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.
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.
Black Friday has nabbed the top sales spot with 2 in 5 (40%) Aussies planning to shop – up from 29% in 2024.
That’s 8.6 million Aussies shopping Black Friday alone.
Boxing Day, once the biggest deal day, is now a distant second with 29% planning to splurge.
Aussies dabbled in the Amazon Prime Day (18%) and Afterpay Day (9%) sales, and 17% have plans to shop Cyber Monday.
Shoppers are expected to spend $531 each on average on Black Friday alone – equivalent to $4.5 billion nationally.
Sarah Megginson, personal finance expert Finder, said the annual holiday rush is upon us, signalling the start of the Black Friday sales frenzy.
“With household budgets stretched thin by rising costs, maximising savings has become a top priority.
“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.”
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.
Shoppers also have their eyes set on beauty, skincare, and makeup (35%), as well as accessories (30%), food and alcohol (25%), and toys (26%).
Megginson said the lure of a discount is powerful, but it’s a classic spending trap.
“The first step in smart shopping is setting a firm spending limit so you know exactly how much you can afford to spend.
“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.
“Before you checkout – in-store or at home – give the product a quick search to make sure you are getting the best deal.
“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.
“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.”
Did you shop OR do you plan to shop during the following sales in 2025?
Black Friday40%Boxing Day29%Amazon Prime Day18%Cyber Monday17%Afterpay Day9%Click Frenzy8%Singles’ Day3%Vogue Online Shopping night2%None of the above45%Source: Finder survey of 1,011 respondents, October 2025
What do you plan to buy during the Black Friday sales this year?
Clothes/shoes68%Electronics/gadgets44%Beauty/makeup/skincare35%Food/alcohol25%Accessories (e.g. handbag, jewellery, hair clips, etc)30%Toys26%Manchester/homewares19%Furniture15%Travel14%Whitegoods10%Other4%Source: Finder survey of 404 people who plan to shop on Black Friday, October 2025
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.
