BFCM Demystified: four letters, two dates, one crazy weekend

Two key dates on the retail calendar are rapidly approaching: Black Friday (29 November) and Cyber Monday (2 December).

BFCM. It means so much more than two days. What was once a hectic long weekend of sales is steadily morphing into a peak period that begins earlier and lasts into the holiday season.

How did you cope with BCFM last year?

Are you ready for it this year?

Black Friday refers to the day after Thanksgiving Day in the United States. The name was first coined in the 1960s by the police in Philadelphia to describe the chaos caused by suburbanites flooding the city after Thanksgiving¹ to start their holiday shopping. 

Today, it refers to a period of peak sales that kicks off the busy season. And it has spread around the world.

Cyber Monday was added in the early 2000s to capitalise on the growing popularity of online shopping. Today, every day is an online shopping day. But Cyber Monday is the day for online sales.

‘Know thy customer.’ Sun Tzu, the author of The Art of War, would have written that had his area of expertise been the Art of Retail.

If you know what your customers are looking for during the BFCM period, then you can tailor your offering to their expectations. You will know your customers better than anybody else, so you will likely already have a plan in place.

But it is instructive to know what general advice is being given to consumers so they can get the most out of BCFM. Below are some of the tips given by AwarenessDays.com and The Times Money Mentor.

There are significant upsides to BFCM for retailers: a whole lot of motivated shoppers; a kick start to the shopping season; a chance to get rid of your old stock; and the opportunity to attract new customers.

However, there are also challenges. Can your bottom line afford significant discounts? Can you afford not to offer free shipping? Customers love it. And BFCM sales suffer from higher return rates.

Many of the tips for shoppers translate into tips for retailers:

Are you ready for the challenge of BFCM 2024?

To achieve success, you will need your logistics provider to be on board, fighting fit, and ready to tackle the surge in sales that BFCM will bring.

BFCM is now a global phenomenon. And it is during times like this that global supply chain experts come into their own. 

Here at FM Logistic, we stand ready to help our customers through peak periods. We’re ready for the increased volumes. Our inventory management systems are robust and continually improving. We learn from previous years. We keep track of trends.

We are ready for the challenges. Pressure on delivery schedules and extra-busy warehouses. We work with suppliers and retailers to minimise the likelihood of stock shortages.

You will need to let your prospective customers know what you’re planning to offer them, but first you must communicate your strategy to your suppliers and your logistics provider.

Let FM Logistic know your projected volumes and when you’ll be needing them. We’ll ensure that your goods flow as smoothly as possible during this very busy time of year.

Here are some things to look out for during the BFCM season (courtesy of Ecomposer.io):

Every season, FM Logistic is better prepared to meet the challenges of BFCM. With our help, you can meet your challenges with confidence.

¹ Interesting fact: Thanksgiving Day used to be celebrated on the last Thursday of November. This meant that some years it could be as late as the 30th. It was changed to the fourth Thursday for one reason only: shopping. Retailers didn’t want it to shorten the Christmas shopping season.