The biggest ecommerce winners over the BFCM period run pre-, on-the-day, and post-event emails to warm, convert, and nurture customers. You should do the same, and the best place to start is with Black Friday email examples.
Successful Black Friday playbooks include October emails that build anticipation and grow lists, November messages that create urgency with early access and flash sales, December thank-yous, and January campaigns that retain new customers.
Building a roadmap like that is intuitive with Omnisend’s pre-built Black Friday email templates, campaign scheduling, customer segmentation, and email + SMS automations that trigger based on the conditions you set.
This article provides 23 real examples plus templates you can customize for every phase of your Black Friday campaign strategy.
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Black Friday emails directly impact your revenue. They announce your sales, deliver exclusive codes, remind customers about expiring offers, and recover abandoned carts.
The strategy without email is to rely on customers discovering your deals and running expensive ads that bring them to your site.
Your subscribers gave you permission to contact them, so they expect Black Friday deals. If you don’t email them, competitors will, and they’ll eat your slice of the billions of dollars consumers spend this Black Friday ($10.8 billion in 2024).
Additionally, automated emails generate 37% of email revenue from 2% of sends, significantly outperforming campaigns. It’s safe to say then that email, particularly of the automated type, is crucial to Black Friday sales.
“Email marketing gives you complete control over customer communication. You own the list, set the timing, and use segmentation plus behavioral triggers to automate messages that reach customers when they’re ready to buy during Black Friday.”
— Evaldas Mockus, VP of Growth, Omnisend
Pre-Black Friday email examples
Email campaigns sent ahead of Black Friday can help you test product demand, discounts, messaging, and email templates to optimize your approach. You can also use pre-Black Friday emails for SMS list-building to improve your omnichannel approach during BFCM.
Check out the Black Friday email marketing examples below and follow our pointers to build winning campaigns:
Happi creates oat milk products and uses playful branding to reach health-conscious consumers. Its Black Friday teaser email builds anticipation without revealing the offer, creating curiosity to encourage email opens on launch day.
What we love about this email
The teaser mentions “choccy offer” without percentages or dollar amounts, forcing subscribers to stay tuned. Yellow brand colors dominate the Black Friday email design for instant recognition. Product shots showcase the items on sale rather than generic graphics.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Send teasers one week before Black Friday to build your open rates. Keep the offer vague, but the product visible. Use your signature brand colors and tone to cut through inbox clutter during peak promotional season.
2. Columbia’s early Black Friday discount
Image via Really Good Emails
Subject line: Early Black Friday deals on jackets, vests, and more!
Industry: Outerwear
Columbia’s discount email launches Black Friday sales before the competition heats up. It goes out to all engaged subscribers rather than just VIPs, helping them anticipate demand for products and segment its biggest spenders.
What we love about this email
The hero image features people wearing Columbia gear in mountain settings, and category circles let customers jump directly to relevant sections without scrolling endlessly. Free shipping and rewards program callouts add value beyond the discount percentage.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Launch early access emails to your subscriber list before public announcements. Group products by activity or use case rather than product type. Create perceived value with stacked benefits, such as free shipping with percentage discounts.
3. Cozmo’s Black Friday VIP deal
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Subject line: Black Friday Early Access is LIVE!
Industry: Home furnishings
Cozmo sells modern furniture and positions Black Friday as an exclusive event for VIP subscribers. Tiered access gives VIP members first shopping privileges, regular subscribers shop early, and public access comes last, creating a hierarchy based on customer loyalty.
What we love about this email
VIP positioning makes subscribers feel valued beyond standard promotional lists. Product grids show items with before and after pricing for transparency. Multiple CTAs are repeated throughout the email, reducing scroll fatigue and capturing clicks at different engagement points.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Create exclusive shopping windows based on customer value, with the highest spenders getting the earliest access. Display crossed-out prices next to the sale prices for every product featured. Place “Shop Now” buttons after each section rather than only at the top and bottom.
4. Eton’s password-protected sale
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Subject line: PRE-ACCESS: BLACK FRIDAY SALE
Industry: Men’s shirts
Eton’s Black Friday email includes a password that provides access to discounts of 30–50%. Only email subscribers receive the code, creating a members-only sale that feels exclusive without public advertising or widespread promotion of the reduced prices.
What we love about this email
Password protection creates scarcity without inventory limits or time pressure. The password “BLACKFRIDAY” stays simple to remember and type. The email’s dark design with minimal text lets the discount range maintain an aura of luxury.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Password-protect your sales page to reward subscribers and maintain brand exclusivity. Share the password only via email to track channel effectiveness. Keep passwords simple but themed to the event for recall and sharing among qualified customers.
5. Organics Ocean’s early access promotion
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Subject line: Early Black Friday Access!
Industry: Premium wellness products
Organics Ocean’s early bird email offers Black Friday access without revealing sale percentages or deals. Its message focuses on exclusivity for email subscribers who get to shop before everyone else.
What we love about this email
Product bottles appear in a spotlight effect, making supplements the hero rather than discount percentages. Trust badges (USA-made, vegan, third-party tested) reinforce quality during a discount period. The single CTA button stands out against the dark background.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Build anticipation with early access promises before revealing sale details. Display your bestselling products prominently in email designs. Include trust signals and certifications to maintain brand credibility when offering discounts that might otherwise cheapen perception.
6. Nuheara’s SMS signup strategy
Image via Really Good Emails
Subject line: Last Chance! For Black Friday early access
Industry: Audio electronics
Nuheara’s Black Friday email prioritizes SMS list building over immediate sales. Phone number collection happens weeks before the sale, promising exclusive notifications to build a mobile-first audience ready for Black Friday deal announcements.
What we love about this email
Product visuals showcase the earbuds in premium packaging, establishing value before discounts arrive. Three CES Innovation Awards build credibility and justify premium pricing. The SMS marketing signup appears twice, increasing conversion opportunities without feeling pushy.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Start SMS collection in October, not November. Promise exclusive access without revealing discount amounts to maintain signup momentum. Use product awards and media recognition in pre-sale emails to justify prices before marking them down during Black Friday.
7. Tinker Watches’ new release announcement
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Subject line: Something New is Coming on Black Friday ⌚
Industry: Watches
Tinker uses Black Friday as a product launch date rather than a discount event. Limited edition release promises give email subscribers exclusive access to a new watch design, turning the traditionally sale-focused holiday into a debut opportunity for collectors.
What we love about this email
Artistic product photography against a marble background creates a luxurious appeal without revealing the full watch design. “Limited Edition” language generates scarcity based on product availability, not time constraints, and zero mention of discounts maintains premium brand positioning.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Launch new products on Black Friday to capture attention without training customers to expect discounts. Keep product details mysterious in early emails to generate website visits. Focus messaging on exclusivity and limited quantities rather than percentage-off promotions.
Black Friday day email examples
Your emails on Black Friday should encourage immediate action with inventory counts, expiring offers, and FOMO. Focus on converting browsers who’ve been researching all month into buyers ready to purchase now.
Check out these examples for inspiration:
8. Orangewood’s Black Friday email example
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Subject line: The Black Friday Sale Starts Now
Industry: Acoustic guitars
Orangewood’s Black Friday email leads with announcing the sale, then immediately shows product images of guitars. It combines urgency (“Shop early to avoid the holiday rush”) with reassurance about ordering policies to reduce purchase anxiety.
What we love about this email
Product images show multiple guitar styles, helping customers visualize options without clicking through. The “FREE GIFT” badge on one product adds value beyond the discount. Extended holiday returns policy removes risk from early Black Friday purchases.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Address common Black Friday concerns upfront, such as shipping times and return windows. Show product variety in your hero image to appeal to different customer preferences. Add bonus incentives, such as gifts, to stand out when everyone offers similar discount percentages.
9. Adegene’s freebie-focused Black Friday email
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Subject line: Hair regrowth + BIG savings 🎉
Industry: Hair growth for men
Adegen’s Black Friday strategy offers free products, including complementary shampoo and topical treatment with kit purchases, making the value proposition tangible without reducing product prices or training customers to wait for sales.
What we love about this email
Educational content explaining different product strengths (5, 15, 15X) helps customers self-select the right option. Trust badges highlight proprietary formulas and scientific backing, and the CTA is repeated twice to capture clicks at different scroll points without changing the offer.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Bundle free products instead of discounting core offerings to maintain price integrity. Justify premium pricing even during promotional periods with scientific or third-party validation and use educational content to assist customers in their decisions.
10. Lonely Planet’s sitewide discount
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Subject line: 30% off starts now…
Industry: Travel publishing
Lonely Planet’s Black Friday email displays “BLACK FRIDAY SALE” in large typography with the 30% discount shown in a circular badge below. Bestsellers and merchandise appear in separate sections, mixing discounted guides with add-on products to build larger cart values.
What we love about this email
The circular badge makes the 30% discount unmissable against the black background, and the bestseller section helps customers pick popular destinations quickly. Merchandise gets its own section below guides, letting customers add full-price items alongside discounted books.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Present a single discount prominently at the top of your email. Include bestsellers near the CTA so customers find proven products immediately. Show non-sale items after discounted products to increase order totals.
11. Kizik’s last chance Black Friday email example
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Subject line: LAST CHANCE for Black Friday
Industry: Footwear
Kizik’s Black Friday email uses a bright yellow “LAST CHANCE” badge above product photography to create final-day urgency. It shifts from percentage discounts to value-adds like free socks and cleaning kits with shoe purchases.
What we love about this email
It uses a last chance subject line to provide context upfront. Product photography displays multiple colorways in one hero image, showing variety without scrolling. The BOGO structure encourages multiple purchases while free add-ons increase perceived value.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Send last-chance emails on Cyber Monday focusing on value bundles rather than deeper discounts. Show all color options in one image for decision-making, and maintain margins with gifts instead of percentage discounts.
12. Broc Shot’s limited edition Black Friday email
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Subject line: Our Black Friday Special is Live
Industry: Wellness products
Broc Shot promotes a limited-edition gift trio for Black Friday, positioning the bundle as a gifting solution. A 30% discount plus free shipping on gift sets targets holiday shoppers who need wellness presents for their health-conscious friends and family members.
What we love about this email
Product photography shows the gift set styled on platforms with clean backgrounds. The headline positions the trio as a method for introducing the product to others. Lifestyle photography at the bottom demonstrates product usage in context.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Create gift-focused bundles that solve holiday shopping needs beyond personal purchases. Position products as sharing opportunities rather than solo consumption. Include both styled product shots and lifestyle imagery to showcase the gifting potential and various usage scenarios.
13. Bubble’s playful approach
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Subject line: OUR BIGGEST SALE…
Industry: Skincare
Bubble’s Black Friday email uses bright colors and lifestyle photography showing diverse models enjoying the products. A no-code-needed discount appears in the header, while the body explains that limited-time pricing automatically applies at checkout for convenience.
What we love about this email
The header banner eliminates code friction with “no code needed” messaging. Lifestyle photography shows people using products rather than static bottles. Trust badges at the bottom (vegan, cruelty-free, international shipping) reinforce brand values during sale periods.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Remove checkout barriers with automatic discounts instead of requiring codes. Display your products in use with diverse, happy customers. Provide reassurance for new customers with brand certifications and shipping information below the main offer.
14. reMarkable’s Black Friday countdown email
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Subject line: Get $50 off your reMarkable paper tablet
Industry: Digital paper tablets
reMarkable’s Black Friday email displays a live countdown timer showing hours, minutes, and seconds remaining. Dark design focuses attention on the timer while product benefits (“digital device that feels like paper”) remind customers why they want this technology.
What we love about this email
Live countdown creates real-time pressure without relying on static deadlines. Product photography shows someone actually writing on the device. Dollar amount discount ($50 off) feels more tangible than percentages for high-ticket items.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Implement live countdown timers for final-hours campaigns to create movement in static emails. Show your product solving problems rather than sitting idle. Use dollar discounts on expensive items where percentages seem less impressive.
15. BAGGU’s tiered discount strategy
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Subject line: The Black Friday Sale continues — up to 30% off!
Industry: Reusable bags and accessories
BAGGU structures Black Friday discounts in three tiers — 15% off everything, 25% off when you spend $50, and 30% off orders exceeding $100. Each tier appears in cloud-shaped bubbles that align with BAGGU’s playful brand personality.
What we love about this email
“This weekend won’t last forever” creates subtle time pressure without shouting deadlines. No-code-needed messaging removes friction at checkout. The gift guide mentioned at the bottom suggests shopping solutions beyond personal purchases.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Display your tiers visually and let discounts apply automatically at checkout instead of requiring codes. Include alternative shopping paths like gift guides for customers who need inspiration rather than deals.
16. Italic’s free shipping offer
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Subject line: Last chance for free shipping
Industry: Direct-to-consumer essentials
Italic focuses its Black Friday email on free shipping rather than percentage discounts. Green ribbon graphics wrap around a minimalist package design, highlighting shipping benefits while connecting Black Friday to Giving Tuesday’s environmental message.
What we love about this email
Its “Last Call” headline makes the deadline clear without overused countdown language. Tree planting initiative for Black Friday orders adds purpose beyond savings, and navigation buttons at the bottom guide shoppers to relevant categories.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Lead with shipping offers when your products have healthy margins that don’t require deep discounts. Connect sales to charitable giving or environmental causes for conscious consumers.
17. Simpler’s BOGO offer
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Subject line: 👑 Confidence For Less
Industry: Direct-to-consumer essentials
Simpler positions its Black Friday BOGO as a solution to men’s hair color concerns rather than just a sale. Educational content about why men choose hair color appears before the offer, with styling tips and brand story following the promotion.
What we love about this email
The BOGO structure encourages stocking up on consumable products without devaluing the brand, and the section with the founder’s story builds trust during the promotional period. Holiday styling tips add value beyond the sale offer itself.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Lead with customer education before presenting your offer to justify the purchase decision. Use BOGO instead of percentage discounts for consumable products to protect pricing integrity. Include practical tips or tutorials that help customers use your products.
Post-Black Friday email examples
Post-Black Friday emails are fantastic opportunities to thank customers, manage shipping expectations, extend sales, and begin retention campaigns that turn one-time holiday shoppers into year-round loyal customers.
Check out these Black Friday email examples for starters:
18. Sevenly’s extended Black Friday sale
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Subject line: ⚠️ We’ve extended our Best Black Friday Deal Ever!
Industry: Cause-driven apparel
Sevenly extends its Black Friday sale into December, maintaining momentum after the main shopping weekend. Email content focuses on gift-giving with charitable components, highlighting how each purchase supports various causes while providing holiday presents.
What we love about this email
The sale extension feels natural when positioned as holiday shopping rather than leftover inventory. Gift certificates appear as a primary option, not an afterthought. Every purchase ties to charitable causes, giving customers emotional reasons to buy beyond discounts.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Extend your sale into December by shifting focus from personal shopping to gift-giving. Promote gift cards prominently for shoppers who missed the main event. Connect purchases to charitable giving or year-end tax benefits to justify continued shopping.
19. Sometimes Always’ post-Black Friday thank you email
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Subject line: A Thank You Note From Jared 🙏
Industry: Wine retail
Sometimes Always sends a personal thank you email from founder Jared after Black Friday, acknowledging the overwhelming response and order volumes. The conversational tone shares genuine appreciation and manages expectations about shipping delays.
What we love about this email
Personal sign-off from the founder feels authentic rather than corporate. Honest admission about being overwhelmed builds empathy during fulfillment delays. A user-generated content request (coffee mug photos) keeps engagement going without pushing sales.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Write post-Black Friday emails in a personal voice that acknowledges the human side of your business. Ask customers to share product photos on social media to maintain a connection with them. Gently tease future offers at the end without making it the focus of your gratitude message.
20. Oakley’s weekend extension Black Friday email
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Subject line: Last Weekend To Catch Up To 50% Off
Industry: Sunglasses
Oakley extends Black Friday into a “Weekend Deals” event, moving from Friday-only to weekend-wide messaging. Copy focuses on gear for “your next adventure,” positioning products as investments in future activities rather than impulse purchases.
What we love about this email
“Weekend Deals” branding feels fresh after days of Black Friday fatigue. Product categories overlay a lifestyle photo showing the gear in context. The footer provides a store locator and shipping details without overwhelming the main offer.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Create new event names for sale extensions instead of recycling Black Friday language. Write about how customers will use products rather than listing features. Place customer service information in footers where shoppers expect to find it during high-volume periods.
21. Tattly’s Small Business Saturday email
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Subject line: ❤️ Small Business Taturday
Industry: Temporary tattoos
Tattly pivots from Black Friday to Small Business Taturday (a play on Saturday), highlighting its role as an independent business. Personal stories from the founder connect with customers, and featured local bookstores demonstrate community partnerships.
What we love about this email
The founder narrative, family photos, and bookstore partnerships humanize the brand after days of promotional Black Friday emails. Product suggestions stay minimal, allowing authentic storytelling to take center stage.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Adjust your messaging from price-driven to purpose-driven after Black Friday ends. Include photos and stories from your team to rebuild personal connections. Partner spotlights add credibility and subtly expand your message beyond direct sales.
22. Rebel Rabbit’s holiday-themed Black Friday extension
Image via Really Good Emails
Subject line: 🐇 Your Holiday Party Playlist ❄️🎵
Industry: Hard seltzer beverages
Rebel Rabbit transitions from Black Friday to holiday party messaging with “Hop Into Holiday Hits.” Product photography shows seltzer cans wrapped with vinyl records, connecting drinks to holiday entertainment during the Cyber Monday period.
What we love about this email
Holiday party positioning gives customers fresh reasons to purchase after Black Friday fatigue. The Cyber Monday deadline appears mid-email as a simple reminder rather than dominating the message.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Reframe extended sales around holiday entertaining needs instead of discounts. Position products as solutions for upcoming gatherings and gift exchanges. Place deadline information where customers naturally find it without overshadowing your new holiday messaging angle.
23. iKhokha’s Cyber Monday sale
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Subject line: 24 hours left on Cyber Monday ⏰
Industry: Hard seltzer beverages
iKhokha addresses Black Friday shoppers who missed out, positioning Cyber Monday as their second chance. The email acknowledges FOMO directly (“If you missed out on our Black Friday sale”) and offers the same record-low price on payment terminals.
What we love about this email
The opening acknowledges missed opportunities without shaming late shoppers. Product photography shows the payment device against a dark background. Multiple purchase paths are available, including both instant buttons and a visible discount code for manual entry.
How to use it in your Black Friday strategy
Open Cyber Monday emails by acknowledging customers who hesitated on Black Friday. Keep pricing identical between both days to avoid buyer’s remorse. Display your discount code prominently for customers who prefer copying and pasting over clicking buttons.
Black Friday email templates you can steal
Copy these Black Friday email ideas directly into the text block in your email editor. Replace the double-bracketed personalization tags ([[ ]]) with your information or keep them if you use Omnisend’s Liquid templating.
Black Friday teaser email template
Subject: [[contact.first_name | default: ‘Hey’]], something big is coming…
We’re cooking up our biggest sale of the year. Black Friday drops in seven days with discounts you won’t believe.
Want early access? Hit reply and tell us you’re interested. VIP shoppers get the first pick of inventory before the masses descend.
Save the date: November 29th. VIP access starts at 6 AM.
Get ready, [Your Brand Name]
Black Friday countdown email template
Subject: 48 hours until Black Friday [[contact.first_name]]!
The countdown is ON. In just two days, everything in our store drops to Black Friday prices.
Here’s what’s coming:
30–50% off all bestsellers
Free shipping on everything (yes, really)
Mystery gift with purchases over $100
Pro tip: Add your favorites to your cart now. When Friday hits, just check out and save.
Our Black Friday sale just went live. Take 40% off every single item with code: BF2025
But here’s the thing: our [top product] is already 67% sold out. And [another popular item]? Going fast.
Shop now: [Link to store]
Happy shopping, [Your Brand Name]
Black Friday last chance email template
Subject: [[contact.first_name]], Black Friday ends in three hours
This is it — your final call.
Our Black Friday sale disappears at midnight. That 40% discount? Gone. Free shipping? Over. The items in your cart? Back to the regular price.
You’ve got 3 hours left: [Link to store]
Don’t say we didn’t warn you, [Your Brand Name]
P.S. Your cart has [[cart.item_count]] items waiting. Complete your purchase before they’re full price again.
Best practices for crafting Black Friday emails
These best practices will help you create the best Black Friday emails and generate more opens, clicks, and sales:
Instill urgency into messaging: Inventory counts (“Only 47 left”) and deadlines (“Sale ends midnight EST”) are much more likely to encourage open rates than phrases like “limited time offer.” Countdown timers are another fantastic urgency tool. Omnisend lets you add these to your templates with HTML.
Segment your audience: There’s no better way to target customers than email segmentation. VIP customers get early access. New buyers receive welcome discounts. Cart abandoners see reminder messages. Omnisend’s AI segment builder creates groups, such as “window shoppers” who visited twice without buying or “deal hunters” who only purchase during sales.
Use SMS alongside email: Email works for detail, SMS is best for quick promos, such as Black Friday happy hours. Create separate campaigns for marketing purposes, and combine email + SMS in automation flows for welcome series, abandoned carts, upsells, and other touchpoints in your customer journey.
Customize responsive templates: Email platforms provide responsive Black Friday email templates as a foundation, but you’ll need adjustments for better conversion rates. Make CTA buttons 50px minimum for tapping and create templates with larger fonts for older demographics. Always preview campaigns on multiple devices before sending.
Test subject lines: Use Omnisend’s subject line testing tool for starters, and when you’re building automations, run A/B tests to compare discount formats (40% off vs. $50 off) and urgency types (final hours vs. last chance). Try personalization with names or past purchases. Even 2% better open rates mean thousands in extra Black Friday revenue.
Omnisend success story
Rachel Riley expanded Black Friday from a single day to a month-long campaign starting Oct 28. It monitored performance data continuously, adjusting messaging and automations throughout November. This strategy generated 48.1% of total BFCM store revenue, with a 77.33% year-over-year increase.
Build your Black Friday email strategy now with four essential components:
Schedule pre-sale campaigns to grow anticipation
Build launch-day messages to capture peak shopping energy
Plan retention emails to convert holiday buyers into repeat customers
Add automated flows for abandoned carts and welcome sequences
These campaigns and flows only work with proper list management. Segment your audience by purchase history, engagement level, and customer value. Remove inactive subscribers now to ensure your Black Friday emails reach engaged customers who buy.
Omnisend provides the complete toolkit for Black Friday success — templates, automation, segmentation, and SMS integration built for ecommerce.
Join Omnisend to build Black Friday marketing campaigns that win sales
Karolina is a Marketing Project Lead at Omnisend with over 10 years of experience in SaaS marketing. On daily basis, she combines creative thinking with strong project management. Outside of work, she finds balance in gardening, exploring new hiking trails, biking, and raising her bunch of boys.
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