Amazon’s Black Friday 2024: Opportunities and challenges for B2B companies in e-commerce and ERP

E-commerce giant Amazon has confirmed that its Black Friday 2024 event will begin on 21 November and run until 2 December, also incorporating Cyber Monday. This change in the calendar not only benefits consumers, but presents great opportunities and challenges for B2B companies, especially those operating in the e-commerce and ERP sector.

The extended period allows companies more time to attract customers, manage inventories and optimise their logistics processes. But it also requires adequate technological and strategic preparation in order not to fall behind in one of the busiest trading seasons of the year.

What is the significance of the early Black Friday?

Black Friday has become one of the most anticipated events for both consumers and businesses. Amazon, true to its expansion strategy, is not only committed to extending this event, but also to starting earlier than many competitors. This advance seeks to consolidate its position as a leader in e-commerce, allowing users to access early discounts and companies to adapt to new consumer dynamics.

Key dates for Black Friday 2024 on Amazon:

• Start date: 21 November 2024.
• End: 2 December 2024, also integrating Cyber Monday.

This movement allows consumers to better plan their purchases, but for businesses it presents an added challenge: to respond quickly and efficiently to a longer than usual shopping event.

Impact for B2B companies in e-commerce

The earlier Black Friday and its extended duration have profound implications for B2B companies, especially those that rely on e-commerce platforms and ERP systems to operate. The main areas of impact include:

1. Managing growing demand

During Black Friday, businesses experience a significant increase in transaction volume. According to data from previous years, online sales during this period can be 30-50% higher than in regular months.

Recommendation:

It is essential that e-commerce platforms are prepared to handle high web traffic without interruption, avoiding problems such as server crashes or delays in response times.

2. Inventory and logistics optimisation

One of the biggest challenges of Black Friday is to anticipate market demand. Stock-outs or delayed deliveries can lead to loss of customers and a bad reputation.

Keys to efficient logistics:

• Implement predictive inventory management tools.
• Ensure real-time integration between e-commerce and ERP systems for more accurate stock control.
• Collaborate with reliable logistics providers to ensure adequate delivery times.

3. Technological synchronisation

Integration between ERP systems and e-commerce platforms is essential for companies to manage key processes such as invoicing, ordering and logistics without room for error.

Practical solutions:

• Use software that enables seamless synchronisation between ERP systems and e-commerce platforms.
• Focus on cloud solutions that provide scalability and real-time access from anywhere.

Opportunities for system integrators

Companies that integrate technology solutions have a great opportunity this Black Friday to offer services that enable their customers to optimise their operations. Integrators can provide solutions in key areas such as:

1. Process automation

Automation in areas such as order management, invoicing and product shipping allows companies to save time and reduce human error.

Example:

A well-integrated ERP system can generate automatic invoices and update inventory simultaneously each time a sale is made.

2. Real-time data analysis

Real-time data analytics enables companies to make faster, more informed decisions during Black Friday, such as dynamically adjusting prices or restocking products in high demand.

Adventages:

• Detect buying trends on the spot.
• Identify underperforming products to optimise sales strategies.

3. Implementation of scalable platforms

During Black Friday, systems must be able to handle traffic spikes without affecting the user experience. Scalable solutions, such as the use of cloud servers, make it possible to adapt to these fluctuations.