The cyber week is finally over! Warning: this topic might be a bit controversial 🙂
Every year, as November rolls around, we see the same hype: “Black Friday deals! Our best discounts of the year!” And while these sales are often marketed as opportunities too good to miss, I can’t help but feel uneasy about the whole concept, especially when it comes to WordPress plugins, software and SaaS. Here’s why.
Sales concentrated into one chaotic week
Vendors claim that Black Friday is their most profitable sales period of the year. Of course, it is, because customers know a deal is coming and wait to purchase during this period. If there were no Black Friday, those same sales would likely be spread more evenly throughout the year, giving companies a steadier revenue stream and reducing the pressure on their teams.
Instead, WordPress plugin vendors (and many other businesses) are forced to pour resources into a single frenzied week. This puts strain on support teams, developers, and marketing staff.
Even worse, many companies now extend their offers to Black Week, Black Month, Cyber Monday or even Cyber Week. If that’s the case, why not just offer reasonable prices year-round? If the Black Friday price represents the product’s true value, why isn’t it the standard price? And if it’s too low to be sustainable, why encourage customers to buy at that price at all? It’s a short-sighted model that helps no one in the long run.
Disappointment for customers
As a customer, I’ve experienced that sinking feeling when you buy a WordPress plugin at full price, only to see it offered with a huge discount a few months later. It’s frustrating.
Loyal customers, those who buy when they need a product, not when it’s discounted, end up feeling penalised for their support. Meanwhile, new customers who waited for the deal get the better price. This creates distrust. Why reward only those who delay their purchase, rather than spreading fair pricing throughout the year?
Black Friday: A misfit for digital products
Black Friday used to be a uniquely American phenomenon, rooted in the shopping frenzy that follows Thanksgiving. Historically, it made sense for retailers to discount leftover stock at this time of year. After major holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas, shops need to clear inventory, think of it as the USA’s version of the January sales or “les soldes” over here.
For physical goods, this approach works: an end-of-season sale to clear the old and make way for the new. But how does that logic apply to digital products like WordPress plugins, digital courses and SaaS products? There’s no “old stock” to clear out. Software doesn’t sit on a shelf gathering dust. The idea of end-of-line discounts just doesn’t translate.
The problem with artificial scarcity
Some vendors create a false sense of urgency around Black Friday, using tactics like “limited time only!” or “only 100 licences left!”. This works well for physical goods, where scarcity is real, but for digital products, it feels manipulative.
Even worse, some companies inflate their prices for the rest of the year, just so they can offer a “discount” during Black Friday and other holidays. Customers see through this, and it erodes trust in the brand.
A better way forward
What’s the alternative? For WordPress plugin vendors (and other digital product creators), a year-round pricing strategy based on real value makes more sense. Loyal customers shouldn’t feel cheated for buying outside of a sale period. And vendors would benefit from more predictable sales and less strain on their teams.
For customers, fair pricing means less time waiting for sales and more confidence in purchasing when they need something.
In conclusion
Black Friday might work for physical goods, where clearing inventory is necessary, but for digital products, it just doesn’t fit. It ultimately undermines the trust that should be at the core of any long-term customer relationship.
Of course I’m guilty too, I’m waiting and buying during Black Friday, I check which vendor does give Black Friday discounts, sometimes even with the Wayback Machine to see if they did last year. If I do not see them usually offering deals, I buy what I need, regardless of the month. And I prefer by far to support vendors who value their products, and their customers, enough to offer fair prices all year long.
These opinions and texts are mine, with the assistance of ChatGPT solely to improve the quality of the English language.
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