Two of the biggest shopping days of the year are just around the corner for New Zealand retailers, and preparation is key.
With Christmas creeping closer, savvy shoppers are already hunting for early bargains. That means your ecommerce store needs to be primed before the rush hits. Black Friday and Cyber Monday mark the official kick-off to the holiday shopping season, and it’s not just for the big global brands. Local Kiwi businesses can absolutely make their mark during this peak period too.
To help you drive more traffic, conversions and revenue, we’ve put together seven practical tips, plus a reminder: start planning now. Most successful campaigns start building momentum from early October.
Black Friday (29 November 2025) and Cyber Monday (1 December 2025) are annual retail sales events originating from the US but now firmly embedded in New Zealand’s shopping calendar.
Black Friday combines both in-store and online deals, while Cyber Monday is focused purely on ecommerce. With shoppers increasingly buying online, this weekend is a golden opportunity to boost sales before the Christmas cut-off.
With competition growing, the earlier you start, the better your results. Many businesses now start teasing Black Friday offers in mid to late October, with full landing pages and email sign-ups live by early November, which means, copywriting and graphic design for the appropriate promotional channels in September which means the specials & concepts need to be planned in & approved in August / September.
Why so early?
• Design elements can take time
• Google needs time to crawl and index your pages
• Paid campaigns need time for testing and optimisation
• Customers are looking, and buying, earlier each year
Pro tip: Starting early also gives you a chance to build your email list before launching your final promo. A smart tactic to generate sales before Black Friday and Cyber Monday is to run a VIP early access sale.
What it is:
An exclusive pre-sale for your email subscribers, past customers or social followers before the public black Friday/ Cyber Monday rush.
Why it works:
• Creates urgency: Limited-time access gives people a reason to act now
• Builds loyalty: Customers feel valued and “in the know”
• Beats inbox overload: Avoids peak competition when everyone is blasting out deals
How to set it up:
• Email tease (1 week before):
“Something big is coming. VIPs get first dibs. Join the list.”
• Landing page or pop-up:
Capture emails with messaging like “Sign up now for early access to our Black Friday deals.”
• Launch early access (3–5 days before Black Friday / Cyber Monday):
Send a special access code or unlock hidden deals on your site
• Add urgency:
Countdown timer, “limited stock”, or “exclusive to subscribers only”
Bonus tip:
Use Meta, Google or Microsoft ad retargeting to show early access messages only to past visitors, social media followers or email subscribers.
Want help setting this up? Book a call with Lyndal and we’ll map it out with you.
2. Optimise our sales landing page early for seasonal SEO & GEO for AI search
What to do:
3. Add Engaging Visuals or Video
Don’t settle for generic sale banners. Use high-quality images or product demo videos to create visual interest and help buyers connect emotionally with your offer. Use AI to create on brand images and videos featuring your product to refresh content quickly for your sales landing page, emails and social media content.
Need help creating assets and AI imagery or video for your emails or socials? Brodie (our graphic designer) is your go-to for creative visuals that match your brand.
4. Promote across channels paid and organic
Start teasing your sale via:
• Facebook & Instagram + retargeting ads
• Google & Microsoft + retargeting ads
• TikTok (great for user generated content & product demos)
• Email marketing for nurturing or teasing, cart abandonment follow-ups, post-purchase emails,& January offers
• Influencer collabs
• Countdown timers on your site to create urgency
And don’t underestimate the power of paid ads, especially on Meta, Google & Microsoft. A small budget can go a long way when paired with engaging video content and sharp targeting. If you’re not confident running these yourself, explore our Ads Management services to get help.
Bonus tip:
Use video content for retargeting. Use AI to collate product demos, testimonials, and behind-the-scenes footage help build trust and drive conversions fast.
5. Analytics & data tracking setup
Make sure you’re set to learn and improve:
Double-check your tracking: GA4, Meta Pixel, event tracking for button clicks and conversions, so you can measure what worked. Lyndal is a whiz on this.
6. AI chatbots or smart assistants
Add AI tools that can support overwhelmed teams:
Add a chatbot or smart assistant to answer questions in real time and reduce cart abandonment.
7. Stock & logistics planning
Important for delivery expectations and customer trust:
Highlight shipping cut-off dates and ensure your team can fulfil orders promptly. Be transparent if stock is limited.
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Get ahead of the Black Friday / Cyber Monday rush with smart strategies like VIP early access, AI-powered content, and mobile-optimised campaigns, so you can convert more clicks into customers this year.
With a tight economy, people will be keen to get a bargain, and you can clear some stock and catch the early Xmas trade. We can help you with planning your push, be it a low-cost-per-click YouTube video campaign, B2B LinkedIn promo, AI Google Discover campaign, Google Shopping or Meta campaign, or building an email series. Please reach out to Lyndal or Rachel at Alexander’s Digital Marketing today and book a free strategy call with our team and let’s map out a high-converting programme tailored to your brand.
