When it comes to Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM), planning is the name of the game. The earlier you start, the better prepared you’ll be for any mishaps or pivots along the way. This probably comes as no surprise, especially if this isn’t your first Black Friday-Cyber Monday weekend. Starting as early as possible ensures you’ll be able to handle any challenge that comes your way during the busy holiday season—even those unexpected ones! 

If this is your first BFCM, your best bet is to treat it as a learning experience: be ambitious while setting realistic expectations, and remember to stay motivated no matter what curveballs come your way. It might feel daunting, but you don’t have to go in blind. We’ve put together a timeline of some Black Friday best practices as you count down towards the big day (or week).

First, let’s take a look at last years’ BFCM results.