Nine Black Friday Tactics Worth Testing Beyond Discounts

Can Brands Stand Out Without Deep Discounts?

Buffer's guide argues that brands can cut through the Black Friday noise without simply matching everyone else's markdowns. It lays out nine approaches, drawing on examples from Patagonia, REI, Lush, Allbirds, Glossier, Cards Against Humanity and MeUndies, including publication outreach, values-led campaigns, exclusive invite-only offers, user-generated content and live shopping streams. The common thread is that attention now comes from story and trust rather than price alone.

For brand builders, the useful part is the reasoning behind each tactic: when an opt-out message can strengthen loyalty, when exclusivity suits a niche, and how creator content performs on TikTok. Marketers planning their holiday calendar, and anyone who handles press or social, should read it before locking in budgets. Treat the examples as prompts to test on a small scale, not templates to copy.