Smart retailers know Black Friday and Cyber Monday cash is just the beginning. While others move on after the weekend, they focus on the real prize: turning those one-time holiday shoppers into customers who stick around all year.

In our recent webinar, 3 new best practices for BFCM & beyond, Shopify retail experts Nichole Dyer and Zack Lukosius revealed how leading retailers are transforming their approach to holiday sales. Rather than treating BFCM as a four-day sprint, these merchants use it strategically as a foundation for sustained growth.

This recap breaks down three high-impact, low-effort strategies that help you automatically capture customer data, keep sales flowing when lines get long, and offer the flexible fulfillment options that win today's demanding holiday shoppers.

📺 Watch now: 3 new best practices for BFCM & beyond

\nTurn anonymous transactions into lasting relationships\n

BFCM brings you 3-4x your normal foot traffic, but most retailers treat every customer like a stranger. The difference between surviving the holiday rush and thriving year-round comes down to one thing: turning seasonal shoppers into customers you can reach again and again.

The foundation of post-BFCM success starts with SMS and email capture at checkout. When customers pay with credit cards, Shopify POS automatically matches their information to Shop Pay's 150+ million buyer network and prompts opt-ins during payment—no extra steps for staff, no separate apps to manage. This means you're building your marketing list with customers who've already demonstrated purchasing intent.

But basic contact information is just the beginning. Customer metafields let you capture the data that really matters for your business, like clothing sizes, birthdays, style preferences, allergies, or pet names. These merchant-defined fields automatically flow into unified customer profiles that work across online and in-store, building richer customer profiles with every interaction. Your staff can quickly access past purchases and preferences to provide personalized service that turns a generic \"Can I help you find something?\" into a “I see you're training for another marathon—those running shoes you bought are due for replacement after 300 miles, and we just got the new model in your size 9.”

Retail segments takes this data one step further and automatically groups customers based on shared attributes. Create segments like “holiday gift buyers\" or “high-value local customers\" for targeted post-BFCM campaigns. The AI-powered insights identify retail-specific patterns you might miss otherwise.

\"Every transaction builds and updates these profiles in real-time,\" explains Zack Lukosius. \"When someone shops with you in-store, that data immediately enhances their online profile, and vice versa.\"

\nKeep revenue flowing when crowds get overwhelming\n

Picture this: It's 2 PM on Black Friday, your store is packed, and there's a line forming at checkout. Traditional retail says close every sale right now, in person. The smartest retailers recognize that sometimes the best approach is capturing customer interest now and completing the sale later.

Send cart solves the indecision problem perfectly. When customers are browsing but hesitant to commit, your staff can send their cart directly to their email with just a few taps. The customer gets a link to complete purchase online whenever they're ready, maintaining all in-store pricing and promotions. You've captured their interest at peak engagement—when they're physically in your store, engaged with products, and have invested time in the shopping process.

Draft orders handle complex sales and high-consideration purchases. Whether it's custom orders, bulk purchases, or situations requiring internal approval, staff can save all purchase details and create orders to be completed later. These sync instantly between POS and Admin for follow-up with invoices, email reminders, or online checkout links.

Gift cards solve multiple challenges simultaneously. They're perfect when customers want to give someone choice or found something they love but aren't ready to buy. From your perspective, gift cards increase average order value, guarantee future visits, and provide immediate cash flow during BFCM while driving traffic when things typically slow down. Shopify's built-in gift cards work across all channels with minimal setup required.

\"The key thing to notice is how effortless this is for your staff,\" notes Zack during the demo. \"They're not slowing down checkout or juggling multiple systems. Everything happens naturally as part of the sales process.\"

Train your team on these three \"pressure release\" options and create simple scripts for common scenarios. For indecisive customers: \"I can send this cart to your email so you can complete the purchase whenever you're ready.\" For gift buyers: \"Would a gift card work perfectly for this? They can choose exactly what they want.\"

\nOffer flexible fulfillment options when they matter most\n

Holiday shopping is fundamentally different from regular shopping. Customers are buying for multiple people, stressed about timing, and juggling specific deadlines. The best retailers understand this and offer flexible delivery and pickup options to help customers during the busy holiday season.

Local pickup gives customers complete control over timing while reducing your shipping costs and delivery pressure. Customers can buy online and pick up in-store, adding more flexibility when shipping deadlines are tight. For customers, it means avoiding delivery delays and shipping costs. For you, it means guaranteed foot traffic and additional sales opportunities.

Buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) is perfect for customers who want to shop from home but need items quickly. Instead of overwhelming shipping operations, you're using physical locations as fulfillment centers. Shopify's real-time inventory sync means when someone buys online for pickup, inventory is immediately reserved and unavailable for other sales until pickup—preventing the frustrating scenario where customers arrive for items that have been sold.

Ship to customer gives you access to your entire inventory network, not just what's in each store. When customers find something they love, but you're out of stock locally, staff can access online inventory and ship directly to them or gift recipients. This works for any reason—out of stock items, bulky products, or direct gift shipping—all built right into POS with preferred shipping methods and real-time costs.

\"What makes Shopify's local pickup special is the real-time inventory visibility,\" explains Nichole. \"Customers can see exactly what's available at which location, and you can offer pickup from multiple stores if you have them.\"

Ready to level up your POS before busy season?

Don't let this year's holiday traffic go to waste. See how Shopify POS can help you capture customer data, streamline checkout, and offer the flexibility that wins today's shoppers.

\nWatch the webinar Explore Shopify POS\n

\nThese BFCM best practices are just the beginning\n

You've got the playbook: capture customer data like a pro, keep checkout moving when your store's packed, and give shoppers the pickup and delivery options they want. These three moves can turn BFCM chaos into your biggest growth opportunity of the year.

Shopify POS makes it all work together. Track what's selling across channels, manage inventory in real-time, and give your team everything they need to create those \"wow, that was easy\" moments customers remember. When your entire business runs on one system, you spend less time juggling tools and more time doing what you do best: selling.

\nActionable next steps\n

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Enable email capture and define custom metafields that matter most for your business before BFCM begins.
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Train your team on send cart, draft orders, and gift cards with simple scripts for common scenarios.
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Set up all fulfillment options (local pickup, BOPIS, ship to customer) and train staff to offer them proactively.
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Create post-BFCM marketing campaigns using the customer segments and data you'll capture during the holiday rush.
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","excerpt","excerptHtml",{"_2151":2173,"_1881":-5,"_1486":2174},"SEO","Learn how to capture customer data, speed up checkout, and offer flexible fulfillment to turn your BFCM rush into year-round growth with Shopify POS.\n\n","authorV2",{"_2151":2177,"_2178":2179,"_2180":2181,"_2182":1701},"ArticleAuthor","name","Serena Miller","avatarUrl","https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e?s=200&d=404","isDisabledAuthor","metafields",[-5,-5,-5,-5,-5,-5,-5,-5],"imageUrl","imageAltText","imageClass","createdAt","createdAtRaw","modifiedAt","Aug 5, 2025","modifiedAtRaw",{"_2151":2152,"_1790":2194,"_1869":2195,"_1881":2196,"_2156":2197,"_2158":2198,"_2167":2200,"_2043":2202,"_2170":995,"_2171":995,"_1959":2203,"_2175":2206,"_2183":2207,"_2185":2199,"_2186":-5,"_2187":-7,"_2188":-7,"_2189":-7,"_2190":2208,"_2192":2197},"gid://shopify/Article/563141378082","shopify-editions-retail-summer-25","Shopify Editions Summer '25: One Platform Built for Retail's Next Horizon","2025-06-23T16:35:46Z",{"_2151":2160,"_1481":2199,"_2162":-5,"_2163":2164,"_2165":2166},"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/articles/Summer-25-Shopify-Editions-Blog_ddab8896-037b-4aed-b82b-721bc3efbd36.png?v=1753312836",[2201],"Retail","

Retail doesn't just move fast. It outpaces those who can't adapt. But here's the truth: speed alone won't save you.

Today's retailers are caught in a perfect storm. Rising operational costs eat into margins. Customer expectations evolve overnight. Tech stacks grow more fragmented with each \"quick fix\" solution. And somehow, you're supposed to make strategic decisions while putting out daily fires.

Keeping up isn’t enough. You need to be ready to see past the horizon and take on whatever comes next—whether that’s a change in buyer behavior or the next big tech innovation.

This summer, Shopify POS delivers exactly that. We've reinforced the POS to meet the pressure and pace of modern retail business. This means flexible, future-ready tools, operations built for speed but optimized for strategy, technology that reduces overhead instead of adding to it, and unified systems that keep you ahead of what's next.

From boosting staff productivity to creating the seamless brand experiences customers expect, we've built Shopify POS to help you make strategic moves, not just fast ones. We’ll show you how.

Table of contents

The merchants winning today understand a simple truth: the future belongs to those who deliver unified experiences without sacrificing speed or efficiency. They stay ahead with platforms built for tomorrow's challenges, while competitors scramble to handle today's demands.

Shopify POS V10: Redesigned for the real world

We've redesigned the POS app with one goal in mind; make the day to day experience easier for retail staff. Every element serves a purpose: making sales faster, training simpler, and customer service better.

This major usability milestone delivers concrete productivity gains. Your staff now completes transactions in fewer taps. New team members reach proficiency in hours instead of days. And customers spend less time waiting.

Included in the redesign, we’ve now added a smarter search that finds products as fast as customers can describe them. Clearer cart layouts making it easier to scan and scroll. The streamlined interface removes distractions so staff can focus on what truly matters—delivering an exceptional checkout experience.

We tested every workflow with actual retail teams. The improvements aren't just about aesthetics. They're measured in minutes saved, errors eliminated, and dollars earned.

Webinar: Get the latest on Shopify POS

Get an inside look at the Shopify Point of Sale product launches from the Summer ’25 Edition. Watch in-depth demos of each update, all designed to improve retail operations and further unify in-store and online sales.

\nRegister\n

Ship and carryout: One transaction, two destinations

You know the scenario: a customer wants five items, but you only have three in stock. Traditional systems force you to choose between a partial sale, multiple checkouts or a disappointed customer. Ship and carryout orders eliminate this problem entirely.

Customers take what's in-store for immediate checkout, and you ship what's missing, all in a single transaction. Your customer leaves happy with what they need today, and you capture the full sale while building loyalty for what arrives tomorrow.

The operational benefits go beyond single transactions. Ship and carryout enables smarter inventory management too. Keep leaner stock in-store while still meeting customer demand. This cuts carrying costs and frees up cash flow for strategic investments.

For customers who expect seamless shopping experiences, you deliver exactly what they want: the convenience of online shopping with the immediacy of in-store service. You set a new standard for retail flexibility while competing effectively against digital-first competitors.

🛍️ Ready to offer your customers this flexibility? Start your free trial and eliminate the “we don't have it here” conversation forever.

Brand theming: Your POS, Your POV

Your brand deserves to shine at every customer touchpoint, especially during checkout. Custom branding for POS transforms this critical moment from a generic transaction into a powerful brand experience.

Brand theming lets you customize your customer-facing displays with your logo, brand images, text and color palette, ensuring every aspect of the checkout reflects who you are.

Whether customers view their transaction through the Shopify POS Terminal or an Android device, they see more than just prices and totals. They see your brand colors, your product images, and your distinctive style. This creates a bridge between your business and your customers exactly when they're most engaged.

👀 Want to see how your brand could look on our redesigned checkout display? Talk to a Shopify retail specialist today.

Multi-entity management: Streamline global operations

Running a global retail operation shouldn't hinge on multiple disconnected systems. For Shopify Plus and Enterprise Commerce merchants, multi-entity support simplifies how you manage cross-border commerce and financial operations.

With multi-entity support you can sell from multiple business entities in a single store, across both online and through Shopify POS. That means one single Shopify instance that keeps my view and financials all within a central source of management.

Multi-entity support gives you four key advantages:

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Process payments in local currency using Shopify Payments accounts.
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Received payouts to local bank accounts, avoiding foreign exchange and international transaction fees.
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Maintain financial separation between regions while using a simplified, centralized system.
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Link POS and online sales to the correct entity automatically, ensuring clean financial records and transparent order attribution.
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For merchants with locations in multiple countries, this feature eliminates a significant operational headache. Your POS transactions and online sales process through the same entity within each country, maintaining proper financial and tax records while providing a seamless customer experience.

Smarter checkout moments: Turn transactions into relationships

Your cash wrap finalizes sales and shapes customer relationships. We've enhanced both capabilities. Smarter checkout features now let your staff create persistent discounts on draft orders, manage store credit seamlessly, and transform routine payments into strategic moments that drive loyalty and repeat business.

Discounts on draft orders

Give your staff the power to price with confidence before the cart hits checkout. They can create quotes that remain exactly as promised when the customer returns to complete their purchase. This builds trust while giving you more control over your pricing strategy. No more awkward moments when the final price doesn't match what was quoted earlier.

Issue store credit

Turn refunds into future sales. Instead of processing cash refunds that leave your business, issue store credit that keeps revenue within your ecosystem. Credit attaches directly to customer profiles for easy tracking and redemption. This simple shift can dramatically increase the lifetime value of customers who might otherwise have taken their refund elsewhere.

SMS opt-in at checkout

Capture SMS permissions when customers are most engaged. A single tap during the transaction gives shoppers the option to join your text marketing list. This happens right within the normal checkout flow, whether initiated by staff or selected by the customer on the receipt screen.

SMS marketing creates a direct, high-engagement channel to reach customers where they're already spending their time—on their phones. By integrating opt-in right at checkout, you turn routine transactions into marketing opportunities without disrupting the customer experience.

These features work together to turn your retail locations into relationship-building engines. Every transaction provides an opportunity to deepen connections and create pathways for ongoing engagement.

Better search: Find anything, instantly

Nothing kills a sale faster than a staff member awkwardly hunting for products while customers wait. Search delays create friction that costs you money.

Our improved search functionality transforms product discovery with intelligence that matches modern expectations. Even with thousands of SKUs and complex variant trees, staff locate exactly what they need instantly. The system handles misspelled product names, partial searches, and quickly surfaces the most relevant items based on context and popularity.

These search improvements prove particularly valuable for retailers with:

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Seasonal inventory that changes frequently
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Products with similar names or attributes
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Large catalogs that intimidate new staff
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Complex variant structures (sizes, colors, styles)
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When combined with the redesigned POS interface, search becomes effortless and intuitive. Staff focus on customer relationships instead of wrestling with complicated inventory systems.

🔍 Have specific workflow requirements? Talk to our retail specialists about custom solutions that fit your business perfectly.

Built-in extensibility: One platform built for what's next

Most POS systems lock you into their vision of retail. Shopify POS hands you the keys. Shopify POS is extensible by design, giving you control other systems simply can't match.

UI extensions empower you to create custom workflows that match your unique business requirements and goals. More importantly, it allows you to brand your in-store experience differently to stand out from the competition, staying ahead of the curve. You build the exact capabilities your business demands, and it looks, feels and performs like a native Shopify POS feature, making it a totally seamless experience for staff.

Our new Direct API access unlocks backend customization possibilities previously impossible in retail systems. Your technical team can build deeply integrated solutions connecting your POS to any part of your operations, from inventory to loyalty programs and beyond.

This extensibility creates tangible competitive advantages. When market conditions shift or customer expectations evolve, you pivot immediately without waiting for vendors to catch up. Your POS becomes a launchpad for innovation rather than a constraint on possibilities.

This is what future-proof commerce actually means: technology that amplifies your vision instead of restricting it.

Unlock the future of commerce

This is just the beginning. While retail evolves at breakneck speed, Shopify continues pushing commerce forward by anticipating what merchants need before they know they need it.

The future of commerce is smarter, more connected, and more evolved than what most platforms offer today. It's commerce that understands success comes from moving strategically with tools that enhance human capability.

Shopify POS meets you wherever you are in your journey: whether evaluating your first unified commerce platform, expanding an existing operation, or reimagining what's possible for your retail business.

The tools to transform your retail operation are available now. The question is when you'll start using them to gain competitive advantage.

Don't miss it: Shopify Editions Summer '25 retail webinar

Learn what’s new in Point of Sale, including Shopify POS V10, theming your displays and accepting store credit. We’ll demo each feature, from setting it up to using it in your retail stores.

\nRegister\n

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