Black Friday 2026 for makers: sell more without underselling (plus Green Friday and Small Business Saturday)

Black Friday 2026 is Friday 27 November. For big retailers it kicks off the holiday season; for makers it often raises an awkward question: do I have to discount pieces that take me hours to make?

The short answer is no. This guide helps you decide whether to take part, what kind of offer to make, and how to set up your channels so that people who discover you that weekend can still buy from you in December.

The dates that matter this year

• Thursday 26 November: Thanksgiving in the United States.
• Friday 27 November: Black Friday.
• Saturday 28 November: Small Business Saturday, the day for shopping at small businesses that American Express created in the US in 2010.
• Monday 30 November: Cyber Monday, focused on online shopping.
• Tuesday 1 December: GivingTuesday, a day of giving that started in New York in 2012 as a response to the shopping frenzy.

Then come holiday markets and Christmas. For a maker, what happens between 27 November and the end of December matters more than a single Friday.

Should you discount?

Ask yourself three questions first:

1. What margin does each piece have? If your prices already reflect your hours and materials, 20% off can leave you working for nothing. If in doubt, read how to price your products with confidence.
2. Do you have stock or make to order? A rush of discounted orders can eat up your December, exactly when you sell most at full price.
3. What do your customers expect from you? People who buy handmade rarely want the lowest price; they want something special to give.

If you still decide to discount, do it on part of your catalogue, not all of it. And if you sell in the European Union, remember that when you announce a price reduction you must show the previous price, which has to be the lowest you charged in the previous 30 days.

Seven ideas that don't wreck your margin

1. A gift with purchase: a small piece, a handwritten card or special wrapping. It costs little and people remember it.
2. Bundles: two or three pieces that go together (earrings and necklace, mug and plate) at one set price. You raise the order value without cutting each price.
3. A limited edition: a short run just for that weekend. The urgency comes from quantity, not discount.
4. Early access: tell your existing customers first, by WhatsApp or email. You give them something nobody else gets.
5. Gift cards: perfect for people who can't choose, and a way to sell in December even when you can't make more.
6. Free shipping or pickup over a certain amount, if your numbers allow it.
7. Green Friday: instead of discounting, donate part of that day's sales to a cause. In France there is a collective with that name, started in 2017 by the ENVIE social enterprise network, whose members commit to no Black Friday discounts and donate part of that day's takings. You can borrow the idea without joining anything: say who you donate to and how you will show it.

On Small Business Saturday, tell your story: who makes the pieces, where and how. That is your advantage over any big store.

Get your channels ready before the 27th

People who find you that weekend want to know three things: what you have, how much it costs and how to order. If the answers are spread across story highlights, DMs and a PDF, they get lost.

• Visible prices. Check that every available piece has an up-to-date photo and price, and remove what has sold out.
• One link per product. In Mercader, every product has its own page that you can send on WhatsApp or link from a story. Whoever opens it sees the photo, the price and a button to message you.
• A ready-made WhatsApp message. Create a link that opens a chat with the text already written ("Hi, I'm here for the Black Friday offer") with our WhatsApp link generator.
• A catalogue that's easy to share. If you still send loose photos, see how to set up a WhatsApp catalogue.

A simple timeline

• 2–15 November: decide your offer, photograph new pieces and update prices.
• 16–26 November: tease that something is coming and tell your regular customers.
• 27–30 November: publish the offer, reply fast and set a clear end date.
• December: switch to gift season. If you sell at holiday markets, bring a QR code to your storefront so people can buy later; you can make one with the QR code generator for your stall.

Next step

You don't need the most aggressive offer on the internet. You need people who find you that weekend to see your pieces, their prices and an easy way to order. If you want all of that in one link, you can create your storefront and try it for 14 days.