Is your business Black Friday ready?

Black Friday has slowly made its way into South Africa, and shoppers and businesses alike aren’t complaining. Why would they? Great bargains equal more sales.

What you need to know about Black Friday 💳

In 2018 we (as a country) spent just under R3 billion on Black Friday specials, according to BankservAfrica. This was a 55% growth from 2017. 

With Black Friday becoming more integrated with South African culture, it’s crucial for all businesses to get involved. Or else miss out on a piece of the R2.9 billion pie. It’s also important to note that shoppers are far less likely to put a lot of thought into buying big-ticket items. 

So, how does Black Friday tie into your review management, and do Platforms like Hellopeter help?

Reviews, good or bad, impact your Black Friday sales 🛍️

Black Friday should cause (healthy) competition between retailers. It all comes down to who has the best deal? But what if shops selling similar items manage to get the same goods, at the same price point? 

Think of it from a consumers point of view: if two retailers both have the same Bluetooth headphones, for the same special Black Friday price, how would you choose which business to go with? Simple – by checking how they deal with their consumers. And this can be seen on Platforms such as Hellopeter, and social media. 

Consumers can get the reassurance they need from reading other peoples reviews, especially when it comes to online shopping. It can be daunting buying online without knowing whether the shops return policy is fair, or their aftercare service is superb. Let’s see how this can affect your sales. 

Business A never checks in with their consumers online. They don’t answer when someone leaves a compliment, or a complaint. Business B, on the other hand, regularly responds to, and acknowledges, their consumer’s reviews (good and bad). 

When competition is so fierce, something as seemingly small as reputation management can be the difference between a sale, and a pass.

How can you use review platforms to bolster your Black Friday sales? 🛒

Simply by responding to your consumers, through Hellopeter or social media, shows prospective consumers that you care. Care about aftersale service, and care about them. 

Starting to get in the habit of growing and managing your reviews in the month leading up to Black Friday will help you massively by the time 29 November rolls around. Excited shoppers googling who has the best sales will be greeted with so much choice, you’ll need to make sure you stand out.

Quick review management tips

On your journey to better your reviews before the big day, follow the below guide to get started:

• Respond to every message. Whether it’s a raving review, or a raving mad review, make sure your response time is the same. Someone took the time out of their day to help you improve their business, and they deserve a response

• Be empathetic. While something may not be such a big deal to you, it could be a big deal to a consumer. Make sure you respond with empathy, and respect

• Offer solutions. By offering solutions you’re acknowledging your customer’s experience

• Share positive experiences. It’s great for a consumer to come onto your social media page or website, and see happy customers. Our widgets can be a great way to display 5-star reviews on your website

• Ask for reviews. Check-in with your brand advocate consumers and ask if they’ll leave positive reviews leading up to Black Friday

Get started 🎉

With Black Friday quickly approaching, there’s no time like the present to get a start on your review management skills. 

Simply by responding to pending consumer reviews, whether a good or bad, will allow potential Black Friday shoppers the chance to see how much you care about them. 

Our Free Package is a great way to get a taste of how quickly growing your reputation can help your business increase sales, and brand reputation.

Reviews on Hellopeter have helped over one million consumers make better choices. Had an experience you’d like to tell us about? Leave us a review here.