The short answer
- Here are 76 Black Friday email subject lines, grouped by send: teaser, early access, launch, weekend, Cyber Monday and last chance.
- The best Black Friday subject lines put the offer or the deadline in the first few words, because phones cut long subject lines.
- Pair each subject line with preview text that adds the second fact: the end time, the code or the best-selling product.
- A typical BFCM sequence is 8 to 12 sends from November 18 to November 30, with the most on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Replace the bracketed parts with your own product, price and discount code. Black Friday 2026 is Friday, November 27, and Cyber Monday is Monday, November 30.
Black Friday email send schedule
| Date | Send | Audience | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed Nov 18 | Teaser 1 | All subscribers | Announce the sale date |
| Mon Nov 23 | Teaser 2 with early-access signup | All subscribers | Grow the early list |
| Tue Nov 24 | Early access opens | Early list, VIPs | First orders, test checkout |
| Thu Nov 26 | Thanksgiving early open | All subscribers | Catch evening shoppers |
| Fri Nov 27, morning | Launch | All subscribers | The biggest revenue send |
| Fri Nov 27, evening | Bestsellers or reminder | Non-buyers | Second chance on day one |
| Sat Nov 28 | Gift guide | Non-buyers | Switch to the gift angle |
| Sun Nov 29 | Social proof or restock | Non-buyers, clickers | Keep the sale in mind |
| Mon Nov 30, morning | Cyber Monday | All subscribers | Last day, new reason to buy |
| Mon Nov 30, evening | Last chance | Non-buyers | Final hours |
Exclude people who bought in the sale from the remaining sale sends. Send them an order confirmation and a thank-you instead. The full store timeline, from tracking to stock, is in the Black Friday checklist.
Teaser subject lines (Nov 18-25)
Build anticipation and get people onto the early-access list. No price yet.
- Our biggest sale of the year is coming
- Mark your calendar: Friday, 6am
- You get in first
- Something big on November 27
- Black Friday plans? Read this first
- We only do this once a year
- Start your wishlist now
- Early access is yours if you want it
- Do not buy anything until Friday
- A preview of Black Friday
- Next week, prices drop
- The sale we never usually do
- Save the date (and your cart)
- Psst. Black Friday starts early for you
- 3 days until our only sale
Early access subject lines (Nov 23-26)
Reward subscribers with a head start. Make the exclusivity specific.
- Your early access starts now
- You are in: Black Friday opens early
- 24 hours before everyone else
- Subscribers only: 40% off starts today
- Your private Black Friday link
- Shop before it is public
- Early access: bestsellers first
- Your code is inside: EARLY40
- Get the good sizes before Friday
- The list gets first pick
- Doors open early, for you
- Before the crowd: Black Friday is live
- Happy Thanksgiving. The sale is open.
- Your Thanksgiving head start
- Early access closes at midnight
Launch subject lines (Black Friday, Nov 27)
State the offer in the first words. This send carries the most revenue.
- 40% off everything starts now
- Black Friday is live
- It is here: our lowest prices of the year
- 40% off sitewide. No code needed.
- Spend $100, save $25. Today only.
- Black Friday: buy one, get one 50% off
- Your Black Friday cart is waiting
- Lowest price ever on [bestseller]
- The sale you waited for
- Free gift with every order today
- Black Friday deals, sorted by price
- Gifts under $50, all on sale
- 40% off. Ends Monday.
- Open for the biggest discount we offer
- Black Friday: [product] for [price]
- Every bestseller, on sale
Weekend subject lines (Nov 28-29)
Change the angle: gifts, proof, restocks, shipping deadlines.
- Still on: 40% off everything
- The gift guide, now 40% off
- Back in stock (and still on sale)
- What everyone bought yesterday
- Small Business Saturday: shop with us
- Gifts for the hard-to-buy-for
- Order by Dec 15 for delivery
- Sunday reset: the sale is still on
- Selling fast: [product]
- Our customers' top 5 picks
Cyber Monday subject lines (Nov 30)
Mark the last day and add one new reason to buy.
- Cyber Monday: the last day of the sale
- One more day of 40% off
- Cyber Monday upgrade: free express shipping
- Missed Black Friday? Today is your day.
- Cyber Monday only: [bundle] for [price]
- Final day. Prices reset tomorrow.
- Cyber Monday deals are live
- Your Cyber Monday cart is ready
- The online-only sale ends tonight
- Cyber Monday: extra 10% off sale items
Last-chance subject lines (Nov 30 evening)
Short, plain, time-bound. Send to people who have not bought.
- Ends at midnight
- 6 hours left
- Last call: 40% off ends tonight
- This is the last email about the sale
- Going, going...
- Final hours for 40% off
- Your cart expires tonight
- Last chance. Really.
- Prices go up at midnight
- Closing the sale in 3 hours
How to write preview text
Preview text is the line inboxes show after or under the subject. If you leave it empty, the inbox fills it with the first words of the email, often "View in browser".
- Add the second fact. Subject: "40% off everything starts now". Preview: "Ends Monday at midnight. No code needed."
- Do not repeat the subject. Two lines saying the same thing waste the space.
- Name the product if the subject did not: "Including the [bestseller], back in stock."
- Put the code in it for early access: "Use EARLY40 at checkout before Friday."
Black Friday email examples, as subject and preview pairs:
| Subject line | Preview text |
|---|---|
| Your early access starts now | 40% off for subscribers, 24 hours before the public sale. |
| Black Friday is live | 40% off everything until Monday at midnight. |
| The gift guide, now 40% off | 12 gifts under $50 that ship in 2 days. |
| One more day of 40% off | Plus free express shipping, today only. |
| Ends at midnight | Your cart is still saved. Prices reset tomorrow. |
Rules for Black Friday subject lines
- Front-load. "40% off everything" first, brand voice second.
- Match the email. If the subject says 40% off everything, the first screen of the email shows 40% off everything.
- Avoid spam patterns: all caps, rows of exclamation marks and "$$$". They hurt deliverability on the busiest inbox day of the year.
- Test two subject lines on the launch send, not on teasers. The launch has the most revenue riding on it.
- Use the same offer wording as your ads so a shopper who saw the ad recognises the email. The ad versions are in Black Friday ad copy, and matching social posts in Black Friday captions.
To see how brands framed the same offers in paid ads, browse the Black Friday ad examples.
Where Sprites fits
Sprites does not send email. It runs the paid side that feeds your list and recovers the shoppers email misses: Meta and Google campaigns that collect early-access signups before the sale and retarget site visitors during it, with every change held for your approval. See pricing.
Black Friday email FAQ
What is a good Black Friday email subject line?
A good Black Friday subject line names the offer or the deadline in the first few words, such as "40% off everything starts now" or "Ends at midnight". Pair it with preview text that adds the second fact, like the end time or the discount code. Clear beats clever on the busiest inbox day of the year.
How many Black Friday emails should I send?
Most stores send 8 to 12 emails between mid-November and Cyber Monday: two teasers, an early-access send, a launch, one or two weekend sends, Cyber Monday and a last chance. Remove buyers from the remaining sale sends so the frequency only falls on people who have not ordered.
When should I send Black Friday emails?
Send teasers from about November 18, early access on November 23 or 24, the launch on the morning of Black Friday, November 27, and the Cyber Monday and last-chance emails on November 30. Send the launch at the exact sale start so the email and the ads go live together.
What should Black Friday preview text say?
Preview text should add the one fact the subject line left out: the end time, the code, or the product. If the subject is "Black Friday is live", the preview can be "40% off everything until Monday at midnight." Leaving it empty lets the inbox show the first words of the email instead.
Should Black Friday subject lines use emojis?
One emoji can help a subject line stand out, but it should not replace the offer. Test it on one send rather than every send. Avoid strings of emojis, all caps and repeated exclamation marks, which look like spam.