Foundation Over Frenzy: Building a Sustainable Growth Model Post-BFCM

Anandhi Moorthy

Senior Content Marketer

November 7, 2025

TLDR

Your BFCM data is a goldmine that reveals who your customers are, what they love, and why they buy (or don’t).
Collect key insights like acquisition source, engagement, return behavior, and feedback to segment better.
Automate across channels:
Email: Welcome, upsell, and feedback flows
WhatsApp: Personalized recommendations, post-purchase support
Instagram DMs: UGC collection, restock alerts, re-engagement
Use data to plan future campaigns, from Valentine’s Day to next year’s BFCM, and to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and milestones year-round.
ZEPIC helps you build the foundation that turns one weekend of frenzy into 365 days of retention.

Every November, brands chase the same goal: breaking BFCM sales records. In 2024, Shopify merchants alone generated a record $11.5 billion in sales over the BFCM weekend.

But what happens after the sale ends?

As the excitement and rush of Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) fade, many brands find themselves caught in the aftermath—massive sales spikes followed by quieter periods.

Yes, BFCM drives short-term revenue, but it rarely builds long-term relationships.

But BFCM should not be the finish line; it should be the starting point for all your upcoming campaigns.

During the BFCM weekend, you gain access to data that tells you who your customers are, what motivates them, how they shop, and what keeps them coming back (or doesn’t).

This period gives you a unique window into the behavior of a broader demographic, including first-time buyers, discount-driven shoppers, and high-intent loyalists.

How you use this data can determine the success of all your upcoming campaigns.

Join us as we explore how to build a solid foundation when the BFCM frenzy settles in.

How the Frenzy Fuels the Foundation

Many reports agree that roughly a quarter to two-fifths (25%–40%) of annual eCommerce revenue is typically generated in Q4, driven by Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the holiday shopping season.

That surge of attention and first-time buyers is a massive opportunity, not just for short-term sales, but for long-term growth.

The key is to leverage the frenzy to build the foundation that sustains your brand year-round.

If you focus only on discounts and ad spend, you’ll see:

Low-margin orders.
High return rates.
A bloated list of inactive customers.

But when you use this high-volume period to strengthen your post-purchase systems like retention flows, customer experience, and loyalty programs, you can convert one-time transactions into repeat customers.

The frenzy drives the traffic. The foundation turns it into lasting growth.

What Data to Collect During BFCM

To build a strong foundation, you first need the right data. Here’s what you should capture during your BFCM campaigns:


Data Type	Examples	Why It Matters
Acquisition Data	Source (email, ad, influencer), campaign code, device used	Helps identify high-performing channels and optimize future ad budgets
Purchase Data	SKU, quantity, order value, discount type, payment method	Reveals pricing sensitivity and product preferences
Customer Data	Name, location, age group, WhatsApp number, Instagram handle	Builds richer profiles for personalized messaging
Engagement Data	Clicks, opens, DM replies, cart abandonment	Identifies warm leads vs. one-time buyers
Post-Purchase Data	Returns, delivery information, and support queries	Highlights operational gaps and opportunities to improve customer satisfaction
Loyalty Data	Feedback, reviews, NPS	Shows satisfaction and brand loyalty potential

Why Return/Refund Data Is Especially Important

Return data is often overlooked because it feels “negative,” but it is one of the most telling indicators of future performance:

If a SKU sold well but has a high return rate, its “success” is misleading because return rates affect profitability and margin.
It signals issues: product quality, sizing mismatch, packaging damage, and description mismatch.
It separates “deal-chaser” segments from potentially loyal customers. Someone who uses the discount and then returns may not be as engaged.
It helps you refine segmentation and automation: e.g., if a customer returned an item, your next message should be empathetic (issue resolution, size guide), not just “shop again.”

Turning BFCM Data Into Your Brand Foundation

Once you have the right data, use it to fuel personalized automation across email, WhatsApp, and Instagram DM. This is how you shift from short-term revenue to long-term growth.

Build Your Single Customer View

Start by consolidating all the data you’ve gathered from your store, social platforms, and CRM into unified customer profiles.

Each profile should include:

Purchase history and order value
Source of acquisition (ad, referral, or organic)
Preferred communication channel (email, WhatsApp, or Instagram DM)
Engagement behavior (opens, clicks, replies, or DM interactions)
Return or refund activity

This holistic view helps you understand who your customers are and how they behave.

Extract Insights & Define Segment-Based Strategies

Use your data to answer questions:

Which channels drove first-time buyers vs. repeat buyers?
What discount depth correlated with low returns and a higher repeat rate?
Which SKUs had higher retention vs high refunds?
Which buyers opted in for WhatsApp or email, and how responsive are they?

With these insights, you establish your foundation pillars. For example:

“Buyers who availed less than a 30% discount and purchased bundles are 40% more likely to repeat.”
“WhatsApp subscribers from BFCM have a 20% higher open rate than email only.”

Create Meaningful Segments

Segmentation is what transforms raw data into an actionable strategy. Rather than blasting the same message to everyone, create segments based on intent, behavior, and purchase patterns.

Examples of high-impact segments:

High-Value Buyers: Customers who spent above your average order value.
First-Time Buyers: New customers who need nurturing to purchase again.
Discount Seekers: Shoppers motivated primarily by offers.
Frequent Returners: Customers who might need extra guidance or reassurance.
Social Engagers: Followers who interacted via DMs or comments.

Then you build workflows accordingly.

Automate Relationship-Building Workflows

Email Flows to Set Up Post-BFCM

Welcome Flow: Introduce your brand, mission, and community. Show new buyers that they’re more than a transaction.
Second Purchase Nudge: Target first-time customers with curated suggestions or limited-time incentives to return within 2–3 weeks.
Cross-Sell and Upsell Product Recommendations: Use purchase data to suggest complementary or upgraded products.
Return Feedback Survey: Capture insights from customers who returned items to improve experience and reduce future churn.

Example Workflow:


Trigger	Email Sent	Objective
BFCM purchase confirmation	Thank-you email with brand story and social links	Build trust and introduce brand personality
+5 days	Product use or styling tips	Increase satisfaction & reduce returns
+10 days	“People who bought X also loved Y”	Cross-sell related items
+20 days	“Here’s 10% off your next order because you’re part of our community.”	Encourage a second purchase
If product returned	Return feedback survey and alternative product suggestion	Recover relationship & gather insights

WhatsApp Automation

Use WhatsApp to keep engagement personal, deliver quick support, and build rapport after BFCM.

Recommended WhatsApp Flows:

Post-Purchase Support Flow: Confirm order, share shipping updates, and offer help.
Reorder or Refill Reminder: For consumables or repeat-use products.
Personalized Recommendation Flow: Based on what they bought or browsed during BFCM.
Loyalty or VIP Invite Flow: Reward top customers or early shoppers with exclusive access.

Example Workflow:

Day 0: “Thanks for shopping with us this BFCM! Your order is confirmed. Want us to share styling or care tips for your <product>?”
Day 7: “How’s your new <product>? We’ve curated a few matching accessories just for you.”
‍Day 15: “We’ve got something special for our BFCM buyers: a sneak peek at our upcoming collection. Interested?”
Day 30: “You’re one of our VIP customers! Here’s early access to our loyalty program.”

Instagram Automation

UGC Collection Flow: Encourage buyers to share photos or reviews in exchange for rewards.
Abandoned Browse Recovery: DM users who commented on products but didn’t buy.
Restock Notifications: Allow followers to opt in for alerts on sold-out favorites.‍
Community Thank-You Flow: Personally thank engaged followers and offer them insider access.

‍Example Workflow:

Customer comments “Love this!” → Auto DM: “We’d love to feature your look! Tag us & get 10% off your next order”
Customer tags post → DM: “You look amazing 😍 Here’s your reward link. Thank you for being part of our community.”
Customer DMs “When will this restock?” → Auto DM: “We’ll be restocking next week! Tap ‘Notify Me’ to get an alert.”
After restock → Auto DM: “It’s back in stock! Here’s your exclusive early access link 💫”

From Foundation to Forecast: Using Today’s Insights to Build Tomorrow’s Success

Once you’ve turned your BFCM data into connected workflows across email, WhatsApp, and Instagram DMs, you’ve laid the groundwork for long-term growth.

But a solid foundation supports post-sale engagement and powers smarter decision-making for the next cycle.

You now have answers to questions that can redefine your future strategy:

Which offers drove quality, loyal customers (not just one-time buyers)?
Which channels delivered the best repeat purchase rates?
What messaging, creatives, and discount ranges built trust?
How did your return or refund data correlate with specific product lines or customers?

Let’s explore how you can use your BFCM data to power next year’s campaigns.

Using BFCM Data to Power Next Year’s Campaigns

Create Lookalike and Loyalty Campaigns

Use your best-performing BFCM segments (e.g., high-AOV repeat buyers) to create lookalike audiences for ad targeting next year.

Build loyalty-based pre-BFCM campaigns, rewarding customers who engaged this year with early access, exclusive bundles, or private-sale invites.

For customers who bought during BFCM but haven’t returned, launch “One Year Later” campaigns in October or early November, rekindling their connection with personalized offers.

Use Return and Feedback Data to Fix Gaps

Return and feedback data can reveal where customer experience broke down, giving you a chance to fix those issues before the next BFCM rush.

Look for:

Products with high return rates and similar feedback (e.g., “size runs small,” “color mismatch”)
Delayed delivery issues or checkout frustrations mentioned in feedback
Discount codes that attracted low-quality or high-return traffic

Use these insights to refine product descriptions, sizing charts, logistics processes, and offer structures. This ensures next year’s sale season attracts better buyers.

From BFCM Learnings to Year-Round Wins

The real magic happens when you use your BFCM insights to strengthen every campaign of the upcoming year.

When you treat BFCM as your data-rich foundation, you no longer need to start from scratch for Valentine’s Day, Summer Sales, or festive campaigns, because your audience profiles, segments, and automation flows are already built, tested, and optimized.

Here’s how your BFCM data can guide your major campaigns year-round:

Birthdays and Anniversaries: Celebrate Personal Milestones Year-Round

Use BFCM-acquired data like signup dates, first purchase anniversaries, and birthdays to create evergreen touchpoints that keep your brand top-of-mind, even outside traditional sales windows.

Birthday Flow: Celebrate customer birthdays with personalized offers or a thoughtful message.

→ “It’s your day! Enjoy 20% off your favorite products, just because 🎉.”

Anniversary Flow: Celebrate one year since their first purchase or signup.

→ “It’s been a year since you joined us. Thank you for being part of our story ❤️.”

Milestone Reminders: Acknowledge loyal customers who’ve hit spending or engagement milestones.

→ “You’ve made 5 purchases with us! Here’s a special treat to celebrate your loyalty.”

Why It Works: These automated gestures make customers feel recognized and strengthen emotional connection and retention.

Valentine’s Day / Q1 Campaigns: Segment for Intent-Based Personalization

Your BFCM purchase and engagement data reveal who buys for themselves and who buys for others.

Use it to design personalized Q1 campaigns:

Gift-Givers: Target customers who purchased multiple items or gift bundles. Send Valentine’s gift guides via email or WhatsApp featuring “perfect-for-him/her” products.

Self-Shoppers: Target customers who bought self-use products (e.g., beauty, fitness, lifestyle). Run “treat yourself” or “love yourself” campaigns using their past purchase data.

High-Value Buyers: Offer exclusive early-bird bundles or personalized discount codes as a loyalty reward for staying active post-BFCM.

Example Workflow:

Trigger: Customer who purchased a gift bundle during BFCM.

Automation: Send a WhatsApp message: "Looking for something special again? Our Valentine’s picks are back with early access just for you 💝.”

Memorial Day (May): Retarget High-Intent Window Shoppers

By spring, many of your BFCM visitors who didn’t convert may be ready to buy.
Use your browsing and cart data to re-engage these warm leads:

Abandoned Cart Segments: Remind them of items they viewed during BFCM with updated summer offers.
Discount Seekers: Send limited-time Memorial Day sale alerts to users who clicked sale links but didn’t check out.
First-Time Buyers: Encourage repeat purchases with “Complete the Look” or “Summer Essentials” recommendations.

Example Workflow:
Trigger: BFCM cart abandoner who hasn’t purchased in 90 days
Automation: “Still thinking about that item? It’s back for our Memorial Day Sale, but only through Monday.”

Mid-Year/Summer Sales: Target High-Intent but Dormant Shoppers

By Q2 or Q3, many BFCM buyers may have gone quiet, but their data still tells you what they liked.

Re-engage them with mid-year sale campaigns built on product affinity:

Use browsing or cart data from BFCM to suggest lighter, seasonal alternatives.
Segment frequent returners and send size guides or styling content before promoting new products.
Engage Instagram followers with “Back for Summer” product reel or posts and encourage them to comment or send a DM.

Example Workflow:

Trigger: Customer viewed but didn’t buy a summer SKU last year.

Automation: Send an email, “We’ve just dropped our new summer product, similar to what you loved last year ☀️. Want to see it first?”

Independence Day (July): Turn Loyal Customers Into Brand Advocates

Your BFCM loyalists and reviewers are your most authentic advocates. Use them to drive your mid-year campaigns with UGC and exclusivity:

Highlight UGC and reviews from BFCM in July 4th ad creatives.
Offer VIP early access to your best repeat customers.
Create “Red, White & You” referral programs to encourage sharing.

Example Workflow:
Trigger: Customer who left a 5-star review post-BFCM
Automation: “You’ve been part of our journey; here’s an early look at our Independence Day drop before it goes public!”

Labor Day (September): Re-Engage Dormant Buyers

Labor Day is a perfect pre-holiday touchpoint to reactivate quiet customers before Q4. Use BFCM’s purchase frequency and lifecycle data to target lapsed segments:

Dormant 6-Month Buyers: Send “We miss you!” or “Labor Day Refresh” emails with personalized recs.
High-Return Customers: Offer style or fit guides before promoting fall arrivals to reduce friction.
Engaged Non-Buyers: Use automated “Back in Stock” or “Price Drop” flows.

Example Workflow:
Trigger: BFCM buyer who hasn’t purchased since February
Automation: “Haven’t shopped with us in a while? Our Labor Day Event is live, come back for exclusive early access.”

Halloween to BFCM (October–November): Build Predictive and Personalized Journeys

By Q4, your full year of data, from open rates to repeat purchase behavior, becomes your blueprint for the next BFCM.

Use last year’s best-performing subject lines and creatives to guide new A/B tests.
Leverage predictive analytics to identify likely repeat customers and high-AOV buyers.
Refine discount strategies using return/refund trends to improve margins.

💡 Example Workflow:
Trigger: Repeat customer with high AOV from last year’s BFCM
Automation: “One year later, your favorite deal is back; early access starts now.”

The Takeaway: From One Weekend to 365 Days of Retention

The real success of BFCM isn’t in how much you sell over a single weekend; it’s in what you build afterward. The campaigns that truly win are the ones that turn short-term sales into long-term loyalty.

When you collect the right data, create meaningful segments, and automate personalized communication across email, WhatsApp, and Instagram DMs, you’re architecting a sustainable growth engine.

If you’re ready to turn your BFCM data into a year-round growth system, ZEPIC makes it simple. Unify your data, build automated workflows, and deliver hyper-personalized experiences across channels, all from one platform.

‍Book a demo today!

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