Black Friday text message (SMS) examples for small shops
Text messages get read fast, which is exactly why they should be rare and short. Here are eight examples for the Black Friday weekend of November 27 to 30, 2026, and the rules to follow first.
Before you send anything
Consent comes first. Only text people who have clearly agreed to receive marketing texts from your shop, keep a record of when and how they agreed, and include a way to opt out (such as replying STOP). Rules differ by country and state, and the penalties can be serious. This page is general information, not legal advice; check your SMS provider’s requirements and your local rules.
- Identify your shop in every message.
- Do not text late at night or very early; keep to reasonable local hours.
- Aim for under about 160 characters so it stays one message, and always include one link.
- Send fewer texts than emails. Two or three over the whole weekend is plenty for most shops.
Eight examples
1. Early access (Thursday)
{Shop}: You’re first. Black Friday early access is open now: {offer}. {link} Reply STOP to opt out.
2. The sale starts (Friday morning)
{Shop}: Our Black Friday weekend is on. {Offer} through Mon. {link} Reply STOP to opt out.
3. A single product (Friday afternoon)
{Shop}: Our {product} is back in stock, and we have {number} left. {link} Reply STOP to opt out.
4. Small Business Saturday (Saturday morning)
{Shop}: Thank you for shopping small. We’re open {hours} today, with {local detail}. {link} Reply STOP to opt out.
5. Pickup reminder (Saturday)
{Shop}: Order online and pick up today until {time}. {link} Reply STOP to opt out.
6. The final day (Monday morning)
{Shop}: Last day for {offer}. Ends tonight at {time}. {link} Reply STOP to opt out.
7. The final hours (Monday evening)
{Shop}: {Number} hours left on {offer}. {link} Reply STOP to opt out.
8. Order-by date (mid December)
{Shop}: Order by {date} to get it before Christmas. {link} Reply STOP to opt out.
When a text beats an email
- A time-limited deadline in the last few hours.
- A pickup or in-store event that happens today.
- A restock of something people have been waiting for.
For everything else, an email is the better place for the story, the photos and the full offer. See the email examples, the 2026 send schedule and the last-day-to-ship template.
Want to see this built from your own products?
Paste your store’s address into our free mockup tool and get a Black Friday email made from your real products. No card needed.
Our Full Season package includes matching text-message copy with the emails. We write and design the whole run for your shop in 72 hours.