How to Prepare Your Shopify Store for Black Friday

Let me kick this off with a little story.

A couple of years back, I worked with a small Shopify store owner who handmade leather wallets. Let’s call her Sarah. Sarah was convinced that Black Friday wasn’t “her thing” because competing with the giants felt impossible. But with the right tweaks—nothing crazy—a few email campaigns, urgent offers, and, honestly, much coffee, she sold out her inventory in two days. She wasn’t a multibillion-dollar brand… just a determined entrepreneur who followed solid advice from an ecommerce expert who had been through the trenches.

And that’s the thing. Black Friday isn’t only for the big kids on the block. With the right strategy, your Shopify store can turn into one of those “I can’t believe we just made that much in a weekend” stories.

So, let’s talk about how you can prepare your Shopify store right now, even if you’re starting late, even if life feels messy, and even if you haven’t run a huge sale before. Having worked alongside, I can assure you that every move you make now can snowball into something massive.

Why Black Friday Is Your E-commerce Olympics

Think of Black Friday as the Olympics for online sellers. Everything you’ve worked on all year—your branding, customer trust, and products—all get tested in one weekend under pressure.

But here’s the difference: unlike the Olympics, you don’t need four years of training. The proper warm-up routine can help you get in shape quickly.

And that’s where an e-commerce expert comes in. Because I’ve seen too many business owners scramble, setting discounts at the last second, or worse—forgetting to test their checkout process (don’t laugh, it happens all the time).

The stores that crush it are the ones that treat preparation like a marathon, not a sprint.

Step 1: Audit Your Shopify Store Before Black Friday Madness

Alright, first things first: clean up shop. Literally.

• Check your site speed. If a page loads slower than three seconds, people bounce. I once saw a fashion boutique lose 35% of its traffic because the banner image was too heavy. Painful.

• Mobile-first, always. This year, over 70% of Black Friday traffic is expected to come from mobile devices. If your “add to cart” button is tiny, consider how frustrating that is for thumbs.

• Test the checkout. I cannot stress this enough. Pretend you’re a customer and make a purchase. See where it feels clunky. Fix it before customers hit that “X.”

A good e-commerce expert knows this cleanup is unexciting but necessary. At 99 Ecommerce Experts, we always run audits at least a month in advance so small cracks don’t become massive leaks on your busiest day of the year.

Step 2: Craft Your Offer (It’s Not Just About Discounts)

Here’s where store owners mess up: thinking Black Friday is only about slashing prices. Customers want deals, yes, but they also want to feel smart when shopping. Give them something exciting without compromising your brand's value.

Options you could try:

• Bundles: Pair related items together. Think “Buy a candle set, get a free wick trimmer.”
• Gift-with-purchase: People love “freebies,” even if it’s just a branded tote.
• Early access sales: Let your VIP email subscribers shop before anyone else.

One of my clients, a skincare startup, didn’t offer any discounts. Instead, they offered a limited edition “Black Friday Glow Kit.” Sold out in 6 hours. That’s the power of being creative.

And remember—don’t just copy Amazon. Be human. Make your offer feel tailored, personal, and even a bit scrappy. Sometimes that wins over slick corporate campaigns.

Step 3: Build Your Pre-Black Friday Buzz

Here’s the thing… if you wait until Black Friday itself to shout about your deal, you’re already late. An e-commerce expert will tell you your sales are made before Black Friday, not on the day itself.

How to build hype:

• Email teasers: “Something big is coming Friday 👀” with a countdown.
• Social hints: Quick, casual videos showing packaging or a behind-the-scenes look.
• SMS alerts: Yes, people are more likely to open texts. Use them wisely.

Think of it like a movie trailer. You’re giving enough information to stir excitement, without spoiling the plot.

One Shopify jewelry brand I worked with increased its Black Friday sales by three times by running a VIP early-access campaign through email and SMS. People hate missing out. Lean into that.

Step 4: Optimize Your Shopify Tech Stack

This is where the nerdy, yet crucial, part comes in.

Your Shopify apps should work together like a well-oiled machine. Before the big weekend:

• Update your apps (no one wants bugs on Black Friday).
• Install urgency tools (countdown timers, stock alerts).
• Set up abandoned cart recovery flows that actually sound human (not robotic nonsense).

Here’s a trick: Write your abandoned cart emails almost like a friend would. Something like, “Hey, looks like you forgot your cart. Happens all the time—I do it too. Want me to keep it safe for you?”

I’ve seen this human touch increase recovery rates by 15-20%. That’s real money.

And if you’re unsure? Companies like 99 Ecommerce Experts can review your setup, identify potential issues, and suggest what’s worth paying for (and what’s not). Because honestly, you don’t need 50 apps. Just the right few.

Step 5: Stock, Shipping, and Customer Service (The Forgotten Heroes)

You can have the prettiest Shopify store, but if you can’t fulfill fast enough, the magic fizzles.

• Inventory check: Sounds obvious, but I’ve seen retailers sell products they didn’t actually have—then face refunds and nasty reviews.

• Shipping partners ready: Ensure they can handle large volumes. Call them. Seriously. Don’t assume.

• Customer service game plan: Expect more questions, more DMs, and more “Where’s my order?” emails.

Quick case study: A clothing brand I worked with experienced its best Black Friday, but customer service struggled to keep up with the volume. By December, the glow of those sales had turned into a nightmare of refunds. If they had pre-trained their support staff, they would’ve kept that momentum.

Being an e-commerce expert doesn’t mean knowing it all—it means planning for every bump in the road.

Step 6: Leverage Paid Ads and Retargeting (Without Burning Cash)

Here’s where many store owners panic-spend. They throw money at Facebook Ads without testing first. Huge mistake.

What works better:

1. Warm up your audiences early. Run smaller campaigns in October to gather data and prime your pixels.

2. Retarget during Black Friday. People abandon carts like crazy… but they come back if you remind them.

3. Cap your budget wisely. Don’t spend emotionally. Black Friday can feel like a casino if you’re not careful.

At 99 Ecommerce Experts, we often tell clients: invest bright, not loud. A strong retargeting campaign will beat a scattershot “blast the internet” approach every time.

Step 7: Prepare for After Black Friday (Retention Is Where the Real Money Is)

Here’s a truth bomb: Black Friday isn’t about one weekend. It’s about who you keep as loyal customers afterward.

So many store owners focus 100% on the frenzy, then disappear until Valentine’s Day. Don’t do this.

• Follow-up emails: Thank new customers and introduce them to your brand's story.

• Holiday upsells: Use that momentum for Christmas shopping deals.

• Customer love gestures: A personal note in the package, even handwritten if possible, works miracles.

One ecommerce expert I know always says, “Black Friday creates the crowd, but loyalty builds the empire.” Couldn’t agree more.

Real Talk From the Trenches

Black Friday is stressful. There’s no sugarcoating that. You’ll feel stretched thin, maybe even overwhelmed. But here’s what I remind every single store owner I work with:

Black Friday isn’t about being perfect. It’s about showing up prepared and giving your customers an experience that feels smoother—and more memorable—than what they’ll find anywhere else.

The little touches? They matter more than you think. The pop-ups that feel human, the fast email replies, the small surprise in the package—they all add up.

And hey, if Sarah (with her tiny leather wallet shop) could become one of those Black Friday success stories, trust me… so can you.

Final Word: Don’t Do It Alone

If you’re feeling that pre-Black Friday panic creeping in, you’re not alone. Thousands of Shopify store owners are scrambling right now. The difference between surviving and thriving often comes down to having someone in your corner who’s been there before.

That’s where working with an ecommerce expert (or better yet, a team like 99 Ecommerce Experts) can save you sleepless nights and wasted money. Whether it’s optimizing your Shopify store, crafting your offers, or simply guiding you through the chaos, leaning on experience pays off.
So, let’s get your store in fighting shape before the big weekend arrives. Reach out to 99 Ecommerce Experts today, and let’s make this Black Friday the one you’ll remember for the right reasons.