Linear shopping journeys are a thing of the past. Today’s always-on consumer continuously switches between in-store and online shopping and expects a seamless, predictable journey throughout their experience.
Black Friday will be here before we know it, and shoppers will be more likely to engage with multiple touchpoints as they seek out the best deals. Whether they check inventory and prices on their smartphone and then travel to a physical store to complete their purchase—or vice versa—you need a fully integrated omnichannel strategy to deliver a consistent experience and win the sale.
6 Ways to Optimize Your Omnichannel Strategy for Black Friday 2025
Deliver a cohesive path to purchase on Black Friday regardless of where your customers browse and buy. Start by optimizing the following six key areas.
1. Campaign Messaging
In the run-up to Black Friday, a customer might drop by your store, check out your social media channels, open your app, and visit your website for the latest deals and promotions. With so many touchpoints, cross-channel consistency is crucial. Every interaction should feature the same campaign messaging and branding. Launch Black Friday campaigns simultaneously across all channels and sync sale updates as the big day approaches. Coordinated in-store and online merchandising builds anticipation and keeps your brand top of mind.
2. Product Discovery
For many shoppers, purchasing decisions are made long before Black Friday. Curate pre-sale displays in-store and on ecommerce landing pages so customers can research deals in advance. When Black Friday arrives, purchase-ready shoppers will make a beeline for the relevant department, so provide clear signage and directions—especially if your store layout changes during the sale. Online, facilitate quick conversions with prominent sale links throughout your merchandising and social media. Finally, test and configure your site search to deliver hyper-relevant, AI-driven results that are personalized for shoppers who know exactly what they want.
3. Product Recommendations
Take product discovery to the next level with personalized recommendations. Remember, Black Friday shoppers don’t want finding the best deals to be a hassle. As they browse, surface relevant suggestions based on individual preferences. In physical stores, display complementary accessories and product bundle offers together. Cross-sell recommendations are particularly effective during flash sales, as shoppers are in the mood to impulse buy. Combine recommendations with retargeting ads and personalized emails to skyrocket average order value (AOV).
4. Inventory and Fulfillment
Inventory forecasts are difficult during the best of times, and they’re especially important for your omnichannel strategy on Black Friday and during the rest of the holiday shopping season. Refer to last year’s site reports as well as recent trends to inform Black Friday stock allocation across your sales channels. Implement live indexing on your site to display accurate product availability during high traffic periods and offer alternative omnichannel options for sold-out inventory. For example, equip online shoppers with the ability to check stock levels at their local store and reserve products for pickup. For in-store shoppers who miss out, display signage that directs them to your website for restock notifications.
5. Checkout
Whether in-store or online, nobody wants to spend Black Friday navigating a slow and complex checkout. At brick-and-mortar locations, take steps to manage crowds and accelerate payment processing. For shoppers who prefer to skip the store, ensure the ecommerce checkout process is effortless. Test for bugs and streamline forms on both the website and mobile app for easy conversions. Offer a guest checkout option and don’t forget to test the ease-of-use of external channels, including in-platform social media sales. If the customer experience doesn’t stack up, consider driving social traffic directly to your ecommerce site instead.
6. Customer Service
Black Friday 2025 is almost guaranteed to place a strain on your customer service team. Minimize queries with clear communication and signage at every touchpoint. Update your website FAQ and add merchandising banners to highlight any delays to standard delivery times. For shoppers who need added support, clearly post your in-store customer service desks and make online contact options visible. Conduct specific Black Friday customer service training for in-store assistants, online agents, contact center staff, and social media teams. Regardless of the question or mode of contact, your omnichannel strategy for customer care should guarantee clear, quick, and consistent responses.
Deliver a Seamless Omnichannel Experience for Black Friday 2025 Shoppers
Retailers have never had so many ways to attract, engage, and convert Black Friday shoppers. Ecommerce sites, brick-and-mortar stores, mobile apps, and social selling open new and innovative channels to drive higher conversions, AOV, and revenue as long as you’re prepared with the right omnichannel strategy.
Ready to win Black Friday with a seamless shopping experience at every touchpoint? Start by downloading Part 1 of our Black Friday 2025 Playbook Series.
