The Ultimate Guide to a BFCM that Really Grows Revenue

The top 5 BFCM loyalty tactics you need to know

Act now to maximize revenue

What sets brands apart during BFCM?

BFCM is changing. The rise of AI search and skyrocketing CAC mean that customers who do connect with your brand are more precious than ever. Once they’re on your site, app, or in-store, you have two choices:

• Sell them a product or two.
• Increase your chances of selling those products AND supercharge your revenue growth – not just during BFCM but in the following months and years.

That’s the difference a loyalty program can make. Fast-growth brands like Au Vodka and P&Co have been using them to drive BFCM advantage for years. But what are the proven tactics for a BFCM that drives long-term revenue gains this year?

We’ve crunched the numbers from 600k orders, surveyed 4,000 consumers, and analyzed top industry trends to find out 👇

1. Launch or level up your loyalty program before BFCM

Did you know?

• The data shows: 205% more points are earned during BFCM than during a normal week. (Source: LoyaltyLion’s platform during BFCM weekend 2024)
• The research says: 66% of consumers are more likely to visit stores where they have loyalty points/rewards to redeem during a sales period compared to other times of year.
• The industry trend: AI search is on the rise. Focusing on increasing revenue from existing members will help grow revenue while mitigating the uncertainty around whether algorithms will surface your brand.

Should you launch a loyalty program before BFCM?

“Yes! Even the freshest new programs reap the rewards and drive a significant uplift in total revenue during BFCM. In fact, a brand that launched just in time for BFCM and achieved excellent results is Au Vodka.”

Luana Stoica, Onboarding Team Lead, LoyaltyLion

Launch or Level Up: Top tactics

• Not got a program yet? Get one now! The more guest checkouts you can turn into loyal members with available rewards ahead of BFCM, the more retained customers you’ll see visiting your site during the peak. Plus, an enticing loyalty program can be the key differentiator between your brand and a competitor.
• Got a program? As AI continues to change search, traffic volumes may be unpredictable this BFCM, impacting acquisition. Boost enrollment now from those who do visit your site to connect with them regularly via email, push notifications and more, to guarantee BFCM traffic.
• How: Easy Start your retention journey now – the sooner the better as peak season approaches.
• How: Advanced Launch a double points weekend ahead of BFCM, publicising it to non-members to drive FOMO. Then, set all members up with points to prompt that critical repeat purchase during BFCM.

2. Tie loyalty activities into your BFCM promos

Did you know?

• The data shows: BFCM 2024 saw 746% more referrals, 330% more newsletter signups, and 128% more social follows – all incentivized by loyalty programs.
• The research says: 72% of consumers consider early access to sales an important loyalty program benefit.
• The research highlights: 71% of consumers are more likely to join loyalty programs during turbulent times, rising to 81% among Millennials.

How can BFCM drive longer-term impact on revenue?

“BFCM offers typically burn bright for a short amount of time, but when integrated with a loyalty program, their impact is lengthened. Positioning the program and its benefits as part of your exciting BFCM promotions encourages shoppers to give their data to unlock the best experience. This unlocks the lucrative ability for you to communicate with them long-term.”

Hannah Gill, Partnerships Executive, LoyaltyLion

Top tactics to boost BFCM loyalty activity

• Not got a program yet? Make the most of this natural spike in loyalty activity. Signpost non-purchase activities such as social follows, newsletter signups or app downloads as a way to earn vital points, and ensure your BFCM offers are then repeated back to members on those channels to encourage a purchase.
• Got a program? Members love engaging with programs during BFCM. Use this to your advantage with an exclusivity strategy: promote members-only perks to drive engagement and FOMO, signposting these offers on your site, loyalty page, and socials.
• How: Easy We’ll help you set up the highest-impact activities before launch.
• How: Advanced Try members-only passcodes and sale previews for the top-tier. P&Co shuts down their entire site ahead of BFCM, only opening it up to members 24-hours ahead of general access!

3. Get rewards right during the event

Did you know?

• The data shows: BFCM 2024 saw 45% more rewards used than over a typical weekend, with 304% more free shipping vouchers used than average weekend (60% more than BFCM 2023).
• The research says: 84% of consumers consider free product rewards an important loyalty program benefit while 88% of consumers consider financial rewards/discounts an important loyalty program benefit.
• Industry trends suggest: Prime Day last year saw people spend less, but over a longer timeframe. Counteract this to raise AOV by signposting a member’s available rewards and tier upgrades across your site and app.

What rewards do customers want during BFCM?

“Not sure what incentives are working best during BFCM? Why not poll your program members? You can even award points for taking part in the survey. By asking members, you can unlock invaluable insights about what rewards and activities to drop, or which you could put even more effort into promoting for top results.”

Harriet Bingham, Director of Customer Success, LoyaltyLion

Top tactics for BFCM rewards

• Not got a program yet? Shoppers are passionate about valuable rewards, especially during BFCM. Make sure they’re clearly displayed on your loyalty page, to entice enrollment, drive engagement with the program, and lock in those first redemptions from your keenest new members.
• Got a program? Don’t just use discounts; while 88% say they’re an important loyalty benefit, you can offer equal value without harming your margins when you consider that 85% say they want free shipping or free product rewards.
• How: Easy Your onboarding manager can help set up all the rewards to get you started.
• How: Advanced Publicise your free shipping reward to steer customers away from competitors.

4. Personalize and automate your BFCM comms for maximum effect

Did you know?

• The data shows: BFCM 2024 saw 454% more custom-earning activities than an average weekend.
• The research says: 54% say they are more likely to open emails from retail brands over a sales period.
• Industry trends suggest: Only 59% of consumers agree that the loyalty comms they receive are personalized.

What makes BFCM messages most impactful?

“Communicating with your loyalty program members is far from a heavy lift. With advanced integrations that automatically pull loyalty data about points, rewards, and tier status through to your ESP, all you need to do is dream up the next exciting BFCM offer to shout about! Check out amazing examples of automated BFCM loyalty comms below.”

Sathiya Raveendran, Customer Support Executive, LoyaltyLion

Top tactics for better BFCM comms

• Not got a program yet? Use email, SMS, push notifications on your app, and social media to tell members about your program in the run up to BFCM. The great news is you can automate all of those comms.
• Got a program? Be strategic about points expiry, telling members via those much-read comms via SMS, push notification, and email to nudge an urgent repeat purchase.
• How: Easy Use our pre-built loyalty email flows to welcome members to the program, plus integrate LoyaltyLion with ESPs including Klaviyo or mobile commerce platforms like Tapcart to remind customers of available points and rewards, celebrate birthdays, and reactivate at-risk shoppers.
• How: Advanced You can easily adapt your points expiry in the LoyaltyLion app. Ensure that points earned before the event don’t expire before peak season, and those earned during BFCM expire at an advantageous time for you, like after January sales.

Top BFCM loyalty comms

Our favorite examples of revenue-driving peak season campaigns

5. Keep the momentum up after the event

Did you know?

• The data shows: BFCM 2024 saw a 119% increase in new loyalty program members compared to a typical weekend.
• The research says: 85% of consumers say a loyalty program influences their decision to repeat purchase from the same brand.
• Industry trends suggest: Cart abandonment still hovers around 70% during BFCM, and is even higher on mobile.

How can you maximize revenue after BFCM?

“Brands that don’t have a program will be relying on revenue gained during the event to power the following months. But if you’ve enrolled members in a program, you’ve kickstarted a recurring cycle of repeat purchasing that increases CLV as it lowers CPO – the route to real revenue growth.”

Rossano Bhandal, Principal Account Manager, LoyaltyLion

Top tactics for post-BFCM revenue growth

• Not got a program yet? Even if you’re launching your program after BFCM, you can still capitalize on peak. Surprise those who shopped with you during BFCM with bonus points that they have to redeem within a month – a strategy that prompts them back to your site speedily.
• Got a program? Ace the post-purchase email. If customers have made a BFCM purchase without enrolling, win them back by showing them how many points they could have earned – and how they could have used them – in your post-purchase confirmation email.
• How: Easy Why not offer 100 loyalty points to shoppers who return and purchase again before a certain date?
• How: Advanced Automate your post-purchase emails using LoyaltyLion’s integrations with tools like Klaviyo. Plus, sweeten the deal by setting up your program’s ability to backdate points. Plus, run a double points event for your January sales! It will keep momentum up and encourage repeat purchases sooner rather than later.

What will this BFCM really be like? [20+ new stats]

We’ve explored extensive research, our historic data, and industry trends to find out:

• What can we expect from BFCM this year?
• What does the industry say about BFCM?
• How have loyalty programs increased BFCM impact in the past?
• What do consumers really want from BFCM promos this year?

1. What can we expect from BFCM this year?

Industry reports suggest BFCM will be bigger than ever, despite mutterings of consumer fatigue in the big sale event. But throwing money at paid acquisition will no longer cut it. Brands with a more creative and compelling approach will win more than just revenue this November – they could become loyal customers for life.

• It will be long. Coming off the back of Amazon Prime Day’s first-ever 4-day event, rumours of BFCM contracting back to a few days are unlikely to be true this year. Expect an early and extended sales period, with some brands starting late October, and peaks over the final 10 days of November.
• Fewer discounts, more creativity. BFCM may be less discount-driven than usual, as Prime Day last year saw people spend less, but over a longer timeframe. Increase average order values by signposting available rewards and tier upgrades based on spend across your site and app.
• AI search is on the rise. Watch out for AI search. Customers may no longer find your site through traditional SEO and keyword searches. Why not incentivize reviews with loyalty points to boost AI’s perception of your brand so it suggests you above competitors?
• Personalization is differentiation. Personalization remains king. What’s new is that only 59% of consumers agree that the loyalty comms they receive are personalized. Get ahead of the competition by automating loyalty comms that show customers products they’d love, what rewards they can soon redeem, and more.
• Mobile remains king. With paid ads getting costlier and less effective, brands are prioritizing push notifications and app marketing. With a loyalty program that integrates into your app, you can incentivize app downloads, personalize push notifications, and boost conversion.
• A focus on existing customers due to ad costs. Cookie loss and paid ad cost increases are slashing ROAS. However, owned audiences convert 2–3x better than paid-only ones. Supercharge your retention approach ahead of BFCM by enrolling members, gathering their data, and communicating back to them about your exciting BFCM offers.

2. How have loyalty programs increased BFCM impact in the past?

LoyaltyLion’s data from 10,000 brands, 600k orders, and 3 million points earned during BFCM 2024 shows that member engagement with programs skyrockets during the peak period.

• BFCM 2024 saw a 119% increase in new loyalty program members compared to a typical weekend.
• BFCM 2024 saw a 119% increase in redeeming members over a typical weekend.
• BFCM 2024 saw 45% more rewards used than over a typical weekend.
• BFCM 2024 saw 104% more checkout redemptions than an average weekend (74% more than BFCM 2023).
• BFCM 2024 saw 304% more free shipping vouchers used than average weekend (60% more than BFCM 2023).
• BFCM 2024 saw 330% more newsletter signups than an average weekend.
• BFCM 2024 saw 746% more referrals than an average weekend.
• BFCM 2024 saw 128% more social follows than an average weekend.
• BFCM 2024 saw 454% more custom-earning activities than an average weekend.

How to react? Turn this enthusiasm into revenue growth that sustains your brand well into the new year by signposting the program during BFCM and integrating it with peak offers.

3. What will affect brands’ BFCM performance this year?

The biggest ecommerce trends show that customer acquisition is in a tough spot. Take matters into your own hands and nurture your loyal, retained customer base to guarantee their visit during BFCM.

Economic uncertainty

It’s steering shoppers towards brands offering reassurance and value. Our new research found 71% of consumers are more likely to join loyalty programs during turbulent times, rising to 81% among Millennials. The impact of tariffs hasn’t died down yet, so neither have trends around discount-hunting and subscriber churn.

The solution: Pull your customers away from competitor discounts by emphasizing the financial and non-financial benefits of joining your program during BFCM. 10% off AND a free product reward? Count us in!

Customer acquisition costs are still rising

With ad costs at their most competitive ever, securing new customers will come at a very high price this BFCM. Ask yourself: are we getting the best value from our existing customers?

The solution: Focusing on retention for revenue growth is what many Shopify brands are already doing this BFCM – in fact, if you don’t have a program already, you’re in the minority.

AI will impact search traffic

The rules of SEO are well and truly changing. Brands are asking themselves:

• Is the volume of new visitors to our site down?
• What is AI’s perception of the customer sentiment about our brand?
• Can shoppers find our BFCM promotions via AI search?

The solution: All of these factors mean typical traffic volumes to your site during BFCM could change this year. Are you prepared with a reliable strategy to increase revenue from retained customers instead?

Starting with points-incentivized reviews could also help raise your brand’s profile in AI search results – 70% of customers would be happy to leave a review for points.

4. What do consumers really want from BFCM promos this year?

We asked 4,000 consumers so you don’t have to.

• 60% of consumers are more likely to join a loyalty program during a sales period like BFCM than at other times of year.
• 73% of Gen Z and 74% of Millennials say they are more likely to join a loyalty program during a sales period like BFCM than at other times of year.
• 66% are more likely to visit stores where they have loyalty points/rewards to redeem during a sales period compared to other times of year.
• 74% of Gen Z and 76% of Millennials are more likely to visit stores where they have loyalty points/rewards to redeem during a sales period compared to other times of year.
• 67% of consumers are more likely to redeem loyalty points/rewards during a sales period than during other times of the year.
• 76% of Gen Z and 77% of Millennials are more likely to redeem loyalty points/rewards during a sales period than during other times of the year.
• 65% say they are more likely to shop with brands that they have purchased from previously during a sales period compared to other times of the year.
• 76% of Gen Z and 75% of Millennials say they are more likely to shop with brands that they have purchased from previously during a sales period compared to other times of the year.

Already got a program?

Here’s your best course of action for real revenue growth before, during, and after BFCM.

• Encourage enrolment before BFCM. Try a double-points weekend ahead of the event to ensure they’ve got rewards to redeem during the peak period.
• Build hype with FOMO. Run exciting members-only BFCM offers, from members-only rewards to allowing top-tier members into password-protected sales.
• Incentivize reviews ahead of the event. Ensure your brand will be found in new AI search results by letting customers earn points for public-facing reviews.
• Iterate based on the data. Keep an eye on the data during BFCM; what rewards are customers responding to, and which could be replaced to encourage better conversion?
• Get points expiry right. Get strategic about when you want a repeat purchase to happen, and set points expiry accordingly.
• Nurture loyalty via unwanted items. Many customers will have unwanted items after the shopping frenzy. Help them handle this issue and grow their loyalty to the brand by letting them earn points by selling preloved items, like Represent did.
• Keep the momentum up with comms. Enrol guest shoppers with post-purchase emails and backdated points, whilst incentivising members towards a second purchase.