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It’s the calm before the storm. The inventory is ordered, the ads are drafted, and the calendar is flipping closer to the biggest retail event of the year. Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) is not just a weekend; it’s a season. For many e-commerce brands, these few weeks can account for up to 30% of their annual revenue. The pressure is immense, and the noise is deafening.
In a sea of "50% Off" banners and screaming countdown timers, how do you stand out? How do you win not just a sale, but a customer?
The answer doesn't lie in deeper discounts. It lies in smarter strategies. To help you navigate the BFCM 2025 battlefield, we’ve curated a masterclass from five founders who have not only survived the chaos but thrived in it. From minimalist wallets to bike helmets, these entrepreneurs have cracked the code on building hype, fostering loyalty, and executing flawless campaigns.
This guide is your playbook. We will dissect the winning strategies of Sean Frank (Ridge), Matthew Burrows (Plant Material), Nima Jalali (Salt & Stone), Casey Wojtalewicz & Ally Walsh (Canyon Coffee), and Gloria Hwang (Thousand). We’ll explore how they approach everything from VIP access to creative storytelling, giving you a blueprint to make BFCM 2025 your most successful yet.
The biggest mistake brands make is treating BFCM as a sprint that starts on Friday morning. The real winners know it’s a marathon that begins weeks, even months, in advance.
Sean Frank, CEO of Ridge, the brand famous for its minimalist metal wallets, understands a fundamental truth about modern e-commerce: attention is the most valuable currency. His strategy isn't about a slow burn; it's about a definitive "switch."
For Ridge, the entire year is a build-up to Q4. They spend months acquiring customers and building brand awareness at full price. Then, when November hits, they flip the switch. Their messaging shifts entirely to gifting and value.
The Strategy:
- Aggressive Early Marketing: Instead of waiting for Black Friday, Ridge ramps up ad spend in October and early November to capture email addresses and build retargeting pools.
- The "Anti-Discount" Brand: Because Ridge rarely discounts during the year, their BFCM sale feels like a genuine, can't-miss event. This scarcity creates immense demand.
- Actionable Insight: Don't train your customers to wait for a sale. Maintain price integrity throughout the year so that your BFCM offer feels like a special occasion, not just another Tuesday.
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Nima Jalali, founder of Salt & Stone, a natural skincare brand, leverages the power of exclusivity. In a world of noise, making your best customers feel special is the ultimate retention tool.
The Strategy:
- Tiered Early Access: Salt & Stone doesn't open the floodgates to everyone at once. They offer early access to their email and SMS subscribers days before the public sale.
- The Psychology of "First Dibs": This strategy does two things. First, it rewards loyalty, turning customers into brand advocates. Second, it spreads out the operational load. Instead of one massive spike on Friday, they get a steady stream of high-value orders throughout the week.
- Actionable Insight: Treat your email list like a VIP club. Give them the first bite at the apple. This not only guarantees early revenue but also protects your best customers from stockouts on popular items.
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When everyone is shouting "SALE!", the brand that whispers a compelling story is the one that gets heard. Creative execution is the differentiator that turns a browser into a buyer.
Matthew Burrows, founder of Plant Material, a brand dedicated to garden tools and apparel, knows that his customers aren't just buying a trowel; they're buying a connection to nature. His BFCM strategy avoids the hype-beast aesthetic in favor of something more grounded.
The Strategy:
- Content-Led Commerce: Instead of flashy graphics, Plant Material uses high-quality imagery and storytelling that highlights the utility and beauty of the product in action.
- Community Focus: Their messaging focuses on the lifestyle of their customers. BFCM becomes an opportunity to equip their community for the coming season, rather than just offloading inventory.
- Actionable Insight: Don't lose your brand voice in the pursuit of sales. If your brand is calm and organic, your BFCM ads shouldn't be neon and flashing. authenticity converts better than anxiety.
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Gloria Hwang, founder of Thousand, makers of stylish bike helmets, proves that a sale can be about more than just price. It can be about values.
The Strategy:
- Values-Based Marketing: Thousand often ties their promotions to their mission of saving lives and encouraging cycling. A discount on a helmet isn't just a deal; it's an investment in safety.
- Bundle for Benefit: They create bundles that make sense for the rider (e.g., a helmet plus lights), increasing Average Order Value (AOV) while providing genuine utility.
- Actionable Insight: Anchor your discount to your "why." Remind customers that by buying from you, they are supporting a mission, a lifestyle, or a set of values they believe in.
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The sale isn't over when the credit card is charged. The post-purchase experience is where one-time buyers are transformed into lifetime loyalists.
For Canyon Coffee, a roaster focused on quality and relationships, BFCM is a chance to deepen connections. Founders Casey and Ally understand that coffee is a ritual, and they want to be part of that daily moment.
The Strategy:
- Subscription as the Goal: Rather than just pushing one-off bags of coffee, they use BFCM to incentivize subscriptions. A discount on the first month of a subscription is a gateway to a year of recurring revenue.
- High-Touch Service: Even during the rush, they maintain a high level of customer service. A delayed package is an opportunity to show care. A handwritten note (or a digital equivalent) can go a long way.
- Actionable Insight: Think beyond the weekend. Use BFCM to acquire subscribers, not just orders. Focus on the Lifetime Value (LTV) of the customer, not just the immediate ROAS (Return on Ad Spend).
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Let's synthesize these lessons into a comparative view.
Winning Black Friday Cyber Monday 2025 requires more than just a discount code. It requires a holistic strategy that combines the aggressive acquisition of Ridge, the exclusive loyalty of Salt & Stone, the authentic storytelling of Plant Material, the mission-driven purpose of Thousand, and the retention focus of Canyon Coffee.
Don't try to be everything to everyone. Pick the strategies that align with your brand's DNA. Build your list early, tell a story that matters, and treat your customers like partners, not just wallets.
The tools are in your hands. The strategies are proven. Now, it’s time to execute. Go win the season.
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