unsung heroes of BFCM. Support inquiries can surge by as much as 30% during the sales rush, as shoppers expected quick responses while navigating multiple sites. It’s critical to prepare for a customer service blitz so your reps aren't left overwhelmed. Make sure you have systems in place to efficiently manage the increased volume, and seek out opportunities to reduce inquiries by automating responses to common shopper questions.
Preparation for BFCM is starting earlier every year. Retailers are getting savvier, with the majority beginning their Black Friday prep as early as the summer. They focus on making sure their websites are fast, reliable, and ready to handle the influx of traffic that comes with BFCM.
Before the BFCM rush hits, give your website a thorough once-over. Any hiccups during high-traffic periods could cost you sales, so it’s crucial to address potential issues in advance.
Google PageSpeed Insights is a free tool at that analyzes your website’s speed on both mobile and desktop, offering suggestions on how to improve load times. Faster pages lead to higher conversion rates, especially during peak shopping periods like BFCM.
Studies show that 88% of online shoppers are less likely to return to a site after a bad experience, and with attention spans shrinking, you have only seconds to make an impression. Here are a couple of techniques to keep shoppers engaged:
Shoppers tend to have a lot of questions they need answers to before making a purchase. Platforms like Zendesk and Gorgias centralize customer support, helping your team manage these questions more effectively. However, even the best human agents can struggle to keep up during peak times. AI can automatically handle up to 60% of common customer inquiries, such as questions about shipping, return policies, or product details. This not only reduces the burden on your support staff but also ensures shoppers get instant responses.
In the fast-paced world of online shopping, attention spans are short, especially during BFCM when shoppers face decision fatigue from countless deals. If they don’t get quick answers, they’ll move on to another site. AI shopping assistants help cut through the clutter by engaging customers instantly and guiding them to what they need.
AI shopping assistants can step in to answer customer questions in real time, preventing frustration and ensuring shoppers get the information they need right away.
But they don’t just respond to inquiries—AI shopping assistants can also anticipate the questions shoppers might not even realize they have. With customers moving quickly during BFCM, these predictive responses help build confidence and encourage purchases, all without requiring shoppers to take the time to type out their own questions.
BFCM isn’t just about offering discounts; it’s about maximizing the value of every sale. Cross-selling and upselling are crucial strategies to achieve this, by suggesting relevant products or bundles that complement what customers are already browsing.
AI shopping assistants play a key role in this, recommending both alternative and complementary products that align with the shopper's interests. These techniques not only improve the customer experience by offering more personalized options but also help increase your average order value.
Now that you know that AI shopping assistants are a game-changer, it’s time to craft a strategy that maximizes their potential during Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM).
What are you aiming for this BFCM? More sales? Higher conversion rates? World domination? Whatever your target, clearly define your goals so you can track progress and measure success.
Get your AI shopping assistant up and running well before the BFCM rush hits. Give it time to learn and adapt to better understand your customers' needs.
alby’s AI shopping assistant can be deployed in minutes with seamless integrations to platforms like Shopify, where it can access your catalog and start answering questions without additional setup.
Adopt a data-driven approach to measure the success of your BFCM event. alby offers an analytics dashboard that tracks key performance indicators (KPIs) to gauge the effectiveness of your AI assistant.
alby also provides crucial insights into the questions your shoppers are asking, which can be invaluable during such high-traffic periods. Use these insights to fine-tune your site and lay the groundwork for an even more successful BFCM next year.
Discover how alby’s AI shopping assistant can help you engage and convert more shoppers this BFCM. Book a demo today or sign up for a 14-day free trial to automatically start answering customer questions.