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Black Friday starts now: a 90-day plan for businesses 
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Black Friday starts now: a 90-day plan for businesses 

By: Niyati Budhiraja
Social and Community Engagement Specialist
August 21, 2026 clock Calculating time...
A 90 day Black Friday plan for businesses

TL;DR

  •     Start now, not in November. Black Friday hits November 27. Early prep means cheaper stock, cheaper ads and more visibility while competitors sit quiet

  •     Work in three phases. Days 1 to 30 build the foundations, days 31 to 60 drive momentum, days 61 to 90 convert

  •     Treat it as a season, not a day. Demand runs for weeks. Plan across the whole window, from early access through Cyber Monday and into December

 

According to Moneris data, Black Friday transaction volumes jumped 25 per cent week over week in 2025, while the average transaction size grew 14 per cent, even in a year when most Canadians planned to spend less. The opportunity is clear. The question is whether your business will be ready for it.

That readiness starts now, not in November. This year, Black Friday falls on November 27. Planning early gives you more time to secure inventory, set a realistic budget, test your operations and build awareness before the busiest weeks arrive. The goal is simple: enter peak season prepared, confident and ready to serve your customers.

Ninety days. Three phases. A practical plan to help your business prepare for one of the busiest sales periods of the year.

What the 2025 numbers tell you

The spike came with a twist. An Angus Reid survey commissioned by Moneris found 43 per cent of Canadians planned to spend less than the year before, and only seven per cent expected to spend more. National transaction volume finished down four per cent year over year.

So how did the average transaction size still grow 14 per cent on Black Friday itself? Because Canadians held back all season, then moved fast when the value was obvious. That is the key lesson: concentrated, well-timed offers can be more effective than a slow trickle of discounts.

Regional demand varied too. Alberta shoppers pulled back hardest, with 53 per cent planning to cut spending, while Ontario showed the most stability. Know your local market before you set your offers.

A 90 day Black Friday plan for businesses

Days 1 to 30: stock, budget and planning

August 29 to September 27

The first 30 days shape everything. Your pricing, your visibility and your readiness all trace back to the moves you make now.

Your checklist:

  •     Secure your stock early. Supply chains slow as demand climbs. Order now to avoid delays and missed sales. Buy in bulk where the margins work and give yourself room to move on price

  •     Define your pricing and offers. Decide what you will promote and how it stacks up against local rivals. With 43 per cent of shoppers planning to spend less, clear and obvious value wins the sale

  •     Build your campaign plan. Map what you will offer, where you will promote it and when. Social, email and flyers each reach a different customer. A written plan keeps you ahead of businesses still winging it

  •     Set your budget. Ad and print prices climb as Black Friday nears. Commit your numbers early and every dollar stretches further

  •     Build visibility early. Competition stays low in late summer. Invest in awareness now and stay top of mind as demand grows

  •     Review and test operations. Check your point-of-sale setup, website speed and customer support. Fix the cracks now. Firefighting during peak week costs you sales and goodwill

 

Days 31 to 60: marketing and visibility

September 28 to October 27

Your foundations are set. Month two builds momentum. Customers start comparing and browsing, so show up everywhere they look.

Your checklist:

  •     Set your campaigns live. Launch early and claim attention before the ad auction heats up

  •     Keep showing up. Post on social and message customers on a steady rhythm. Consistency keeps you in mind when wallets open

  •     Remind past customers who you are. Send reminder emails, post regularly and retarget past website visitors. Familiar brands win the click

  •     Grow your audience. Run a giveaway or team up with another local business on a popular product. Point new fans to your social pages and mailing list

  •     Refine and test your messaging. Trial a few offers and angles. See whether saving money or limited-time urgency lands harder. Double down on the winner

  •     Treat Black Friday as a multi-week event. Plan across several weeks, not one day. Offer early access or an exclusive sign-up before the big day

 

A 90 day Black Friday plan for businesses

Days 61 to 90: conversion and operations

October 28 to November 26

The moment arrives. Your customers are ready to buy and your weeks of preparation go live. The 14 per cent increase in average transaction size on Black Friday shows that shoppers may spend more when the value is clear. Now you remove friction, stay visible and convert.

Your checklist:

  •     Pressure-test operations one more time. Stress your fulfilment, staffing and payment systems. A frozen checkout during peak hour damages your reputation

  •     Optimize the buying journey. A fast site and a simple checkout lift results directly. Make paying effortless in store and online. Offer the tap, chip and digital wallet options your customers expect

  •     Maximize high-intent retargeting. Focus spend on product viewers, cart abandoners and engaged shoppers. These people sit closest to the sale

  •     Monitor stock in real time. Watch inventory daily. Shift focus to alternative products when items run low. Keep a reorder list of suppliers with short lead times

  •     Back your top channels. Move budget to the campaigns already returning the most. Efficiency wins at peak

  •     Extend beyond Black Friday. Keep going through Cyber Monday and into December. Follow up with interested shoppers to capture the demand after the first rush

 

Six mistakes to avoid

  1. Starting too late. November means higher costs, less visibility and missed early demand

  1. Discounting too early. Your strongest offer loses its punch when you launch it too soon

  1. Spreading spend evenly. Weight your biggest investment toward the days customers convert

  1. Underestimating demand. Selling out of key products during peak week means lost revenue

  1. Ignoring site and checkout speed. Slow pages and clunky payment flows kill conversions

  1. Treating Black Friday as one day. The demand runs for weeks. Plan for all of it

 

A 90 day Black Friday plan for businesses

A note on cash flow

Black Friday asks you to spend before you earn. Stock, ads and staffing all come due before the first sale lands. Healthy cash flow gives you room to act when the right opportunity shows up. Review your reserves now so a good opportunity never slips past for want of ready funds.

Start now. Ninety days may sound like a lot, but it disappears quickly once inventory, campaigns and operational planning begin. The 2025 data shows that Canadians responded when the value was clear. Start this week by identifying your priority products, setting your promotional budget and testing your payment setup. The work you do now can help your business enter November 27 prepared and ready to serve customers.

 

Author Profile

Niyati Budhiraja

Niyati Budhiraja

Social and Community Engagement Specialist

Niyati Budhiraja is a word nerd who turns tricky business talk into fun, simple and genuinely helpful content. She writes features on inspiring Canadian businesses, crafts easy-to-follow guides and shares smart tips to help small businesses feel confident and supported. When she’s not writing or dreaming up her next blog idea, you’ll likely find her hunting down the city’s best hot chocolate.

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