7 expert tips for marketplace sellers to sell smartly and at scale on Black Friday

Black Friday has ceased to be a “day of promotions” and has become a competitive cycle that can leverage the subsequent months. With an earlier calendar, traffic wars, more demanding algorithms, and increasingly informed consumers, selling well on marketplaces requires advanced preparation, operational control, and strategic use of automation. According to marketplace experts, the secret to performance lies in the convergence of competitive pricing, data intelligence, logistics, and reputation.

For Jasper Perru, Growth Performance expert at ANYTOOLS, the largest marketplace ecosystem in Brazil, the key lesson from recent editions is simple: those who arrive prepared become a priority for the platforms. “It's not enough to react on the date. Those who prepare in advance, master their product mix, automate processes, and have a solid operation gain prominence, coupons, funding, and visibility,” he states.

The expert pointed out that certain impact fronts, when combined, boost sales and reduce losses, especially for those working in online sales. Perru prepared 7 insights to scale sales with margin and predictability:

1 – Operation as a competitive differentiator

For Jasper, an organized operation is worth more than any aggressive discount. This includes reliable delivery times, a complete catalog (with good photos, descriptions, and videos), and planning at least 45 days in advance. He also highlights the importance of the right product mix and kits combining A-curve items with long-tail items, which increase the average order value and strengthen SEO within the marketplaces.

Furthermore, catalogs should be customized per channel, not duplicated. “Each marketplace has its own algorithm. When a seller ignores this, they lose relevance even before pricing,” he states. Logistics strategies have also evolved: fulfillment and regional carriers now work together, and multi-distribution center (multi-DC) strategies are gaining strength to reduce delivery times, taxes, and shipping costs.

2 – Competitiveness: competing is not about lowering prices

Price will always be decisive in campaigns; however, the competitive landscape incorporates other variables as important as clicking the buy button. Jasper emphasizes that the Buy Box also depends on reputation, logistics, installment options, and customer service. He highlights the role of automation in monitoring competition and making dynamic adjustments. “Competition is not impulsiveness; it's timing. Without data, the seller makes mistakes.”

Furthermore, negotiating coupons, rebates, official campaigns, and partnerships with affiliates makes the operation more aggressive without destroying the margin.

3 – Consumer experience has become a visibility metric

The current Black Friday does not reward those who sell the most, but those who sell well. Perru explains that ratings and post-sale service influence ad exposure. “Customer service has become an engine for visibility. Resolving issues quickly sells more than giving discounts,” he summarizes. The use of AI for responses, screening, and preventing cancellations is already an indispensable tool during this period.

4 – Selling a lot is not enough: you need to profit

The expert states that many sellers spend Black Friday celebrating volume and later discover losses. Costs related to returns, taxes, fees, and shipping must be rigorously forecasted. Jasper recommends automated reconciliation, an updated income statement (P&L), and a real margin calculation before entering campaigns.

5 – Marketplace as a brand stage

For the ANYTOOLS expert, treating the marketplace merely as a volume channel is to lose potential. Official stores and curated seller programs prevent counterfeiting, protect pricing, and strengthen positioning. He highlights that established brands use the channel as a strategy for capillarity with control, not as direct competition for their own e-commerce.

6 – AI and automation: scaling with profit

Automation increases conversion with lower costs: intelligent cataloging, channel-specific pricing rules, automatic selection of the cheapest distribution center, and AI-powered customer service are the main triggers for scaling safely. According to Jasper, “automation prevents human errors precisely when the volume is so large that there is no time to correct them.”

7 – The final advice

“Prepare in advance and on all fronts. The consumer has become smarter, marketplaces only bet on those who are fully prepared, and any mistake is costly. Those who arrive ready take advantage of the traffic; those who arrive improvising pay the price,” summarizes Jasper Perru.