Black Friday Planning: Starting in September
Most small businesses start thinking about Black Friday in mid-November, when the big retailers are already shouting. Black Friday planning that starts in September gives you something they cannot buy: time. Time to choose an offer that protects your margin, grow your email list, order stock calmly and test your website before the rush. Here is a simple, week-by-week plan.
Key takeaways
- In 2027, Black Friday falls on 26 November, Small Business Saturday (US) on 27 November and Cyber Monday on 29 November.
- Decide your goal first: new customers, clearing stock, higher order values or list growth. The offer follows from the goal.
- Check the margin on every discount before you announce it. A deal that loses money on each order is not a win.
- Use September and October to build your list, order stock and test your website, so November is for selling.
You do not have to join the discount race at all. Some small businesses skip Black Friday, run a "Green Friday" donation or simply launch a new product. But whatever you decide, deciding early is what keeps the weekend profitable and calm. This guide is about planning the marketing side; it pairs well with your general busy season preparation.
Know the key dates for 2027
Put these dates in your calendar today, then count backward to plan your work.
That gives you roughly 12 weeks from early September. In the UK and Europe, Black Friday follows the same date, even without Thanksgiving, and many shoppers now expect deals to run across the whole week or weekend. Decide early whether your sale lasts one day, a long weekend or a full week.
Set your goal before you set your discount
"Have a sale" is not a goal. Pick one of these, and let it shape your offer:
- Win new customers. Offer something attractive on an entry product, then plan how you will bring them back in January.
- Clear old stock. Discount slow-moving items deeply and keep bestsellers at full price.
- Raise order values. Use bundles, gift sets or "spend more, save more" tiers instead of blanket discounts.
- Grow your list. Give early access to subscribers only, and promote the sign-up from September.
- Reward loyal customers. A members-only offer or free gift can feel more special than a public discount.
Offer types that protect your margin
A flat percentage off everything is the easiest offer to run and often the most expensive. Consider these alternatives:
- Gift with purchase. A small, low-cost extra above a spend threshold.
- Bundles. Pair a bestseller with a slower item at a combined price.
- Tiered savings. A bigger saving on bigger orders.
- Free shipping or upgrades. Valued by shoppers, often cheaper for you than a discount.
- Gift cards with a bonus. Buy a gift card, get a bonus voucher to use in January, which also brings people back in a quiet month.
Common mistake
Copying a big retailer's "50% off" headline. Large chains negotiate with suppliers and plan for it a year ahead. A small shop with normal margins can lose money on every sale at that level. Run the numbers on your own products first.
Check your margins with a simple template
Before you announce any deal, work out what you keep on each order. Copy this table into a spreadsheet. All amounts are made-up examples.
| Product | Normal price (example) | Cost per unit (example) | Offer | Sale price (example) | Profit per unit at sale (example) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scented candle | $30 | $11 | 20% off | $24 | $13 |
| Candle gift set | $70 | $28 | Bundle saving | $60 | $32 |
| Wax melts (old range) | $12 | $4 | 40% off | $7.20 | $3.20 |
Add your shipping, packaging and payment fees as extra columns, because those do not shrink when the price does. If a line goes negative or close to zero, change the offer before it goes live.
A quick note: this is general information, not financial or legal advice. If you are unsure about pricing rules, consumer law or your tax position, check the official guidance or speak to a qualified professional.
Your September to November timeline
Here is a practical sequence that spreads the work out. Adjust the weeks to fit your business.
- Early September: decide. Choose your goal, offer type, sale length and which products are in or out. Check last year's sales if you have them.
- Mid-September: order stock and supplies. Talk to suppliers about lead times now, and order packaging, labels and gift wrap before they get busy.
- Late September: start list building. Add a "get early access" sign-up to your website, receipts and social profiles.
- October: create the assets. Photos, email drafts, social posts, banners and in-store signs. Write once and reuse across channels.
- Late October: test everything. Discount codes, checkout, shipping rules, page speed and stock levels on your website.
- Early November: tease. Hint at the offer to subscribers, confirm dates and explain any shipping cut-offs.
- Black Friday week: sell and serve. Send your emails, keep social posts simple, and watch stock and customer messages closely.
Build your audience in September and October
The people most likely to buy from you on Black Friday are those who already know you. The weeks before November are your chance to grow that group.
Grow your email list
Offer early access, a first look at the deals or a small sign-up bonus. Make the form short and say clearly what you will send. In the US, CAN-SPAM requires a clear unsubscribe option and a valid physical postal address in commercial emails. In the UK and EU, PECR and GDPR rules on consent apply to marketing emails, so collect consent properly rather than adding people from receipts without asking.
Warm up social media
Share behind-the-scenes content in October: products being made, new stock arriving, the team packing orders. Scheduling tools such as Buffer, Hootsuite, Later or Meta Business Suite can help you queue posts in one sitting. Check current features, pricing and privacy policies before choosing.
Use your local presence
Google Business Profile lets businesses publish updates, offers and events on their profile. Post your offer a week or two before, and add Small Business Saturday on 27 November if you are a US shop with a physical location.
Retargeting with care
If you plan ads that follow website visitors, remember that retargeting needs cookie consent where required (UK and EU) and clear privacy notices. Set this up properly in October, not on the day.
Pro tip
Give subscribers a 24-hour head start. It rewards the people who signed up, spreads your orders over more days and gives you a quiet test run before the public launch.
Get operations ready for the marketing to work
Great promotion fails if the website stalls or orders arrive late. Spend a few hours in October on the basics.
- Website speed. Run your key pages through Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix and fix the biggest issues, such as oversized images.
- Pre-orders. If stock may run short, consider taking pre-orders or deposits through Shopify pre-order apps, Square or Stripe, with clear dispatch dates.
- Shipping. Decide your last order dates for delivery before the holidays and publish them early. Tools such as ShipStation, Pirate Ship, Royal Mail Click and Drop, Shippo or Easyship can speed up labels.
- Returns. Write a clear returns policy for sale items and show it on product pages. Rules vary by country, so check what applies to you.
- Customer questions. Prepare short answers to common questions about delivery, sizes and returns.
Check current features, pricing and privacy policies for any tool before you sign up.
If you also have a physical shop
Plan the in-store side in October too. Decide how you will display sale items so they do not bury your full-price bestsellers, print clear price signs and make sure your till or card reader can apply the offer correctly. Think about the layout for busier days: keep walkways and exits clear, set up a simple gift-wrapping or collection point, and decide who covers breaks. A short staff briefing a few days before, covering the offer, the returns policy and the answers to likely questions, saves a lot of confusion at the counter.
Hypothetical example
Imagine Leo, who runs a small online coffee roastery. In September he decides his goal is new subscribers, not one-off sales. Instead of 30% off everything, he offers a free grinder-friendly sample pack with the first month of any subscription. He adds an early-access sign-up in late September, orders extra bags and labels in early October, and tests his checkout twice. On Black Friday weekend he gets fewer bargain hunters than last year but far more subscribers who stay into spring. The details are made up, but the lesson is real: plan the offer around the goal.
After the weekend: keep the new customers
Black Friday ends on Monday, but the planning should not. Before the sale, write a short welcome email for first-time buyers, a thank-you note for regulars and a January "come back" offer. Then, in early December, review what sold, which channels brought orders and what you would change. Save the notes with this year's timeline so next September is even easier.
Your September Black Friday checklist
- Mark 26, 27 and 29 November 2027 in your calendar
- Choose one main goal for the sale
- Pick an offer type and check the margin on every product
- Talk to suppliers about lead times and order packaging
- Add an early-access sign-up with clear consent
- Draft emails, social posts and signs in October
- Test discount codes, checkout and page speed
- Publish shipping cut-off dates and a returns policy
- Write follow-up emails for new customers before the sale
Frequently asked questions
Do small businesses have to take part in Black Friday?
No. Some shops skip it, run a charity day or keep prices steady and focus on service. If discounts would hurt your brand or margins, a gift with purchase or a members-only event can be a good middle ground.
How big should my Black Friday discount be?
Big enough to feel worthwhile, small enough to stay profitable. Start from your margin table, not from what big retailers advertise. Many small shops find bundles or free extras work better than deep percentage cuts.
Should the sale last one day or a whole week?
Longer sales spread orders out and reduce stress, while a single day creates urgency. Many small businesses choose the weekend from Black Friday to Cyber Monday as a balance. Whatever you choose, state the end date clearly.
Is it too late to plan if I start in October?
Not at all. Compress the timeline: decide your goal and offer in the first week, order stock and packaging straight away, and keep the creative simple. A clear, profitable offer sent to an engaged list beats a complicated campaign that is rushed.
Related reading
The bottom line
Black Friday rewards the businesses that plan while everyone else is still enjoying late summer. Use September to set a clear goal and a profitable offer, October to build your list, create assets and test your website, and November to sell with confidence.
Open your calendar today, block out an hour, and fill in the margin table for your top products. That one session will shape a calmer, more profitable end to your year.
