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Q4 Playbook 2026

The Q4 playbook for ecommerce ads

Last year CPA dropped 14% in early November while CPMs were still within 3% of October. The Q4 playbook shows how to buy that window, plus three more plays from last BFCM.

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“Now, we have full visibility and control. We’re selling more full-price products with better margins.”

Jones & Co, Australia55%CPA reduction

Inside the guide

Four plays from last Black Friday, with the data behind each one and what to do about it this year.

01Build early, buy hardWhen the cheap window opens, and why it’s weeks before most brands switch their budgets on.
02Diversify the channel mixAutomated with Blend AIWhy incrementality matters in a sale, and how finding cheaper audiences on new channels keeps your CAC down as you scale spend.
03Shift the funnel mixAutomated with Blend AIWhere the increase should go in sale weeks, prospecting or retargeting, and by how much.
04Plan past Cyber MondayThe December weeks most brands skip, and why they’re some of the best value of the year.

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Why Blend AI for Q4?

In Q4 most brands are bidding for the same people on Meta. Blend AI runs your ads across every major channel from one place, so your budget can go where customers are cheaper.

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-36%

in-channel CPA, on average, when brands diversify their channel mix with Blend.

Your margins are eroding as you scale

Keep adding budget to one channel and each extra dollar buys a dearer customer. Your average CPA barely moves, so the margin you’re losing stays hidden. Blend moves spend to the ads, audiences and channels that are winning, automatically.

Each extra blockAverage CPA

Find customers nobody else is bidding on

Testing TikTok, Microsoft or ChatGPT used to mean learning a whole new ads manager. In Blend it’s another channel on the same campaign, automated for you.

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Human support in your timezone

A real team of ecommerce media buyers on hand. Ask a question, get an expert.

Every channel. One place.

Each channel has its own ads manager, creative specs and targeting. Blend runs them all from one dashboard, with one view of what’s selling. Test new channels in seconds, with no platform experience.