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Black Friday is one of the most crowded weeks of the year in your customers’ messaging inbox. Every brand they’ve ever bought from is texting them, and so are the scammers who know people expect deals and delivery updates around this time of year.
Getting a text opened is the easy part, but the hard part is getting the customer to act on it before the next one arrives. This blog/guide covers why Black Friday texts get ignored, six messages that are worth sending, and some simple rules to follow before you hit send.
Why Black Friday texts get ignored
Most holiday texts lose the customer for one of three reasons.
1. They look like everyone else’s. A random number, a few lines of text, and a shortened link. When ten brands send the same format on the same morning, nothing stands out.
2. They look like a scam. Fake delivery notices and too-good-to-be-true deals spike during the holidays. A text from an unrecognized number with a bare link is exactly what customers have been taught to avoid.
3. They make the customer do the work. A link opens a mobile site or app, the page loads slowly, the cart is empty, and the customer has to find the product again. Every extra step is a chance to leave or lose interest completely.
We fix this process by sending messages that show who they’re from and let the customer act without leaving the conversation. With RCS, your texts arrive with your brand name, logo, and a verified checkmark. Instead of a single link, they can include product carousels, images, and one-tap buttons. Customers whose phones don’t support RCS get an SMS version automatically.
The Black Friday texting calendar
Plan the week as a sequence, not a single blast:
- Two weeks out: collect opt-ins for early access.
- The week before: send early access promos to subscribers.
- Black Friday morning: launch the main offer.
- Throughout the weekend: recover abandoned carts and send low stock alerts, creating a sense of urgency.
- Cyber Monday: send a last call to anyone who hasn’t purchased anything yet.
- After purchase: send order confirmations and shipping updates.
6 Black Friday text messages worth sending
The examples below use a fictional home goods brand, Harbor & Pine.
1. The early access opt-in
Your best Black Friday list is the one you start building NOW. Put a QR code on packaging, in-store signage, and social ads that opens a conversation with your brand instead of a landing page.
Example message:
Want first pick on Black Friday? Get early access 24 hours before everyone else.
[Yes, add me] [Not this year]
One tap creates an opt-in, and you keep the conversation for every message that follows.
2. The early access launch
Reward the people who opted in. Show the deals instead of describing them.
Example message:
Your early access is open. 30% off our best sellers until Friday at midnight.
[Rotating Image Carousel: three products, each with an image, price, and an "add to cart" button]
The carousel lets customers browse inside the conversation then go straight to the product they want.
3. The abandoned cart reminder
Cart reminders work best when they show exactly what was left behind.
Example message:
Still thinking about the [insert your product here]? It’s still in your cart at the Black Friday price.
[Product card with image and price]
[Complete checkout] [Remind me tonight]
“Remind me tonight” gives a hesitant shopper a way to say “not yet” without opting out.
4. The low stock alert
Urgency is only useful if it’s true. When an item a customer viewed is genuinely running low, tell them.
Example message:
The Stoneware Set you looked at is almost gone.
[Grab one now] [Remind me later]
The second button turns a near sold-out moment into a back-in-stock opt-in instead of a lost sale.
5. The Cyber Monday last call
Send this one only to customers who haven’t purchased yet, so buyers don’t get a deal they just missed.
Example message:
Last call! Black Friday pricing ends tonight at midnight.
[See what’s left] [Shop by gift budget]
Shopping by budget is helpful during gift season, and it helps the customer decide faster.
6. The order confirmation and shipping update
Your order updates get the most attention of any message you send, and they’re the ones scammers imitate most often. Send them from your verified business profile, and make them useful.
Example message:
Your order shipped! Arriving Wednesday.
[Track package] [Add a gift note]
Pairs well with your order: [new, related product card]
A tracking button answers “where’s my order?” before it becomes a support call, and a related product turns a cost you already pay into a chance at another sale.
Black Friday SMS marketing rules to follow
Holiday volume doesn’t change the rules so before you send, always remember:
- Only message people who opted in. Consent requirements apply to every promotional text, whatever the channel.
- Make opting out easy. Every message should give customers a clear way to stop receiving them.
- Send at reasonable local hours. A 6 a.m. deal alert earns opt-outs, not sales.
- Don’t overdo the frequency. Use the calendar above as a ceiling, not a minimum, and suppress customers who have already bought.
- Keep urgency honest. Only say “almost gone” or “ends tonight” when it’s true.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Check your messaging program with your compliance team to be safe.
Test every message on your own phone first
The absolute worst time to find out a carousel looks wrong is Black Friday morning. Build your holiday messages ahead of time, send them to your own phone and your team’s phones, and tap through every button before a single customer sees them.
Branded messages to real customers require carrier verification first, which takes time. If you’re starting late in the season, build and test now and launch when your profile is verified. Use what you learn this year to plan next year’s holiday program well in advance.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start Black Friday text messages?
Start collecting opt-ins about two weeks ahead, send early access the week before, and launch the main offer Black Friday morning.
How many texts should I send during Black Friday week?
Only as many as you have something useful to say. Plan a sequence, and stop sending promotions to customers once they buy.
What’s the difference between a Black Friday SMS and an RCS message?
An SMS is plain text, usually with a link. An RCS message shows your brand name, logo, and verified checkmark, and it can include images, carousels, and buttons. Customers without RCS automatically get an SMS version.
Can I recover abandoned carts by text during Black Friday with RCS tech?
Yes. Show the exact product left in the cart, the price, and a button that goes straight back to checkout.
Build your holiday messages before the rush
Put your Black Friday campaign on your own phone before it goes out. Build the experience, test it on real devices, and share it with your team, all for free.