Black Friday is one of the biggest sales opportunities of the year, but it also represents a major challenge for companies that need to deal with high volumes of traffic, data processing, and increased demand for products and services. It has become one of the biggest commercial dates on the commercial calendar.
Last year, there was a 15.1% drop in sales compared to 2022, according to the survey conducted by Neotrust and ClearSale, with the final result reaching the mark of R$ 5.23 billion in e-commerce sales. “Expectations for 2024 are high and companies are increasingly preparing in advance, aiming to ensure good results with safety, stability, and credibility to customers, always promoting a satisfactory experience, which is part of the buying process and loyalty,” points out Stênio Viveiros, Principal Quality Consultant at keeggo.
The event, officially held on November 29, already has a good outlook, where 39% of consumers have indicated they intend to purchase on that date, according to a survey conducted by PiniOn for Globo. In addition, the National Confederation of Shopkeepers (CNDL) and the Credit Protection Service (SPC Brazil) say the number of interested parties is expected to grow until November, as in 2023, 87% of Brazilians only showed interest from October onwards.
Anticipating market demands, aiming to avoid possible future problems, Stênio presents strategies to help companies optimize processes, improve performance, and make the most of the promotional season.
Performance testing and process automation: an essential step for success
Before Black Friday, it is essential to perform performance tests to assess the response capacity of systems under a massive volume and ensure that e-commerce platforms do not suffer crashes or failures. “It is important to offer robust testing solutions, identifying bottlenecks and optimizations that ensure a smooth shopping experience for the end consumer, avoiding cart dropouts,” Stênio.
Automating processes is an efficient way to ensure that internal operations flow without interruptions. The success of the operation lies in working with the implementation of tools that optimize the process completely: from customer service to inventory management, enabling teams to focus on what really matters: driving sales.
“By integrating data analysis technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, companies can offer personalized promotions and more accurate predictions of buying behavior,” Stênio points out that more targeted campaigns and intelligent strategies increase conversion rates and longer customer stay in e-commerce.
Safety and scalability
With the increased traffic during Black Friday, data security and platform scalability are priorities, especially for consumers, who need to feel secure. “The recommendation is to conduct security audits, offering solutions that ensure the integrity of information, as well as support the growth of accesses without compromising the user experience,” concludes Jonathan Arend, keeggo’s Principal Cybersecurity Consultant.
The cryptography stands out as a resource to protect data privacy on the internet, for both companies and consumers. In case of any intrusion attempt, the system protects users’ personal data, maintaining the confidentiality of information and ensuring that no data is accessed by an unauthorized third party.
“Technology is essential to protect sensitive data from e-commerce transactions, ensuring they remain confidential and inaccessible to unauthorized third parties. This involves end-to-end encryption, both in transit and at rest, with robust algorithms and secure encryption keys. Additionally, the use of digital certificates and security protocols like TLS (Transport Layer Security) ensures the integrity and authenticity of communications between the client and the server,” explains the executive.
Creating a website backup also brings peace of mind for the discount season. A backup is like an “instant copy” of all the key elements of your platform, such as files and codes, databases, images, videos, among others. The security mechanism stores the information and facilitates data recovery in case of fraud.
“Finally, it is highly advisable to maintain a well-trained incident response team with well-defined security protocols to effectively respond to potential threats during Black Friday. This involves assigning clear roles and responsibilities, creating detailed contingency plans, and conducting regular incident simulation exercises to ensure the team is prepared to deal with any security scenario. Collaboration with cybersecurity providers can also be beneficial to stay updated on emerging threats and best security practices,” the expert states.
