Behind the checkout – How we tech-prep for Black Week

Earlier this year, we shared our guide on how to prepare your e-commerce for Black Week, packed with tips on what you can do to get ready for the busiest season of the year. But that's only half of the story. The other half happens behind the checkout, and knowing how it works can help you get even more out of the week.

In our Pre Black Week series, we sat down with our CTO, Eric Jagaeus, to talk about exactly that. Here’s a closer look at how our tech gets ready, what happens when the traffic hits, and what we learn for next time. Along the way, we’ve added last year’s data worth keeping in mind, so you can go all in on selling while we make sure everything underneath works.

As you read, think about how these behind-the-scenes steps could apply to your own Black Week preparations. For example, load-test your site, run a pre-mortem with your team, or track your key metrics. Turning these learnings into action can help ensure your business runs smoothly at peak times too.

It starts long before you think

For our tech team, getting ready for Black Week doesn’t start in November. In fact, it never really stops. As soon as one Black Week ends, work on the next begins.

It’s all built around three simple principles, in Eric’s words:

“In the tech team, we live by three principles. We stay up, find fast, and act fast.”

Our systems should handle whatever volume comes their way. If anything starts to drift, we should see it in seconds, not when a merchant calls. And when something needs fixing, every team already knows exactly what to do.

Our tech and data teams work closely together to forecast expected volumes, and that forecast includes our merchants’ growth. New merchants, upcoming campaigns, and traffic trends all feed into our capacity planning, so there’s room for your success long before it happens. Then we push our systems well beyond the forecast in load tests. Ahead of last Black Week, one of those tests revealed a bottleneck that only appeared at extreme volumes. We fixed it months in advance, and on the day itself, peak traffic went straight through.

On top of that, every team runs a pre-mortem: we imagine Black Week has already gone wrong, figure out why, and fix the cause before it happens.

Takeaway: Borrow the mindset. Ask yourself what would hurt most if it broke on Black Friday (a campaign page, a discount code, your stock sync) and test it for real.

Planning something big? Tell everyone involved early, and ask how they’re preparing. A good partner plans for your peak, not just their own.

The point is that it shouldn't feel dramatic when it's time

When Black Week starts, we switch into Black Week mode. We make sure all platform updates are live well before the rush. Business as usual for our merchants, though, since onboardings and go-lives keep going all week. We have staff around the clock and keep our eyes on every dashboard. On the surface, nothing dramatic happens. That’s the whole point.

Here’s what that looked like from the shopper’s side during Black Week 2025, and what you can do with it:

• 9 p.m. on Black Friday was the peak hour, the same as in 2024. It’s the moment our systems are built for. Do you know your own peak hour?
• Black Friday accounted for 20% of the week’s purchases, followed by Sunday at 16%. Be ready for shoppers who will shop all weekend.
• Checkout time dropped to 3.8 minutes, down from 4.2 minutes in a normal week. Shoppers decide faster, so every unnecessary step costs more. Keep the path to purchase short.
• First-time buyers rose by 443% among our beauty merchants, and male customers rose by 15%. Black Week brings in a new crowd. Gift guides and clear navigation help people who don’t know your store yet. Don’t forget to follow up with your new customers afterward.
• More shoppers chose free shipping (+7.3%) and longer delivery options (+6.6%). Free, slower delivery is an easy way to meet expectations without raising your costs.
• Post-purchase upsell lifted AOV by 9% for our top merchants. Offering extras after purchase increases order value without slowing checkout.

Data source: Qliro insights by Elsa von Otter, Product Analyst. Read more here.

Takeaway: Let the numbers tell you where to focus. Plan for timing, the weekend, and a frictionless checkout.

Next year starts right away

After Cyber Monday, we take a proper look back. Where did we have less margin than we wanted? The answers shape next year’s load tests and checklists. Not very glamorous, but it’s how each Black Week gets a bit smarter than the one before.

The same goes for the insights. We help our merchants dig into their Black Week numbers, and if you’re a Qliro merchant, you can explore your own data anytime in Merchant Web.

It’s part of how we work every day – in the Qliro Flywheel, every insight feeds the next improvement, helping merchants grow faster with less friction.

Takeaway: Run a retro of your own. Black Month accounted for 16% of our merchants’ sales over the last 12 months, so it deserves more than a glance at the revenue figure. Look at which days, hours, products, and payment methods performed best, and which new customers you gained. Then plan how to bring those first-time buyers back. That’s where this year’s Black Week becomes next year’s growth.

Ready for another Black Week

By now, your campaigns are hopefully planned, your offers are set, and your team is ready to go. Don’t forget to double-check and go through the details, and watch your peak hours. We’ve been preparing all year, and we’re ready for another Black Week, right there with our merchants.

And don’t forget to have fun, too. At the Qliro office, Black Week is an event in itself. Early mornings, late nights, and a whole team following every peak together.

Let's do this!

👉 Watch the episode here
👉 Talk to our team