The Ultimate Black Friday Automation Playbook

Black Friday can make or break your year. Here's how top brands use automation to maximize revenue while maintaining sanity.

Pre-Season Preparation (Start 6 Weeks Before)

1. Audit Current Workflows

• Test all automations at 10x volume
• Update email templates
• Verify integration limits
• Configure scaling rules

2. Build Anticipation Campaigns

AI-powered sequences that:

• Segment VIP customers
• Create early access lists
• Generate excitement
• Collect preferences

3. Inventory Intelligence

Automated monitoring for:

• Stock level alerts
• Demand forecasting
• Reorder triggers
• Alternative suggestions

Peak Season Execution

Cart Recovery on Steroids

During Black Friday:

• 15-minute first touch
• Hourly follow-ups
• Inventory warnings
• Price drop alerts
• Extended sequences

Support Automation

Handle the surge with:

• Instant order updates
• Proactive shipping info
• Smart FAQ responses
• Priority routing

Dynamic Pricing Workflows

Automate competitive advantages:

• Competitor monitoring
• Stock-based pricing
• Flash sale triggers
• Bundle optimization

Real Black Friday Results

Fashion Nova (2023):

• Handled 8.3x normal volume
• 52% cart recovery rate
• 94% support automation
• Record $47M in sales

Gymshark (2023):

• Zero downtime
• 3-minute avg response
• 67% email open rates
• 41% conversion rate

Post-Season Optimization

Immediate Actions

• Thank you campaigns
• Review requests
• Loyalty enrollment
• Return processing

Data Analysis

AI automatically identifies:

• Top performing workflows
• Optimization opportunities
• Customer insights
• Areas for improvement

Your Black Friday Checklist

6 Weeks Before:

• Audit all workflows
• Set up monitoring
• Create templates
• Test at scale

2 Weeks Before:

• Launch teasers
• Segment audiences
• Configure alerts
• Brief team

Day Of:

• Monitor dashboards
• Adjust thresholds
• Celebrate wins
• Document learnings

Start preparing now to ensure your most successful Black Friday ever.