nShift: Poor Stress-testing fuels Black-Friday Failures

nShift releases new guide on delivering ecommerce success

Failing to stress-test infrastructure is preventing many online and omnichannel retailers from making the most of Black Friday. nShift, the global leader in delivery management, has released a new guide exploring how to deliver Black-Friday success.

Black Friday continues to be popular.  Despite speculation that the day would lose its distinctiveness amid a whole season of discounting, last year’s big event saw average spend per person rise.^[1] This year’s bonanza, on 24 November, is set to break new sales records.

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The nShift guide discusses how five common mistakes tend to hold businesses back from making the most of Black Friday:

1. Poor stress-testing – with orders far exceeding those of a typical Friday, the ecommerce and digital infrastructure can fail to stand up to demand
2. Neglecting cart-conversion strategies – some 80% of shopping carts are abandoned on Black Friday.^[2] By understanding why consumers click away, retailers can increase conversions
3. Forgetting about the customer experience – people are after more than a bargain. They expect the rest of the experience, including the delivery, to be worth coming back for
4. Insufficient delivery options – providing the right range of delivery options can increase conversions by 20%
5. Failing to focus on emissions – retailers can take steps to help shoppers make more eco-friendly choices

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Mattias Gredenhag, CTO at nShift said, “Black Friday remains persistently popular. By getting the right planning in place, retailers of all sizes can ride the wave and grow their revenue.  It’s crucial that amid the rush to meet demand, businesses remember to prioritize the customer experience.

“Today’s shoppers expect regular updates on the status of their deliveries. They assume they will be able to view those updates through the social channels that are relevant to them, not the communication methods that are convenient for the retailer.  Creating the right customer experience can build loyalty for the long term. But when consumers feel let down by the delivery experience, they will shop around for a better one.”

nShift can help online retailers and webshops scale up for the busiest time of the year.

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