Black Friday sales hit record AUD $6.8 billion amid online buzz

Australian shoppers are forecast to spend a record AUD $6.8 billion over the Black Friday to Cyber Monday period, according to figures from the Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan. This marks a 4% increase on the previous year, reflecting rising consumer activity during one of the busiest times on the retail calendar.

Black Friday focus

New analysis of online engagement shows Black Friday continues to outpace Cyber Monday in Australia in both conversation and consumer interactions. Black Friday recorded more than 16,600 mentions, accounting for 92% of overall retail discussion, while Cyber Monday saw just over 1,000 mentions. Engagement figures for Black Friday reached 206,000, with a total online reach of 51 million.

The most visible social content stemmed from Disney Australia's promotion of a 15% discount on live show tickets, reaching more than 57 million users. Influencer content from @twobrokechicks resonated with younger consumers, generating over 17,800 online engagements by focusing on relatable deal content.

Sentiment split

Consumer sentiment was sharply divided during the sales period. While almost 168 million mentions expressed excitement and positive anticipation about retailer deals, more than twice that volume-411 million mentions-expressed frustration and distrust concerning perceived price manipulation and misleading sales tactics. Major retailers cited in negative sentiment included Amazon and Samsung.

Brand performance

Amazon led in brand visibility for Black Friday, capturing 37% of Black Friday brand mentions with a reach of 1.53 million and around 9,590 engagements. The company dominated several categories, including fashion, travel, and health and fitness, averaging a third of brand share in each across both Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales periods.

An unusual promotional campaign from Amazon involving a limited-edition product-the 'Hot Chriss Pud', developed in collaboration with former MasterChef contestant Declan Cleary-garnered notable attention. Amazon's Facebook post promoting the product received 117,000 views and 465,000 video plays, sparking conversations beyond Amazon's typical product focus.

The Iconic stood out in the fashion sector, accounting for 18% of Black Friday conversations and achieving a media reach of 1.3 million through coverage in major Australian publications.

Harvey Norman did not rank among the top brands by mention or reach but did register significant engagement, with more than 4,050 interactions during Black Friday promotions.

On Cyber Monday, Myer recorded the highest reach at 840,000, slightly edging out Amazon, while also placing among the top three brands for online engagement.

Sector trends

Health and fitness, as well as travel, were leading topics in online discussions during both sales events. During Black Friday, health and fitness led with 1,710 references, closely followed by travel at 1,630. Cyber Monday's conversations focused even more on travel, accounting for almost 36% of category-specific mentions, with health and fitness following at nearly 32%.

Cyber Monday content was more frequently driven by news outlets, comprising 64% of mentions, in contrast to Black Friday's more community-focused discussion.

Changing customer journey

"This year's Black Friday surge underscores more than just consumer appetite - it reveals a critical shift in how brand discovery happens. With six in ten Australians now turning to social platforms to research products, it's no longer just about who has the best discount, but what real, relevant content is breaking through - powered by creators that communities trust. At the same time, large language models like ChatGPT are playing an increasingly important role in reshaping the customer journey, now driving over 85% of chatbot-to-website referrals - signalling a shift from SEO to 'Generative Engine Optimisation' (GEO). As we head into 2026, brands must implement deeper intelligence across their strategy - not just to optimise campaign performance, but to strategically adapt to this emerging phase of discovery, where AI and social influence converge to shape how, where and why consumers engage," said Ross Candido, VP ANZ, Meltwater.