Black November: early investment in prospecting boosts revenue in e-commerce, says RTB House

Black Friday, traditionally associated with a single day of huge promotions, is transforming into a phenomenon that spans the entire month of November and requires early marketing planning. A survey A study by RTB House estimated that, globally, November generates up to 20% more conversions than the second-highest peak of the year. In Brazil specifically, 2023 saw an average 83% increase in advertisers' revenue during the same period compared to September, with higher conversion rates. This can be attributed to consumers waiting for the sales season to concentrate more purchases or make higher investments.

The report also shows that Black Friday creates unique opportunities for brands to attract new consumers or re-engage old users, and that this can significantly impact the results of the period. The number of users who engage with Black November promotions is up to 4.5 times higher, and 3.7 times more inactive users, those who have not visited the advertiser's website in the last 30 days, make purchases.

The data also shows that prospecting campaigns launched as early as the third quarter tend to be effective, resulting in higher brand recall and stronger consumer engagement when the promotion period effectively begins.

Performance of the Brazilian market

Despite online platforms registering a drop in sales during Black Friday weekend in 2023 (a 14.4% retraction compared to the previous year for the Thursday-to-Saturday period), the study also presents market data indicating that, when considering the entire month of November, Brazilian retail saw a 2.2% increase in sales. The cross-referencing of this data reinforces the importance of anticipating promotions and working with the concept of an extended Black Friday, permeating the entire month of November. 

Among the categories that most boosted this growth were office equipment, furniture and home appliances, and apparel. Those that stood out for the highest discount peaks were fashion and footwear, supermarkets and delivery services, and beverages.

Checklist for Black November 2024

Finally, the report offers a checklist with essential tips to ensure the success of Black November. In summary:

• Dilute your investments: instead of focusing on a single day, brands can extend promotions throughout the entire month.
• Warm up your user base: launch prospecting campaigns in advance to increase engagement and brand recall.
• Attract new customers and engage inactive ones: use the promotional period to expand your customer base and incentivize dormant users.
• Stand out from the competition: offer real discounts and invest in platforms that give visibility to your brand, such as dedicated category pages.

You can check out the full report clicking here.