Don’t freak out on Black Friday

The pre-Christmas sales have begun. Here’s what you need to know to shop safely while you seek out a bargain.

22 November 2023
Latest News
Read Time: 5 mins

Send it soon to arrive on time

Australia Post delivered 100 million parcels in November and December last year, so if you plan to use the mail to send presents, it’s best to do it as early as possible.

The Auspost website has a list of cut-off dates to ensure on-time delivery for Christmas.

If you are buying online, you can opt to have gifts delivered directly to the intended recipient. If you are using a courier service, check its website for deadlines and tracking options.

Australians may have been a little late to the party when it comes to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, but we’ve embraced them wholeheartedly.

Along with Click Frenzy in early November and various other events, such as Amazon’s regular Prime Days, these events have become fixtures on savvy shoppers’ schedules.

The events began in America, where Black Friday has been the public holiday shopping opportunity associated with Thanksgiving since the 1950s. Cyber Monday was added once online retailers became more prominent.

The timing of these events is ideal for people looking to get their Christmas shopping out of the way early and relatively effortlessly.

This year, Black Friday is on 29 November, with Cyber Monday on 2 December – although many of the sales will begin earlier and extend later.

We certainly know that it will be a busy time of year for retailers – the Australian Retailers’ Association expects sales totalling $6.7 billion over the four days – as well as Australia Post and other delivery services.

Couriers Please, a service that delivers about 30 million parcels a year for the likes of Myer, Kmart and Big W, is expecting high volumes in the coming weeks.

CEO Richard Thame said, “Shoppers who make their purchases early in the sales, especially with high-demand items, are likely to avoid disappointment.

“Many retailers will offer deals leading up to the main sales dates, so take advantage of early access offers to ensure timely delivery.”

According to Mr Thame, New South Wales shoppers will account for 37% of deliveries this year, followed by Victorians (29%) and Queenslanders (20%)

If you are interested in knowing the suburbs around Australia that have the most deliveries, you can check the numbers out here.

Of course, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement generated by retailers, whether you are shopping in person or online, but it’s important to keep a cool head to ensure you get a genuine bargain.

Here are some tips:

While most retailers operate honestly, it’s worth double checking that the sale price you are paying really is a bargain.

Don’t get carried away with the sense of urgency often associated with big sales. As always, ask yourself: do I really need to buy this, and can I afford it?

Not all online retailers are legitimate. Unless it’s a name you know and trust, it may pay to do some research into the company that’s offering that too-good-to-be-true bargain. Ask around or search online for user reviews on the company in question. If you remain unsure, it’s best to avoid them.