All In Marketing Newsletter
Halloween’s over, so is scary season? Not quite. Now come the shoppers who doubt most advertised deals are real, the pricing tricks, and the “was $200, now $199.99” sales. The good news: scary is optional.
This issue is about playing Black Friday smart: who’s ready to buy, when, and what it actually takes to get them there. And yes, we asked the AIM360 team what would make us click “buy.” (Results below).
WHAT’S ON OUR MINDS
Is Black Friday Still a Thing?
It is, and shoppers have changed more than the calendar has.
They’re skeptical. 58% of U.S. adults believe no more than 4 in 10 advertised Black Friday deals are real savings, and 85% think retailers use at least one pricing trick, like inflating “was” prices. Gen Z is the most suspicious.
They’re early. The season now runs from late October through Cyber Monday, and 58% want promotional messages at least a month before Black Friday. Email is their top channel for offers.
They’re AI-assisted. 59% plan to use an AI chatbot for Black Friday, though only 7% will start their search there. They’re hesitant unless the answers are clear and relevant.
They’re budgeting. Over half will cut back elsewhere to afford deals, and 1 in 3 have bought something they didn’t need because it was cheap. Many plan to stretch payments into January.
Still scary vs. actually smart
Still scary: a blanket 40% off for everyone, inflated “was” prices, and a discount that eats margin and trust.
Actually smart: the right offer, for the right segment, at the right time. Start with who’s ready to buy (loyal customers, engaged non-buyers, lapsed buyers, new subscribers), then find the smallest nudge that gets each one there: early access, free shipping, a gift with purchase, a spend threshold, or a percentage off.
When trust in discounts is low, a well-timed, well-matched offer carries more weight than a bigger number. Know who’s ready. Know what it takes.
AIMING HIGH
Holiday Marketing That Helps Shoppers Choose
Holiday marketing works best when it gives shoppers a useful place to start. Four ways to make your email and direct mail more helpful this season:
Shop by occasion. For apparel brands, build edits around the moments on the calendar: family photos, holiday parties, cozy mornings, and New Year’s Eve. Answer “what do I wear to that?” with a few complete looks that make choosing easy.
Shop by budget. Group gifts into clear price ranges, such as under $25, under $50, and under $100. Show shoppers what fits their budget without making them calculate a discount or sort through the full assortment.
Shop by gifting need. Food and gifting brands can organize recommendations around thanking a host, treating a teacher, or sending a client gift. Highlight a few dependable favorites for each, with clear delivery timing. The easier it is to picture who the gift is for, the easier it is to buy.
Shop by interest. For travel, home, and lifestyle brands, build gift edits around how people spend their time: weekend getaways, hosting friends, or cozy nights in. Include small gifts alongside bigger purchases, and show which items work well together. Give shoppers a thoughtful starting point even when they don’t know exactly what the recipient wants.
The takeaway: help shoppers find the right gift or solve a seasonal need. Carry the same themes from the catalog to the inbox, with consistent product groupings and clear links to shop each edit.
ON THE GROUND
Women in Retail: On The Road NYC
Heather & Chrissie recently had the opportunity to attend the Women in Retail: On the Road NYC event. The sessions brought together brilliant C-suite leaders and founders to discuss how leading brands are currently balancing customer loyalty, innovative technology, and professional growth.
Our favorite moment was Laura Geller Beauty. Her point that “age looks different now” landed: shoppers 35 to 50+ are a real opportunity, and grandmothers, moms, and daughters now shop together. But what we loved most was Laura herself. She built a great brand, she’s still hands-on with it, and she does it all with a whole lot of New York spunk and sass (our favorite kind). Let’s just say we recognize that energy, and we’re taking notes.
INSIDE AIM360
We Asked the Team
We asked the team what’s on their wish lists and what gets them to hit “buy.” Air fryers, AirPods, and Uggs were repeat picks. An Alaskan sawmill also made the cut. Yes, really.
The deal that tips the scales? Around 40% off for many of us. But the answers make one thing clear: the right nudge depends on what we’re buying and who’s selling it.
What it means for brands
Big purchases raise the bar. Several teammates wanted 40–50% or more on bigger purchases and gifts. A client food gift barely needed a discount. Match the offer to the purchase, rather than assuming everyone needs the same deal.
Brand loyalty changes the math. Some of us will jump at 20% from a favorite brand that rarely discounts. Know what feels meaningful to your customers before reaching for a deeper offer.
The nudge isn’t always a percentage. Free shipping on a $499 drone, a credible “best price of the year,” or an in-store coupon could do the job. Test what removes the actual barrier to buying.
“Percent off what?” still matters. The regular price shapes whether the deal feels real. Make the value easy to understand and the savings easy to trust.
And yes, we shop our clients. Hale Groves, Faherty, Quaker Marine, and Holderness & Bourne all made the list.
Our team’s answers are a small snapshot, but a useful reminder: start with the shopper, then choose the offer.
FROM US
The Postgame
Scary season is over. Smart season starts now. Black Friday is still a big moment, and with a smart plan it’s a lot less scary. Have plans in the works? We’d love to hear about them and talk through your strategy. Simply reply to this email to start the conversation.
Heather & Chrissie