The sale must go on: Aussies set to spend $4.5 billion on Black Friday
Shoppers are set to spend an eye watering amount across the upcoming sales season, according to new research by Finder.
A Finder survey of 1,011 respondents revealed 1 in 2 (55%) have shopped or plan to shop during some of the biggest sales events of the year.
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That's an estimated 11.8 million who will spend big across retail sales like Black Friday or Boxing Day – up from 10.5 million in 2024.
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Black Friday has nabbed the top sales spot with 2 in 5 (40%) Aussies planning to shop – up from 29% in 2024.
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That's 8.6 million Aussies shopping Black Friday alone.
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Boxing Day, once the biggest deal day, is now a distant second with 29% planning to splurge.
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Aussies dabbled in the Amazon Prime Day (18%) and Afterpay Day (9%) sales, and 17% have plans to shop Cyber Monday.
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Shoppers are expected to spend $531 each on average on Black Friday alone – equivalent to $4.5 billion nationally.
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Sarah Megginson, personal finance expert Finder, said the annual holiday rush is upon us, signalling the start of the Black Friday sales frenzy.
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"With household budgets stretched thin by rising costs, maximising savings has become a top priority.
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"Black Friday offers a genuine chance to secure deals on both holiday gifts and household essentials, but it's also important to be mindful of impulse purchases."
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Clothes and shoes (68%) are high on the priority list for Aussies looking to bag a bargain this Black Friday, with electronics and gadgets (44%) next on the shopping list.
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Shoppers also have their eyes set on beauty, skincare, and makeup (35%), as well as accessories (30%), food and alcohol (25%), and toys (26%).
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Megginson said the lure of a discount is powerful, but it's a classic spending trap.
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"The first step in smart shopping is setting a firm spending limit so you know exactly how much you can afford to spend.
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"Create a focused shopping list and stick to it, as this will help you avoid over-spending on impulse purchases you didn't really need.
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"Before you checkout – in-store or at home – give the product a quick search to make sure you are getting the best deal.
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"You don't want to pay too much and only realise after the money has left your account!"
Megginson added that a common trap to look out for is a sale price that is actually the same as most retailers' normal price.
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"I saw this recently with a pair of sneakers. Most retailers were charging $150, but one had them on sale, from $180 down to $150. It feels like you're getting a deal, but the devil is in the details."
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Did you shop OR do you plan to shop during the following sales in 2025?
| Black Friday | 40% |
| Boxing Day | 29% |
| Amazon Prime Day | 18% |
| Cyber Monday | 17% |
| Afterpay Day | 9% |
| Click Frenzy | 8% |
| Singles' Day | 3% |
| Vogue Online Shopping night | 2% |
| None of the above | 45% |
| Source: Finder survey of 1,011 respondents, October 2025 |  |
What do you plan to buy during the Black Friday sales this year?
| Clothes/shoes | 68% |
| Electronics/gadgets | 44% |
| Beauty/makeup/skincare | 35% |
| Food/alcohol | 25% |
| Accessories (e.g. handbag, jewellery, hair clips, etc) | 30% |
| Toys | 26% |
| Manchester/homewares | 19% |
| Furniture | 15% |
| Travel | 14% |
| Whitegoods | 10% |
| Other | 4% |
| Source: Finder survey of 404 people who plan to shop on Black Friday, October 2025 | |
Sources
Methodology
- Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a monthly recurring nationally representative survey of more than 60,000 respondents.
- Figures in this release are based on 1,011 respondents from October 2025.
- The Consumer Sentiment Tracker is owned by Finder and operated by Qualtrics.
- The survey has been running monthly since May 2019.
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