While shoppers revelled in their Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, a different type of challenge was playing out behind-the-scenes with Bazaarvoice’s Holiday Preparedness Program.
After a year of meticulous preparation and around the clock monitoring, leading provider of full-funnel authentic user-generated content (UCG) and social commerce solutions, Bazaarvoice, rose to the challenge, supporting 12,500 retailers and brands worldwide during the busiest retail event of the year.
The global program was managed across our North American, Belfast and India sites and ensured retailers and brands using the Bazaarvoice platform could navigate the intense demand of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and deliver a fast, dependable, and seamless shopping experience for their customers.
Site Leader at Bazaarvoice Belfast, Bronagh Gaillard, explains:
“Across our global network we see over a billion shoppers engage with authentic user-generated content every month, ranging from product ratings and reviews to curated social photos. This activity naturally intensifies during the year’s most crucial shopping window, and it’s a period we strategically plan for.
“Black Friday and Cyber Monday place immense pressure on ecommerce websites, but for us, it’s an exciting opportunity for our clients to significantly leverage Bazaarvoice’s product offerings for a smooth experience even during the busiest, high-pressure moments. We are proud to be the trusted ‘seal of approval’ for shopping experiences and due to the outstanding teamwork and preparation, driven by the Holiday Preparedness Program, I’m delighted to say that yet again, this year has been incident-free for our clients.”
Planning for the Black Friday / Cyber Monday shopping window started back in February when Technical Program Manager, Mark Sweeney and Principal QA Engineer, Allan Hunter, from the Belfast team, co-ordinated the program across Bazaarvoice operations in Bangalore, Lithuania, UK, and North America.
Speaking about the work involved in the program, Mark said:
“The customer is central to everything we do in preparing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. While we have technical aspects to focus on, we never lose sight of the fact that we are supporting retailers and brands to provide the best experience for their customers.
“Preparation for Black Friday and Cyber Monday begins months in advance, with the team carrying out simulations, testing the platform and liaising directly with customers on our holiday preparedness plans. In the weeks leading to the shopping event, and the days after, we then hosted twice-daily global status calls reviewing critical incidents, client escalations and resolutions, and analysing API traffic and emerging shopping patterns. The Data Analytics team delivered valuable real-time technical and business insights before and after the peak shopping period on Friday 29th November, when the platform recorded 34 million page views at 10am. Their work ensured seamless data flow, supported transparent decision making, and contributed to the program’s success. Thanks to the entire team for all their dedication and hard work.”
With 78% of consumers indicating that reviews influence their purchase decisions[1], Bazaarvoice continues to invest in understanding the value of reviews for businesses and their customers. This commitment ensures that shoppers can make informed choices while brands and retailers build trust and drive engagement.