November arrives and it’s that show: windows bursting with %, red tags everywhere, discounts for everything.
But then I ask you: of those customers who bought now with a huge discount, how many will come back in December? And in February?
Many brands think they can solve in one day what they didn’t build all year. But a discount is not a relationship. Promotion is not purpose. The price may be attractive, but it’s the experience with the brand that makes us stay. And experience is not created overnight.
Continues after advertising
The truth is that Black Friday should be less about price and more about trust. Today’s consumer wants truth. You want to buy from brands that are consistent between what they say and what they do. They treat customers well in November, but also in March, when there is no campaign on air.
The most expensive “cheap” is losing credibility. When a brand promises 70% and delivers 30%, it is not losing margin, it is losing trust. And trust, my friend, there is no replacement in stock.
Here at Chilli, we call Black Friday Hot Friday and it’s a time to strengthen relationships, not burn value. Promotion? Of course there is! But the focus is different: it’s about experience, energy and connection. The store has to be alive, the service has to have soul, and the customer needs to feel like they are participating in something special, not just hunting for the lowest price.
Continues after advertising
Relationship is about consistency. It’s what you do when no one is looking. It’s the sum of everything: service, after-sales, communication, delivery, social media. No one-day campaign can fix months of carelessness.
The customer who returns is not the one who paid the cheapest price, it is the one who was treated well, who identified with the purpose, who felt that the brand speaks their language. Today’s marketing is not just about pushing products, it needs to create bonds. And bonding takes time, presence and coherence.
Those who only remember customers on Black Friday are already desperate for attention in January. This is where brands that live on campaigns separate from those that live on purpose. Those who build relationships all year round turn the date into a celebration, not survival.
Continues after advertising
And in the end, the big lesson is simple: the consumer forgives price, but does not forgive mistakes. He understands limited stock, promotions that have to end, but he doesn’t accept being deceived.
Your client wants transparency: brands that tell the truth, deliver what they promise and build a story consistently.
Black Friday is the chance to show that the discount is just a gesture within something bigger. Because customers who trust come back. And the returning customer is worth much more than any one-off sale.
