Smarter Strategies for a More Sustainable Black Friday

Richard Ball

June 30, 2025

3 min read

With a few intentional changes to your campaigns, operations, and messaging, you can create a strategy that’s not just profitable, but sustainable. Here are six smart and practical ways to do just that

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This blog post has been written in collaboration with Noughts and Ones, an award-winning and certified B Corp™ ecommerce agency that craft Shopify stores for planet-conscious brands.

Why Sustainable Black Friday Strategies Matter

Black Friday is a golden opportunity for eCommerce brands to drive revenue, reach new customers, and finish the year strong. But in an age where climate concerns and conscious consumerism are front of mind, this high-impact shopping event comes with some equally high-stakes questions.

Do we participate? Should we discount? How can we reduce our environmental impact without sacrificing sales?

The good news? There’s a middle ground.

Black Friday doesn’t have to mean compromising your values. With a few intentional changes to your campaigns, operations, and messaging, you can create a strategy that’s not just profitable, but sustainable.

Here are six smart and practical ways to do just that:

1. How Can You Reduce Packaging Waste?

One of the easiest areas to address: packaging. Black Friday often brings a surge in orders, which means a surge in boxes, bubble wrap, and plastic tape. For purpose-led brands, this is a major opportunity to make a better choice.

Ask yourself:

Can you switch to recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable packaging materials?
Can you reduce the size or number of parcels through smarter bundling?
Could your packaging double up as something useful, like storage or gift wrap?

Shoppers are looking for ways to reduce waste, and packaging is a tangible way to show that your brand cares. Don’t forget to highlight these efforts in your product pages and marketing so customers know the difference they are making.

Tools like Boost Commerce (a partner app in the clearer.io ecosystem) can support smarter bundling and upsell journeys, helping you increase average order value while minimising shipping volume.

And platforms like REVIEWS.io give you the ability to spotlight feedback that reinforces your efforts - turning happy customers into credible advocates for your brand values.

2. How Can You Offer Carbon-Neutral Shipping?

Delivery is one of the biggest contributors to ecommerce’s carbon footprint, but there are ways to reduce the impact. Offering carbon-neutral shipping or even just a slower delivery option can make a meaningful difference.

There are a few ways to approach this:

Offset emissions via certified carbon credits when customers check out.
Partner with sustainable couriers who invest in sustainable logistics.
Encourage slower shipping by incentivising eco-friendly delivery options with discounts or loyalty points.

It’s not just about reducing emissions, it’s also about building trust with customers who care about their purchases making a positive impact.Be clear, be honest, and don’t be afraid to take people behind the scenes.

By using a loyalty platform like Influence (another fellow clearer.io app) you can reward customers for making greener choices. Whether it’s choosing a low-emission courier or opting for slower delivery, turning those actions into loyalty points makes it easier for people to act on their values - and feel good doing so.

Tools like clearer.io’s Address Validator can also help reduce failed deliveries and returns, which quietly rack up both cost and environmental harm.

3. Should You Donate a Portion of Sales?

Black Friday doesn’t have to be all about discounts. In fact, for brands with strong values, donating a portion of sales can turn the shopping event into something far more meaningful.

Whether you choose to support an environmental initiative, a local community project, or an important cause, tying purchases to impact adds purpose to the purchase.

You could:

Donate £1 per order or a percentage of total revenue.
Let customers choose from a shortlist of causes at checkout.
Match donations to amplify the effect.

Whatever approach you take, transparency matters. Share where the money is going. Tell the story of the people or projects it supports. Use your channels to close the loop with your community.

And if you’re using a platform like Influence, you can connect these campaigns directly to your loyalty program, rewarding customers with points for supporting ethical actions, not just making purchases. It’s a great way to build momentum, while keeping your values front and centre.

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4. How Can You Rethink Your Operations?

Sustainability isn’t just about what customers see - it starts behind the scenes. This is where ecommerce brands can make some of the biggest improvements.

Think about:

Your tech stack: Is your ecommerce site optimised for speed and sustainability? (At Noughts & Ones, we build Shopify stores that run efficiently with lightweight, energy-conscious code.)
Inventory planning: Can you use pre-orders or made-to-order models to reduce overproduction?
Supplier relationships: Are your partners aligned with your sustainability standards?

Even if you’re still working toward bigger changes, being open about your progress, whether that’s switching web hosts, reducing product miles, or using local fulfillment, builds authenticity and strengthens customer trust.

At Noughts and Ones, we work with brands to create ecommerce experiences that are not just beautiful and functional, but also efficient and mindful of their environmental footprint. And partners like clearer.io help extend that care across the wider tech stack.

5. How Can You Educate and Engage Your Audience?

One of the biggest opportunities during Black Friday is actually not about selling, it’s about storytelling.

More than ever, consumers are paying attention to how products are made and why businesses operate the way they do. Use the increased attention during this period to educate and engage.

Here’s how:

Share your sustainability story across social media, email marketing , and your website.
Create content that guides customers to shop consciously, like gift guides or “buy less, buy better” campaigns.
Involve your audience in your decisions. Ask them what matters to them and reflect that in your offers.

From curated gift guides to opt-in slow sale events, there are countless ways to reframe what Black Friday looks and feels like. The most important thing is to make it feel true to your brand and transparent in your intent.

Running a values-led giveaway using a tool like ViralSweep can also be a great way to activate your community around conscious behaviour - whether that’s nominating charities, highlighting thoughtful products, or celebrating low-impact habits.

6.How Can You Measure Success Beyond Sales?

Success isn’t just about revenue. As a purpose-led brand, it’s worth looking at alternative metrics to measure impact, like lower return rates thanks to more thoughtful purchases.

This year, why not challenge yourself (and your team) to define success differently. Some alternative KPIs might include:

Lower return rates, due to more thoughtful purchases.
Higher average order values, through bundled or pre-order incentives.
Increased email list sign-ups, for long-term customer value.
Customer feedback or UGC, sharing their excitement about your sustainable approach.
Brand sentiment and social engagement, reflecting alignment with your values.

Taking a long-term view proves that doing things differently isn’t just good for the planet, it’s good for business.

Platforms like REVIEWS.io make it easier to collect and surface UGC - from photo reviews to sustainability-related testimonials. This kind of content not only builds trust, but also helps future customers make better-informed, more conscious decisions. You get a clear sense of how your values resonate, directly from the people who shop with you.

Paired with tools like Influence, you can then track how those values translate into long-term engagement. While REVIEWS.io gives you the voice of the customer, Influence helps you understand the actions that follow - whether that’s loyalty sign-ups, repeat purchases, or participation in purpose-led campaigns. Together, they give you a more complete picture of what your community cares about and how they choose to interact with your brand over time.

A Better Black Friday Is Possible

Black Friday is evolving. The opportunity to boost sales is still there, but brands now have a chance to do it differently.

Your customers are paying attention. Many are actively searching for brands that prioritise ethics, transparency, and sustainability. By reducing waste, rethinking operations, offering carbon-neutral choices, and leading with purpose, you become more than just a seller, you become a brand people truly want to support.

At Noughts & Ones, we help purpose-driven brands build ecommerce stores that are technically sound, sustainably developed, and designed for growth. Whether you're gearing up for your biggest campaign or embedding better practices for the long run, we're here to help you make it happen with intention and impact.

And with tools like Boost Commerce, REVIEWS.io and Influence in your corner, you’re already set up to deliver a Black Friday that feels like your brand, at its best.

If you're looking for support on the tech side, get in touch with Noughts and Ones to build a Shopify store that reflects your values from the inside out.

And if you're ready to turn authentic customer feedback into powerful social proof, book a demo with REVIEWS.io to see how your brand values can shine through user-generated content.