Every November, the retail calendar hits its loudest note. Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) unleash a torrent of promotions, doorbusters, and discounts that dominate inboxes, social feeds, and shopping carts. The choreography is familiar: early morning openings, countdown clocks, promises of “lowest prices of the year.”
But beneath the frenzy, something deeper is happening. For brands intent on building loyalty that lasts beyond a single holiday season, BFCM is more than a sales bonanza. It’s a stress test. Who will stand out when every competitor is screaming? Which offers will feel meaningful in a marketplace flooded with sameness? And, most critically, how can a short-term rush of transactions be transformed into long-term relationships?
Marketers increasingly agree: the answer lies not in deeper discounts but in loyalty. They’re developing programs that give customers reasons to return, narratives that make membership feel special, and experiences that reinforce value long after the receipt is printed.
Loyalty360 spoke with experts from Baesman, Capillary Technologies, FIS, Phaedon, Maritz, Valuedynamx, and Blings to explore how brands can leverage loyalty programs during BFCM to not just drive sales, but foster deeper, lasting relationships.
Contributors
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Lars Parmekar, Sales Director Strategic Account Manager, Travel and Hospitality, Capillary Technologies
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Katie Berndt, Vice President, Strategy, Research & Insights, Phaedon
The Loyalty Moment
The holiday shopping season has always been about urgency and scarcity. But in recent years, the weekend after Thanksgiving has also become a proving ground for loyalty programs.
“As consumers continue to be more value-seeking, staying on top of promotional performance and being able to pivot and adjust offers in real-time will be a key strategy for brand marketers,” said Ed Wogan, Chief Merchant Officer at Valuedynamx. “Merchants should be ready to execute follow-up campaigns to reach all new customers who purchased for the first time during the BFCM window.”
Follow-up is where the magic happens. Data from Peel Insights shows merchants who capture a new customer during BFCM have as much as a 25 percent chance of securing a repeat purchase before year’s end. The holiday isn’t just a door in; it’s a doorway to loyalty.
Cassie Preston, Director of Strategy for Baesman puts it more plainly suggesting that BFCM is a “golden moment”: “During Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, consumers are looking for value – it’s all about how to get the best deal on that gift, and maybe find some treasures for themselves, too,” she said. “Treat your loyalty program members like gold with plus ups like double points, or free gifts for being loyal members, while also letting them take advantage of promotions intended to drive sales.”
Framing loyalty not as an afterthought, but as the centerpiece of holiday engagement reflects a shift across industries. Companies are moving from discounts that bleed margins to experiences that build bonds.
Early Access and Exclusive Doors
One of the simplest ways to elevate loyalty during BFCM is to make membership the ticket to exclusivity.
“Brands should seek to focus on non-point earning exclusivity and access, such as early access, in-store experiences that are limited to loyalty members or top tiers and potentially limiting availability to loyalty members only,” said Lars Parmekar of Capillary Technologies. “Brands can leverage their loyalty programs by creating promotions that rewards return visits/purchases outside of BFCM in the holiday season.”
That approach turns programs into velvet ropes rather than generic rebate machines. Early access to limited inventory, like a sneaker drop, a tech gadget, or a seasonal flavor, taps into scarcity psychology while reinforcing the idea that membership matters.
Blings COO Yosef Peterseil puts it more bluntly: “The best practice is to treat loyalty as the differentiator, not the afterthought. That means making loyalty members the priority. Give them early access, bonus points, or exclusive bundles that reinforce the value of membership.”
Recognition in a Sea of Discounts
If exclusivity is one lever, recognition is another. Inboxes in late November are an endless scroll of percent-off codes and “ends tonight” subject lines. What breaks through is less about price and more about personal resonance.
“Loyalty program benefits are sometimes hard for members to recall when they’re inundated by the best offers of the year across all channels,” said Preston. Her advice: segment. Don’t just blast everyone with the same promo. Tailor offers, and for high-value members, consider analog channels like polished direct mail, which cut through clutter precisely because they’re slower.
Peterseil sees interactive media as another recognition tool. “Loyalty programs can stand out by focusing on recognition rather than just price.” He cites Habit Burger’s 17 percent spike in sign-ups after highlighting a “Best Burger” award via interactive video content.
Even redemption can become recognition. Amanda Christie, Director of Digital Reward Experience for Maritz, suggests nudging members to use their points for gift cards ahead of BFCM, effectively letting them fund their own shopping spree. “It’s a double win,” she said. “Engagement goes up, and participants feel like they’re getting the most out of both their points and the holiday sales.”
Gamification and the Fun Factor
With so many brands chasing attention, adding playfulness can make loyalty feel less like math and more like experience.
“Leveraging AI-driven insights and gamified mechanics, brands can deliver hyper-targeted offers and interactive experiences that make every engagement memorable, relevant, and fun,” said Mladen Vladic, Head of Products and Services at FIS. That could mean unlocking a bonus for consecutive visits, or earning badges for categories explored.
Gamification doesn’t have to be elaborate. Maritz’s Reward Strategy Director, Mary Luckey suggests starting small. “Leverage one meaningful data point, such as a customer’s affinity for beach destinations or their preference for luxury fashion, to craft a compelling narrative around how they can use their points to enrich that aspect of their life. Show them how your brand can help them live their passions more fully.”
Blings’ Peterseil offered holiday-specific examples: dynamic videos showing real-time balances, progress toward milestones, or challenges like “Shop twice this week to unlock your bonus reward.” The idea is to embed fun directly into the journey so members feel entertained as well as rewarded.
The Second Purchase Problem
The hardest challenge isn’t getting customers to buy once during BFCM—it’s getting them to return.
“Sixty to 80 percent of first-time customers never make a second purchase without fast follow-up,” said Ed Wogan, SVP Chief Merchant Officer for Valuedynamx. “But once they do, the probability of a third purchase jumps to 40 to 50 percent.”
That “second purchase problem” underscores why post-BFCM engagement is critical. Brands that wait until the next holiday season risk losing most of their new members.
Segmentation is key, said Phaedon’s Vice President, Strategy, Research & Insights, Katie Berndt. “Deal-seekers who make a single, price-driven purchase should get targeted post-purchase communications highlighting exclusive member value. Relationship-builders who engage with reviews, content, or multiple purchases should be nurtured with progression toward higher tiers.”
Maritz’s Luckey sees early wins as critical. “Start by identifying early earners and encourage an immediate redemption for a low-threshold reward, such as a popular merchandise product or gift card that they can afford right now. From there, shift the narrative. Instead of focusing on discounts, highlight rewards that are just within reach—“only X more stays,” “just Y more purchases.” This reframes the program from a deal engine to a lifestyle enabler.”
Carrying Momentum Into Q1
The flood of new shoppers during BFCM can either evaporate in January or transform into a foundation for the year.
Lauren Sutherland, Associate Director of Strategy at Phaedon, recommends a structured, multi-phase retention plan. “Deploy a multi-phase Q1 retention strategy that begins with immediate value delivery and builds toward long-term engagement. Launch a structured "New Year, New Rewards" onboarding sequence, segmenting messaging based on purchase behavior and transaction value to maximize relevance.”
Vladic stresses the basics: seamless digital experiences, instant redemption, and personalized communication. “By embedding loyalty into every interaction and evolving offers to stay fresh and relevant, brands can transform one-time shoppers into loyal advocates who return throughout the year.”
Peterseil advocates for visual storytelling: “Deploy personalized “welcome-to-loyalty” video journeys that show new shoppers their benefits in action, highlight missed opportunities (“You could have earned 500 points”), and encourage a next purchase with an exclusive offer. Successful strategies include embedding anniversary-style videos (“Your first purchase with us was 30 days ago – here’s your next gift”) and surfacing tier progression early to make shoppers feel invested.”
The goal isn’t to replicate the volume of holiday shopping but to sustain the relationship. Acquisition is easy in December; retention is earned in January.
The Broader Shift
Taken together, the strategies offered by industry experts reveal a broader realignment. BFCM has become less about one weekend’s revenue spike and more about loyalty as a year-round engine.
Brands that treat loyalty as central are using the holidays to:
Why Loyalty Matters More Now
Why has loyalty become such a strategic priority? Part of the answer lies in economics. Customer acquisition costs have soared as digital ad prices climb. Retention, once considered an afterthought, now drives profitability.
But there’s also psychology at play. In an era when consumers are bombarded with messages, loyalty programs offer a way to make interactions feel curated and personal. Early access or tiered perks aren’t just financial, they’re symbolic. They tell customers: you belong here, and we see you.
From Transaction to Advocacy
For all the tiered offers, interactive videos and gamified badges, the true test of loyalty is whether it can transform transactions into advocacy. The best programs don’t just get customers to buy again; they get them to identify with the brand, recommend it, and build habits around it.
Holiday shopping may always be dominated by deals, but for brands willing to invest in loyalty, the season offers something richer: the chance to turn a frenzied weekend into the beginning of a relationship that lasts all year. And in a marketplace defined by noise, that kind of quiet connection may be the most valuable deal of all.