The absolute best time to send your Black Friday emails

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The best time to send Black Friday email varies by audience, but our data shows 6-9 AM and 8-10 PM consistently outperform midday sends.

Of course, email type influences send times too. Early access teasers work best at 6 AM for eager VIPs, flash sales need lunchtime urgency, and last-chance emails perform at 8 PM when FOMO peaks.

Whichever campaigns you create, tools like Omnisend let you schedule emails and build automation flows for segments, which trigger based on the rules you set for optimal timing.

Join us below to learn when to send Black Friday emails and how to optimize your messaging for maximum sales.

Why Black Friday email timing matters

Black Friday timing determines whether your emails get opened or buried. Customers receive dozens of promotional messages every hour — so your success depends on reaching inboxes when competition is lowest and attention is highest.

Moreover, timing directly impacts revenue. An email opened within the first hour typically generates more clicks than one opened after six hours. Fresh emails get attention, while buried emails get deleted. Each hour of delay reduces your campaign’s earning potential.

Time zones create additional challenges. Your 9 AM EST email hits California at 6 AM when people are asleep and London at 2 PM during their afternoon slump. Single-send strategies force you to pick winners and losers among your audience segments.

The risk is that you compound the problem by following the same playbook — sending at 9 AM, noon, and 5 PM. These peak times create inbox traffic jams where your message drowns in the competition and fails to generate revenue.

Best time of day to send Black Friday emails

Black Friday creates the most crowded inbox environment of the year. Send times can double or halve your open rates, directly impacting revenue. Your optimal windows depend on customer habits, time zones, and what your competition does.

Common send windows

• Morning (6–9 AM) — Deal hunters check phones before getting out of bed. They’re comparing prices, making lists, and planning their shopping day. Open rates peak, but purchases might wait until later.
• Midday (12–2 PM) — Lunch breaks mean time to browse and buy. Credit cards come out, abandoned carts get completed. These customers moved past research into buying mode.
• Evening (8–10 PM) — Relaxed shoppers make impulse decisions. Last-chance messaging works because FOMO peaks when people have time to think about missing out. Purchase rates often exceed morning sends.

The table below shows what time to send Black Friday emails for different email types:

Your data overrides any general advice. If most customers consistently open by 7:30 AM, send your emails before then, regardless of conventional wisdom.

When to start sending Black Friday emails (October kick-off)

Black Friday competition means starting early or getting buried. Brands beginning campaigns in late November compete with hundreds of messages daily. Mid-October offers clearer inboxes and receptive audiences building their gift lists.

Brands sending emails during the week of October 22 saw order increases of 26% in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to Omnisend data. Early engagement provides list segmentation opportunities and customer insights before November chaos.

Early October strategy

Early October emails should provide value, not push sales. Send “coming soon” teasers featuring your best products. Build VIP lists for early access. Share gift guides helping customers plan purchases. These touchpoints prepare subscribers without triggering fatigue.

Mid-to-late October execution

Mid-to-late October shifts toward offers. Launch pre-sale events for loyal customers. Test subject lines and content formats while open rates stay higher. Build automated sequences for cart and browse abandonment — workflows need refinement before traffic spikes.

Learning from October’s data

October reveals your winners and losers. Products with high click rates deserve featured placement in November campaigns. Low performers get cut or bundled. Watch which subject lines drive opens — “Early Bird Special” might outperform “Exclusive Preview” for your audience.

Early data shapes inventory decisions. If kitchen gadgets generate 3x more clicks than beauty tools, adjust your November focus accordingly. Order extra stock for proven performers before suppliers run out. October essentially becomes your testing ground for Black Friday success.

Best days to send Black Friday emails in November

When it comes to Gray November, let the show begin during the first days of the month. That’s the time to start sending irresistible marketing messages and increasing your email cadence.

Also, consider supplementing emails with SMS messages. You can send an SMS to those who didn’t open your emails or to your most engaged customers to increase their anticipation even more.

November 14th can be another holiday season tentpole. Two weeks before Black Friday, you can expect significant growth in competition. Don’t let other retailers steal your customers — it’s time to reveal your trump cards and create more actionable campaigns for these days.

If nothing else, you can reinforce them with Black Friday SMS.

Finally, the Cyber 10. This period usually starts towards the end of November and concludes on the last Tuesday of the month, marked by the day known as Cyber Monday.

These 10 days are the peak time for Black Friday. Arm your emails and SMS with the best deals and offers. It’s most likely that Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday will be the most intense both in sales and competition-wise.

It’s worth noting that Cyber 10 doesn’t always start on a Monday. It usually begins on the Sunday before Black Friday and finishes on the Tuesday after Cyber Monday.

This year, you still have an opportunity to hop on and maximize your revenue during this period. Here’s a complete list of Cyber 10 dates in 2025:

Here’s what those dates mean for your Black Friday timeline:

• Days 1–4 are pre-Thanksgiving buildup days
• Day 5 is Thanksgiving
• Day 6 is Black Friday
• Days 7–8 are the weekend after Black Friday
• Day 9 is Cyber Monday
• Day 10 is Cyber Tuesday (the day after Cyber Monday)

Ultimately, remember not to wait until Black Friday to start your deals — promote them in advance.

These are a few email content ideas:

• Sale announcement emails
• Thanksgiving Day emails
• Sale reminder emails
• Final hours emails
• Best-sellers on sale emails
• Cyber Monday emails
• Cyber Tuesday — the last chance — emails

Best practices for perfect Black Friday email timing

Successful Black Friday timing combines strategic planning with tactical execution. These practices help you reach more customers and generate better results throughout the campaign:

Segment for relevance

VIPs deserve different treatment from first-time subscribers. Send early access to loyal customers at 6 AM when they check their email first. New subscribers get product education at lunch when they have time to browse. Geographic segments need region-specific timing, too.

Maximize reach with resends

Many subscribers miss your first email. Send campaigns again 24–48 hours later using fresh subject lines and different timing. Morning non-openers might engage with evening sends. Change “Black Friday Starts Now” to “Final Hours: 40% Off” to create renewed urgency.

Layer channels for better results

Email alone misses opportunities. Add SMS to critical touchpoints — cart abandonment, flash sale alerts, and final hour reminders. Customers who miss emails often see text messages immediately. Omnisend lets you add SMS to any email automation workflow.

Test and adjust throughout

What worked last year might fail today. A/B test send times starting in October. Track open rates and let customer behavior and results guide your Black Friday schedule. Additionally, try multiple Black Friday email templates to see which designs get the most clicks.

Send Black Friday emails that actually get opened

Black Friday email success comes down to timing strategy, not luck. 

Start campaigns in mid-October to build anticipation. The best time to send Black Friday emails is at unconventional times to avoid inbox competition. Segment your audience for relevant messaging at optimal moments. Test resend strategies to capture missed opportunities.

Your data beats industry benchmarks every time. Track when your customers open, click, and buy. Use October to test and refine your approach before November’s chaos. Remember that timing varies by audience segment, geographic location, and email type.

Ready to implement these timing strategies? Start with Omnisend’s automated workflows and Campaign Booster to maximize your Black Friday email performance without manual effort.

Best time to send Black Friday emails: FAQs