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Black Friday and Cyber Monday: American Shopping Crazes Expanding Globally

With an origin dating back to the 1800's, Black Friday is a longstanding tradition for American shoppers looking for the best holiday deals. But as our world has become increasingly connected, the craze has expanded across the globe. British shoppers alone are projected to spend a record 10 billion pounds this year in just 24 hours, or about 1.8 million pounds per minute, according to Dispatches Europe. And its impact extends further than brick and mortar stores. A newer phenomenon, Cyber Monday follows a few days later, where online stores slash prices and extend special deals.

While vacation rental management is outside of the retail industry, Black Friday and Cyber Monday present plenty of opportunities for our industry. Here are a few ways to take advantage of them:

Promote discounts through email and social media marketing

When shoppers are on the hunt for discounts, it's an ideal time to promote special offers on vacation rentals. A price promotion will surely bring increased traffic to your site, but it thankfully won’t compare to the frenzy of shop queues on Black Friday.

For prospective guests to know about your special offers, you need to get the message out. Use our guide to create a strong email campaign for your vacation rental business. Make sure you also use social media to promote any sales you are running and use the ease of online shopping to your advantage as much as possible.

Consider local deals

You can take advantage of Black Friday by not only creating your own sales and promotions, but also by marketing your properties to coincide with the major retailers’ sales and shopping. Often, guests will travel to the best shopping areas just for the weekend surrounding Black Friday. You could combine your promotions with advertising the local shopping in your area. Market your properties to show that holiday shopping doesn't have to be an unpleasant experience. It can involve travel to a new city, a stay in a luxurious property, and an enjoyable trip to top shopping areas.

Advertise properties around the holiday season

Black Friday is the perfect time to market your properties for a last-minute seasonal or Christmas holiday. The combination of the holiday season and the emphasis on shopping gives you a great chance to fill the last weeks of the year.

Why not use images of the crowds and stuffed shops to contrast with the peace and quiet of your properties? A few clicks online will surely be preferable to prospective guests than taking to the November streets.

Promote unused inventory

Having an un-booked week coming up in the upcoming off season is the perfect chance to test out the power of Black Friday. You can fill an empty week in February by offering an attractive price to your guests. Use revenue management software to set the right price and reservations and booking software so guests can book quickly and easily.

While certainly a strange phenomenon, Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend could be a great chance to give vacation rentals an end of year boost, no matter where they are.

(Editor's note- we have updated and republished this article to benefit readers new to the Kigo blog).

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