How to Fix Your Post-BFCM Sales Dip

The Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) rush is over. The orders have been shipped, the confetti has settled, and now… silence. For many direct-to-consumer (D2C) ecommerce businesses, the period after the biggest shopping event of the year is marked by a sudden drop in revenue, slow sales, and quiet customers. Sound familiar?

This post-holiday lull isn't just a minor inconvenience; it can have a significant impact on your business. You might be left with excess stock from your BFCM promotions, tying up capital that could be used elsewhere. The sharp decline in sales can disrupt cash flow and make forecasting for the new year a challenge. In fact, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes, retail margins often decline by Black Friday, signaling how quickly profitability can erode even during high-traffic periods. Your marketing team, fresh off a high-stakes campaign, now faces the difficult task of re-engaging an audience that may be experiencing shopping fatigue.

So, how do you combat this inevitable dip and turn those one-time bargain hunters into repeat customers? The answer lies in a well-executed loyalty program.

Why a Loyalty Program is Your Post-BFCM Secret Weapon

A loyalty program is more than just a way to reward customers; it's a powerful tool for driving engagement and maintaining sales momentum when you need it most. By creating strategic campaigns, you can re-engage your audience, clear out remaining inventory, and build a stronger connection with your customer base.

Let's explore how specific loyalty program tactics can help you navigate the post-BFCM landscape and set your brand up for a strong start to the new year.

Key Loyalty Strategies for the Post-BFCM Slowdown

Instead of letting the post-holiday quiet take over, you can use targeted loyalty campaigns to keep customers engaged and spending. According to U.S. Census data, e-commerce now accounts for over 16 % of total retail sales, showing how vital a strong post-BFCM strategy is in the retail landscape.

1. Launch Bonus Points Events

Still have stock left over from your Black Friday sales or BFCM promotions? A bonus points event is an excellent way to clear it out while making customers feel valued. By offering double or even triple points on specific products or categories, you create a compelling reason for customers to shop again.

This strategy builds excitement and encourages shoppers to purchase items they might have considered during BFCM but didn't buy. It’s a win-win: you move surplus inventory, and customers feel like they're getting an exclusive deal, strengthening their loyalty to your brand.

2. Use Manual Code Entry for Gamified Engagement

To stay top-of-mind after the holiday noise, consider a manual code entry campaign. This tactic involves sharing a single, universal code through your social media channels or email newsletters. Customers can then enter this code in their account dashboard to earn a set number of points.

What makes this so effective?

• Gamification: It turns earning points into a fun, interactive activity.

• Account Creation: It encourages new customers who shopped as guests during BFCM to create an account, bringing them into your loyalty ecosystem.

• Increased Engagement: It drives traffic to your site and social channels, keeping your brand visible.

This simple action gets customers actively involved with your brand beyond just making a purchase, fostering a deeper sense of community.

3. Create Urgency with Themed, Time-Sensitive Rewards

Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a powerful motivator. You can leverage this by introducing special, themed rewards that are only available for a limited time. For example, you could offer a "New Year, New Gear" reward bundle or an exclusive product that can only be redeemed with points during the first two weeks of January.

By attaching an expiration date to these rewards, you encourage customers to use their points quickly rather than letting them sit idle. This drives immediate engagement and can lead to additional purchases as customers top up their points balance to claim the reward.

4. Re-evaluate Your Points Expiration Policy

This is a strategic consideration that many brands overlook. A shorter points expiration date can be a powerful tool for maintaining customer engagement. When points expire faster, customers are more motivated to use them.

If you run aggressive campaigns like bonus points events, a long expiration date can create significant liability for your business. Customers can accumulate a large number of points and redeem them for substantial discounts all at once, impacting your margins. Consider shortening the expiration period to encourage consistent engagement and give you more flexibility to adjust your reward rules in the future.

5. Market Your Loyalty Program Actively

Your loyalty program won't be effective if your customers don't know about it. Ensure you have a dedicated email flow in your marketing automation platform (like Klaviyo) that keeps your loyalty program front and center.

What should this email flow include?

• Regular Balance Updates: Send emails that show customers their current points balance and how close they are to their next reward.

• Promotion of Earning Events: Announce upcoming bonus point events, manual code entries, and other opportunities to earn.

• Exclusive Content: If you're using manual codes, email can be a great channel to distribute them to existing subscribers, making them feel like insiders and encouraging them to create an account if they haven't already.

6. Design Attainable Rewards

Your campaigns will only succeed if the rewards feel within reach. Don’t play hard to get. Before launching a post-BFCM campaign, analyze your customer data. For example, if you find that a large segment of your customers has fewer than 1,000 points, structure your reward thresholds accordingly.

Calculate how many points they could earn by participating in your new campaigns and set up rewards they can realistically achieve. If a reward feels unattainable, customers will disengage. Making rewards easy to obtain will yield much better results and keep your audience motivated.

Turn the Dip into a Strength

The post-BFCM period doesn't have to be a time of slow sales and customer silence. With a strategic approach to your loyalty program, you can transform this potential slump into an opportunity to build stronger, more lasting relationships with your customers.