Black Friday this year delayed purchases by 12% of adult Australians during September and, 19% doing similar in October.
Both contribute to and explain in part the peaking of retail revenues during November.
PLEASE EXPLAIN
A national online survey of 936 adult Australians which was conducted in the period 1-8 October established that 93% of respondents did not know the specific date of Black Friday, 2026 (27 November).
Significantly:
· A total 57% of people expected discounted offerings of 40-60% on a broad range of products, services and applications.
· 48% intended to take advantage of advertised sales specials, a majority of such purchases not being related to Christmas or gift giving. Thus, those transactions will not be new or additional, but rather rescheduled.
· Some 38% of consumers had or intended to save (set aside) money for labelled “Black Friday” specials. In the main they will be general purpose purchases.
· Only 11% had or intended to set budgets for any sales period or occasion.
· A majority (79%) expected to conclude purchases during November, rather than on the specific date of Black Friday.
· Christmas buying intentions were interesting:
Ø 17% intended to increase purchases relative to 2025.
Ø 53% expected to spend “the same”.
Ø 14% anticipated reducing Christmas purchases.
Ø 11% had not determined or projected Christmas purchases this year.
GET REAL
· Based on recent past experiences 28% of consumers stated that this year they will limit or give preference to discounts of recognised and trusted brand names.
Reduced house-brand offerings have noticeably less appeal, authenticity and sense of “genuine” reduced prices among all consumer segments.
· 78% of participants stated that they did not know the dates of Singles Day (11 November), Click Frenzy or Cyber Monday (30 November). A significant majority of that sub-group would be open to or responsive to discount offerings during such events.
· A total of 69% of adult consumers expected to conclude a majority of their November purchases instore (rather than online).
· Only 7% of participants projected concluding all Christmas related purchases online.
Barry Urquhart
Managing Director
Marketing Focus
M: 041 983 5555
