7 Ideas for Small Businesses To Make the Most of Black Friday Without Heavy Discounts

Black Friday is nearly here and while it started as a US tradition, it’s now one of the biggest shopping events of the year in the UK too. Customers are primed and ready to shop, but that doesn’t mean you have to slash your prices to compete.

As a small business owner and former retail merchandiser with nearly 20 years in the industry, I know how much of a headache Black Friday can be. These days, I help other small business owners improve their sales, manage their stock, and build profit sustainably, so I’ve seen first-hand how tricky this season can feel.

Steep discounts can set unrealistic expectations for customers, eat into your margins and leaving you stuck in the same cycle every year. Also, flat discounts across everything rarely excite shoppers nowadays as they're overused.

But here’s the good news: Black Friday doesn’t have to be all about discounts. Instead, it’s your chance to give customers something special, build excitement, and stand out from the big-box retailers.

Why Rethink Black Friday as a Small Business?

• Customers are ready to buy – Black Friday is one of the few times of the year when people are actively looking to spend.
• Discounts aren’t your only tool – Big retailers may rely on price cuts, but small businesses have other strengths: creativity, community, and personality.
• It’s an opportunity to shift stock – If you’ve got slow-sellers taking up space or tying up cash, Black Friday can help you clear them, but you don’t need to throw a flat 30% off across your whole shop and then sell out of your best sellers.

How Take Part in Black Friday Without Heavily Discounting

1. Clear Slow-Moving Stock Creatively

We’ve all got those products that just don’t shift as quickly as we’d hoped. They take up space, tie up cash, and make reordering the good stuff trickier. Black Friday is the perfect moment to turn them into an opportunity rather than a headache.

But instead of slashing the price across your whole range, shine a spotlight on those slower sellers and package them in a way that feels exciting and valuable:

• Bundle them with bestsellers – Pair a slower seller with one of your most popular products at a combined price. Customers get a deal they feel good about, and you move stock that’s been hanging around.
• Position them as “last chance” buys – Urgency sells. Label them as “final stock” or “once they’re gone, they’re gone” to make customers act now.
• Turn them into gift sets – Think ahead to Christmas: could that slow-selling candle be paired with a bestseller print as a ready-made gift set? Package it beautifully and market it as a thoughtful, limited option.
• Add them as a free gift threshold – Offer them free with orders over a certain spend. Customers feel like they’re winning, and you’re clearing stock without devaluing your whole brand.

The key here is perception. Customers don’t know which of your products are moving slowly, they just want to feel like they’ve discovered a brilliant deal or exclusive find. By repackaging your slow movers, you’re giving them new life and turning Black Friday into a stock-clearing win-win.

2. Use Tiered Discounts Instead of Blanket Black Friday Discount

You don’t have to discount your entire range to take part in Black Friday. Instead, create a small, curated edit or collection (around 10–20 products) and offer tiered discounts within it.

For example, use an “up to X% off” message as it’s simple to promote but allows flexibility: apply higher discounts to slow-moving or overstocked items, smaller ones (like 5–10%) to bestsellers, and exclude made-to-order products entirely.

Just make sure your “up to” claim is accurate, at least a reasonable portion (around 10%) of the products should be discounted by the maximum amount.

If you’re using Shopify, use the Compare at Price field to clearly show the discount. This displays the original price crossed out beside the sale price, helping customers see the offer transparently by product.

3. Support a Cause for Black Friday

Black Friday doesn’t just have to be about selling more, it can also be about  standing for something . Customers today are increasingly values-driven. They don’t just want great products; they want to feel good about where their money goes.

One powerful way to use Black Friday without relying on discounts is to align it with a cause. By donating a portion of your sales to a charity or initiative that resonates with your audience, you’re giving them a chance to shop with purpose.

This could mean:

• Donating a set percentage of every sale to a chosen charity.
• Partnering with a local organisation and spotlighting their work in your campaign.
• Offering customers a choice of which charity their purchase supports.

For example, at Skudaboo , I’ll be donating a portion of every order to Shelter , a charity supporting those without a safe and secure home this winter. It ties directly into my brand message of “making your house feel like a home,” while giving customers an extra reason to feel proud of their purchase.

The beauty of this approach is twofold: it strengthens your customer connection and it positions your brand as one that stands for more than just sales. And in a season that can often feel like a frenzy of overconsumption, that really stands out.

4. Launch Limited-Edition Black Friday Exclusives

One of the best ways to stand out during Black Friday is to give customers something they can’t get any other time of the year . Instead of lowering your prices, launch a limited-edition product that creates excitement, urgency, and buzz around your brand.

This could be as simple as:

• A new colourway of a bestseller.
• A seasonal twist on an existing product (think a festive version).
• A one-off design or product drop, available only while stock lasts.
• An exclusive item just for your email subscribers or VIP customers .

Not only does this create a sense of urgency (once it’s gone, it’s gone!), but it also gives you a chance to grow your email list. Promote your Black Friday exclusive in advance and encourage people to sign up to be the first to access it.

This strategy works especially well for small businesses, because you don’t need huge volumes to make it effective. Even a small, carefully curated run of an exclusive product feels special to your customers and helps reinforce the idea that your brand is unique, personal, and thoughtful.

Exclusivity sells and, unlike discounts, it adds value to your brand rather than taking it away.

5. Add Personal Touches to Your Black Friday Orders

Sometimes it’s not about what you sell, but how you make your customers feel . Adding thoughtful extras to your Black Friday orders can transform a simple purchase into a memorable experience.

Think about offering:

• Free personalisation (names, dates, or custom wording).
• Handwritten gift notes to include with the order.
• Complimentary gift wrapping or festive packaging.

These small touches are things the big retailers often can’t (or won’t) do, but as a small business, they’re where you shine. They make your brand feel more personal, more premium, and more connected to your customers.

It’s also a brilliant way to appeal to customers who are gifting from afar. With many people ordering online for loved ones they won’t see in person, a gift that arrives beautifully wrapped with a handwritten note makes all the difference.

By leaning into these personal extras, you’re not only delighting customers, you’re also reinforcing what makes small businesses so special: care, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail.

6. Offer a Free Gift with Black Friday Purchases

Instead of cutting prices, you can add value by giving customers a little something extra when they shop with you. A free gift feels like a treat, and it’s a great way to surprise and delight your customers during the Black Friday weekend.

This could be:

• A small branded item (like a postcard, sticker, or print mini).
• A seasonal freebie such as a festive gift tag, wrapping bag, or ornament.
• A sample of another product in your range, encouraging customers to try (and hopefully come back for) more.

To make this work well, set a minimum spend threshold. For example, “Free gift with every order over £40.” This encourages customers to increase their basket size while still protecting your margins.

Not only does this approach add excitement to every order, it also creates a sense of generosity and goodwill that customers will remember long after Black Friday is over. And when your free gift ties into the Christmas season, it feels extra timely and thoughtful.

7. Create Black Friday Loyalty Offers and Bounce-Back Rewards

Black Friday is often seen as a one-off sales rush, but you can use it to build long-term relationships with your customers. Instead of focusing only on the immediate sale, think about how you can encourage repeat purchases in the weeks and months ahead.

Here are a few ideas:

• Double loyalty points – If you already run a points-based program, offer double (or even triple) points during Black Friday weekend to reward your most loyal shoppers.
• Exclusive rewards – Give Black Friday buyers access to a secret perk, early access to your next launch, or entry into a VIP tier.
• Bounce-back offers – Include a code or voucher in every order that can be redeemed in January or February (typically quieter months for retail). This brings customers back when sales might otherwise dip.

I love the example from IKEA, who once offered a £20 bounce-back voucher when you bought a Christmas tree in November. Customers were already planning to buy the tree, so the voucher felt like a bonus and it pulled them back into store during January, a time when they’d normally see fewer sales.

For small businesses, your “bounce-back” doesn’t need to be as big, even free shipping, a small discount, or a loyalty perk can be enough to encourage repeat purchases. The goal is simple: turn a Black Friday customer into a long-term fan.

Making Black Friday Work for You

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'The real power of Black Friday for small businesses isn’t in discounting, it’s in building loyalty, creating excitement, and strengthening the relationship between your brand and your customers.'

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For small businesses, Black Friday doesn’t have to mean massive discounts. Competing with big retailers on discounts is a battle you’ll never win, but you don’t need to.

Your customers are already in a shopping mindset, so you just need to give them a reason to choose  you . That might be through:

• Clearing slow stock in a smart, creative way.
• Using tiered discounts on a small, curated collection instead of blanket price cuts.
• Launching something exclusive that feels special.
• Adding thoughtful touches that make your customers feel valued.
• Using the moment to give back and share your values .

So this year, instead of cutting into your hard-earned margins, think about how you can use Black Friday to surprise, delight, and connect . Do it right, and you’ll not only see sales over the weekend, but also set yourself up for a stronger, more profitable start to the new year.

Images: Pexels