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125+ Black Friday Subject Lines to Boost Open Rates

Oct 3, 2023 - By Camilla Mackeviciute

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Do you know that over 47% of users open emails based solely on their subject line? Or that the wrong subject line can result in up to 69% of subscribers reporting your email as spam?

It is, therefore, easy to see that the key to getting your BFCM emails opened in an inbox full of similar-looking messages is to get your Black Friday subject lines spot on.

Still need more convincing that your Black Friday subject lines would prove to be a deciding factor in the success of your Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns?

As important as headlines for landing pages, subject lines are crucial to getting your emails opened and read.

Read on, for by the time you read this guide, you’ll be a Black Friday subject lines advocate and have dozens of high-quality, original subject lines for inspiration.

Why Black Friday Email Subject Lines?

You need sales from your BFCM campaigns, but those sales will only come from clicks, which will happen after your emails get opened.

In an interesting study, marketing SaaS company Movable Ink analyzed over 1.3 billion emails to discover that your email has less than 3 seconds or 12 words to capture the attention of its readers.

Needless to add, the bulk of this heavy lifting will be done by your subject lines to ensure that your email catches the attention of your readers skimming their inbox with an attention span supposedly less than that of a Goldfish.

Getting your subject lines right is generally important, but getting your Black Friday subject lines ready to get your BFCM seasonal sales firing on all cylinders?—all the more so.

25+ Catchy Black Friday Email Subject Line Examples

While multiple factors are at play regarding the success of your Black Friday campaigns, such as copy, quality of your offer, or your call to action (CTA), the Black Friday subject line is pretty much the game changer.

As headlines are to landing and sales pages, so are subject lines to emails.

According to the survey, 69% of email recipients report emails as spam after reading the subject line.

So, whether you are a small business or a booming enterprise, you definitely don’t want your carefully worded and painstakingly designed Black Friday newsletter to land in the spam box because of poor subject lines.

Here are some Black Friday subject lines, by category, that we think will rock your emails and get them opened.

Early Access Subject Lines

  • Black Friday came early 🛒
  • Black Friday deals unlocked 🎁
  • Get Ready for Black Friday Specials 🤑
  • Shop our Black Friday picks early! 🛍️
  • No waitlists. Shop Black Friday Now 🛒
  • Black Friday Priority Access: 40% OFF Sitewide

Ecommerce Subject Lines

  • Let’s hit your Black Friday goals already 🤑
  • Skip the line. Take 40% Off sitewide NOW.
  • Did someone say FREE shipping? 🛒
  • Our exclusive Black Friday offer 🖤
  • How to Win this Black Friday?  🛍️
  • 45% Off Everything NOW!

Sales, Incentives & Discount Subject Lines

  • Survive Black Friday with 40% OFF Sitewide 🤑
  • Thank god its Black Friday and 30% Off
  • FREE Shipping. No minimum order.
  • Black Friday calling—Get 30% Off sitewide 🛒
  • Buy One Get One sitewide 🎁
  • Your official license to loot us 🛍️
  • Take 25% Off sitewide Plus a FREE gift on orders above $99 

Urgency-Driven Subject Lines

  • FREE shipping on all orders. Only this Weekend ⏰
  • Good times don’t last forever. Take 30% Off NOW 🖤
  • Your Black Friday deals expire in 24 hours 🎁🖤
  • Black Friday offers expire tonight. You in?
  • Black Friday ends in 4 hrs. You can still get in…

Extended Black Friday Subject Lines

  • Here’s your 2nd chance to make it right
  • Black Friday [Sale Extended]
  • [Surplus stock] BFCM Sale Extended till Tuesday
  • Are you coming back? [Sale Extended 24 hrs]

A great tip would be to optimize your preview text (also called pre-header) to support and carry forward the messaging or idea of the subject line. Correctly optimized Black Friday email headers can make your email more compelling to open and read. 

Remember that seasonal campaigns such as Black Friday can be great levelers. 

It does not matter if you go head to head with brands with more expensive logos, mindblowing catchphrases, and memorable tag lines.

Your small business with no slogan, fancy jingles, or marketing pseudo phrases to boot can blast its competition out of the park if you can find a way to come up with an amazing offer and great open lines that allow your audience a chance to view them.

100+ Black Friday Subject Lines for All BFCM Adverts

Time for the ‘show’ part of ‘show and tell.’ Here are some original Black Friday subject line ideas for your swiping pleasure and inspiration.

For convenience, we have split these subject lines across different categories so no matter whether you are an online vendor or offline business.

10+ Black Friday Sale Subject Lines

Black Friday marketing is a hot topic during this season. Shoppers love to grab Black Friday discounts, making it a great time for you to shoot an email to your target audience. You can announce a sale, give a sneak peek, or try something crazy. Here are a few Black Friday sale subject lines to inspire you to start email marketing during Black Friday: 

  • Get Ready For The BIGGEST Black Friday Sale EVER!
  • Start Shopping for the best Black Friday offers
  • Get your foot in the door NOW! 
  • Beat the Black Friday Madness. Sale Live Now! 
  • Slide your way to Hottest Deals this Black Friday 
  • Did we hear your thoughts? Check in our latest Black Friday offers now!
  • You’ll start screaming when you see our Black Friday Sale offers 
  • It’s official – We love deals and discounts, just like you. 
  • Discover the reason to drool this Black Friday  
  • BIG REVEAL – Black Friday Deals, Exclusively for You. 
  •  Love Shopping? Start shopping during Our Black Friday Sale  
  • It’s almost BLACK FRIDAY! And We’re As Excited As You

10+ Creative Black Friday Newsletter Subject Lines

Black Friday has always been special for shopaholic souls. Make it a reason to put a smile on their face, too. After all, who said your Black Friday subject line should only be about deals and discounts? Intrigue and charm your subscribers and audience with some creative subject lines, such as below: 

  • Black Friday is just the Beginning…. 🚀
  • 🤖Ask Alexa to Remind you of Us This Black Friday! 
  • On your mark, get set, GO 💨—  Grab Your Special offer! 
  • This Black Friday… Everything Else Can Wait ⏰
  • Another Reason to Forget All The Bad in This World! 
  • Black Friday Exclusive — The Perfect Reason to Make a New Reel 
  • All Hands on Deck — The Biggest Black Friday Offer EVER! 
  • You Are In for a Treat Today — Exclusive Deal for You 
  • Black Friday + You + Us — The Perfect Love Triangle 
  • Stop flaunting your Black Friday (Or)deal from 10 years back — Grab a new Deal Now
  • Grab the deal while the sun shines — Black Friday Sale Ends Midnight 

Also read: Perfect Email Subject Line — Best Practices, Tips & Examples 

10+ Pre-Black Friday Subject Lines (for Early Access, Sneak Peeks)

You should, by all means, try to offer early access to your sale. The simplest way would be to send out a teaser email. When you do, here are some subject lines to help your early access email rock the inbox space.

  • Let’s Black Friday early ⏰
  • Knock knock (Pssst… its starting early)
  • Ready for early access? 🔥
  • Our Pre Black Friday sale starts in 24 hrs
  • Not Friday yet, but it can be! 😍🎁
  • Our early & exclusive Black Friday deals  💳
  • Early Black Friday deals. Save up to 50% 🔥
  • Blink and you could miss our Pre-sale 🖤🎁
  • It is Black Friday when you say it is 🖤
  • Indulge in our Black Friday madness this Monday 🔥🖤
  • It’s Black Friday early access time…
  • The early (Black Friday) bird catches the…
  • Happy Thanksgiving! (Plus get 50% OFF sitewide)
  • Here’s your early Black Friday offer 🔥
  • Just like good times, this deal won’t last forever ⏰

10+ Catchy Black Friday Deals Subject Line Samples

Whether you are a small business or an enterprise SMB company, Black Friday is likely the perfect seasonal reminder for you to get the mojo back into your marketing and the zing into your sales.

Here are some catchy email open lines to help you get started:

  • Buy 1 Get 1 Free sitewide. Black Friday Exclusive 😍
  • BFCM Exclusive. Free Shipping. No minimum order 🛒
  • TGI Black Friday @70% Off
  • Get 25% Off + Free shipping + 10% Coupon for next purchase
  • Here’s your 50% Off coupon (no minimum)
  • BFCM Exclusive: Get 30% off sitewide, plus a free gift!
  • Up to 40% Off – Black Friday week is here and how! 🖤
  • We countdown to Black Friday. You take 40% Off and Free shipping.
  • Shop 40% Off Everything + Free shipping 🎁
  • Shop our top Black Friday picks @50% Off  🛒
  • Our only Blockbuster sale – Save 70%


Also read: 115+ Catchy Email Subject Lines Examples (Sales, Events) 

10+ Post Black Friday Subject Line Examples

While Black Friday is big, you can and actually should continue your sales campaigns till Cyber Monday at the very least, if not till the end of the Cyber Week! 

Use the below subject line examples in your post Black Friday emails.

  • Did you miss our Black Friday sale? 🖤
  • Missed the sale? No worries, we got your back 😍
  • Sale extended by 48 hrs, jump in 😍⏰
  • It ain’t over until the fat lady sings 🖤
  • Black Friday MegaSale Officially Extended 🛒
  • Black Friday madness continues @50% Off
  • Black Friday Sale Extended: 50% OFF + Free Shipping
  • We just couldn’t let you miss it 😍
  • You can still take 50% Off
  • Your last chance repeats – 50% Off Sitewide
  • Where were you? Here’s your coupon code! 🖤
  • Did you miss these deals? 😍⏰

10+ Last Chance Subject Lines

No one likes to miss a deal. Send a friendly reminder email to your subscribers and readers to take action with these last chance emails.

  • [LAST CHANCE] Save 50% Off today 🤑
  • We will miss you 🖤
  • [LAST DAY] Take 35% Off before it’s gone
  • Add to cart NOW or forever hold your peace
  • Will you let these amazing deals slip through your fingers? ⏰
  • Are you sure you want to miss THESE deals? 🛒
  • [Last Call] The most amazing Black Friday deals 
  • Get these BFCM deals before they’re gone ⏰
  • [24 hrs] Don’t let your 50% Off Coupon Code expire
  • Are you sure you want to skip these offers? 🛒
  • [Last day] Stock up now or regret it

Also read: 40 Last Chance Email Subject Lines That Sells

10+ Urgency Based Subject Lines

Enhance your great offers by injecting them with a dose of urgency. Here are some ways you can literally force your readers to open your Black Friday emails:

  • Your 25% Off Coupon code is expiring in 24 hrs 
  • [TODAY ONLY] 50% Off Sitewide 🤑
  • Free Shipping on all orders placed within 24 hrs
  • [48 hrs ONLY] Free Express Shipping – No minimum order
  • 4 hrs till our 50% Off discount expires
  • [12 hrs] This offer only comes back next year
  • Only one day left to get 50$ Off + Free Shipping 🤑
  • Act fast and save 15% sitewide. Next 24 hrs only 🎁
  • 48 hrs to shop the sale. Jump in! 
  • 30% Off Special Offer. Gone forever in 24 hrs
  • We’re holding your cart items, but not for long

10+ Subject Lines for Free Shipping

Everyone loves FREE stuff, especially if it is free shipping. Below are some subject lines that’ll help you convey it with ease.

  • Special offer only for you: Free Shipping (next 48 hrs only)
  • Claim FREE Shipping on ALL orders (Limited time only)
  • Shipping on us. All week long (no minimum order)
  • Because your order is special—Take Complimentary Shipping!
  • Rip us off (Free shipping + 40% Sitewide)
  • Treat yourself to FREE shipping (only this weekend)
  • Your order ships FREE
  • FREE shipping okay?
  • Black Friday days are FREE Shipping days! 
  • Sorry, Free shipping ends tonight!
  • Get FREE shipping for the next 24 hrs (no minimum)
  • Save up to 70% + FREE shipping over $39

10+ Black Friday Personalized Subject Lines With Emojis

Personalized subject lines are likely to be among your top performing ones. Adding the right emojis keeps things light, fun, and engaging.

Getting such interesting subject lines right is no rocket science, as shown in the examples below:

  • Sonia, we know how much you love to save 🤑
  • Holding your order no {$orderID}. Get it for a special discount! 🔥
  • Jon, is 75% Off good? 🤑
  • Early access to the BFCM Sale has begun, Julie! 🔥
  • Elisa, late to the Black Friday party? ⏰
  • George – a special discount awaits you! 🔥😍
  • Jeanne, who doesn’t love FREE Shipping? 🛒
  • Jen, Black Friday deals don’t last forever 🛒
  • Special Black Friday discount for Chris only! 🖤😍
  • Jane, now or never—50% off select faves + 30% off sitewide 🛒
  • Elliot, we extended the Black Friday special sale 🖤🎁
  • [24 hrs to go] Tom, here’s a special discount coupon for checkout ⏰

10+ Black Friday Email Subject Line for Ecommerce

If you are an ecommerce startup, use the below subject lines to boost your opens and hence sales.

  • We found an abandoned cart. Is it yours, John?
  • Weekend only: extra 40% OFF sale!
  • Save $99 + Shipping costs (no minimum)
  • Choose your FREE reward before checkout
  • Julie, forgot to check out?
  • The items in your cart are about to sell out
  • Show your cart some love!
  • Black Friday Pre-orders have started. Booked yours?
  • Get 30% off sitewide, plus a free gift!
  • Enjoy your 1st Black Friday purchase with us @70% Off
  • Welcome to the Black Friday sale launch party!
  • Clock’s ticking for our Pre Black Friday Sale! 
  • ⚡The Black Friday discount season has begun!
  • We’ve got amazing deals for you!
  • 25% Off our entire range of footwear
  • Jim, thanks for your purchase! 25% discount coupon inside!
  • Black Friday shopping madness is on. Join us! 

The above is by no means an exhaustive list of Black Friday subject lines. 

To stand out from the crowd and get the sales rolling, come up with your own magical Black Friday subject lines based on the above examples.

9 Black Friday Subject Lines Tips

Getting your Black Friday email subject line right can seem like half art, half science. But we have some pointers to keep you on track while still keeping it fun. 

  • Be direct. Given the dwindling attention spans, especially during Black Friday sales, it pays to reveal your deals upfront. Especially if you got a great offer or if the time is running out. For example, “[LIVE] Our Black Friday Flash Sale starts now” or “THIS BFCM Sale is Lit! Jump right in.”
  • Make it personal. Personalized emails have 29% higher open rates, generating about six times higher transaction rates than non-personalized emails. The simplest way to do this in your Black Friday subject lines is to call out the prospect by their first name. For example, “Travis, the clock is ticking this Black Friday!” or “Elaine, how does 35% off sound?”
  • Keep it simple and friendly. Don’t confuse excitement for aggression. While your competition is bombarding subscribers’ inboxes like no tomorrow, you can stand out by keeping it simple, friendly, and authentic. For example, “Bob, you asked us to remind you about the sale!” or “Anna, you’ll miss these deals. Grab them now.”
  • Tease your subscribers with sneak peeks. Curiosity may have killed the cat with nine lives, but it keeps most humans ticking. No one minds a little tease. Don’t give everything right away in your Black Friday subject lines; instead — make people curious. For example, “Tom, you’d never believe what we have on sale today!” or “Guess how you can get an extra 20% OFF this Black Friday?”
  • Mention specific discounts. Emails that included ‘percent off’ discounts in their subject lines converted at an average rate of 18.1%, while those without an offer in the subject line converted at 3.8%. For example, “65% Off Everything!” or “45% Off, Jon, and the clock’s ticking”
  • Keep it short. We know this sounds like counter-intuitive advice,  but it works. While others try to stuff in whatever they can within the 50-60 or so character limit, keep your subject lines short while still making your point. Sometimes, just 1-5 words work like magic. For example, “Maggie, Sale’s ON!” or “Next 24 hrs only!”
  • Include Numbers. Studies have shown that subject lines with numbers directly correspond to higher open and reply rates. Besides conveying information better, numbers create intrigue and, therefore, higher conversions. For example, “Our top 6 titles that are selling out fast” or “Buy 1 Get 1 Free. 24 hrs only.”
  • Inject Some Humor. Who doesn’t want to open an email that sounds fun? Insert something fun, such as wordplay on something trending, or use a pun to get your readers smiling even before they’ve opened your email. For example, “Here’s how you can beat the Joneses to 10% extra OFF” or “Psst! Take both 25% off and a better product than Emily next door.” Just remember to avoid religion, politics, and anything, in general, that doesn’t resonate with your business ethics, values, and brand voice. 
  • Leverage Urgency & Scarcity. What you sell could be in short supply (scarce) or available only for a limited period (urgent). Urgency and scarcity are powerful psychological triggers that make people buy to avoid the fear of missing out (FOMO). For example, here are some scarcity subject lines – “FREE shipping madness, but only until stocks last” or “Stocks running out fast. Get yours now!”. For invoking urgency, you can write something like – “50% Off for the next 100 orders only” or “30% Off only till midnight, and then never again”.

Overall, try resisting going overboard by trying out every tip, trick, and hack that anyone with a pulse is willing to share. Instead, stick to the proven and tested principles above to get your Black Friday subject lines right, and maybe even A/B test a few different subject lines to discover a winner.

Black Friday 2022 – Important Dates 

October 1st WeekList Building Promotions 
MONDAY (Black Friday Week)Early Bird Sales 
WEDNESDAY (Black Friday Week)Your Mega Sales Launch
24 Nov’22US Thanksgiving Day
25 Nov’22Black Friday
26-27 Nov’22Small Business Weekend
28 Nov’22Cyber Monday

Source: Black Friday Email Marketing Ebook

Key Takeaways: Black Friday Subject Lines

Like most other good things in life, Black Friday is a positive sum game, which means that your victories don’t necessarily have to come at the expense of your competition’s losses. There’s enough to go around at the table for everyone. If you were skimming through this guide and only wanted the quick takeaways, here’s a quick bird’s eye view summary:

  • Start your Black Friday weekend planning early; 
  • Leverage your Black Friday subject lines to stand out in the prospect’s inbox;
  • Open your Black Friday promotion offers early and close after Cyber Monday sale to pocket extra sales & revenue;
  • Focus on creating great offers that complement your amazing product or service;
  • Remember that Black Friday is the time to discover new customers and upsell or downsell to existing ones;
  • Leverage SMS marketing hand-in-hand with email marketing to get higher engagement, sales, and ROI.

Whether running an online shop or operating as an offline retailer, you will likely invest in advertising. Your organic social media timelines will also be lit with Black Friday posts, each with a creative tagline, caption, catchphrases, and hashtags.

However, these notwithstanding, email marketing will continue to remain a crucial part of your Black Friday marketing strategy, no matter the niche your business operates in. And the first step towards maximizing the returns from your BFCM email marketing campaigns is to craft effective Black Friday subject lines that get maximum opens.

Also read:

About author
Camilla is the content wizard who weaves creativity and strategy into every piece she works on. Her expertise lies in crafting impactful content that drives results.
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