Australians are buying Christmas presents early this year, with “many shoppers choosing to tick off their Christmas lists by the end of this month”, according to the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Fleur Brown.
“We are predicting a $69.7 billion boost in the lead up to Christmas, with $6.7 billion spent over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday period alone.”
She said the peak trading period over Black Friday, Cyber Monday and pre-Christmas allowed many “discretionary retailers the chance to make up to two thirds of their annual profits”.
“While customers are being savvy with their dollars in certain areas, they also are showing increased spending across food and discretionary categories which includes sporting and recreational goods.”
The ARA and American Express Small Retail Index shows 44 per cent of small retailers were forecasting sales “to be slightly up or significantly up on last year’s figures”.
Nearly a third (31 per cent) expected sales to be flat compared to last year.
Around one-in-four (26 per cent) Australian small retailers say they will take part in Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
The introduction of new products and services would be a “primary focus” for 35 per cent of small retailers.
A majority (57 per cent) were expecting more customers to prioritise sales and discounts this festive season, with 28 per cent saying they will be offering more promotions to meet this rising demand, per the ARA survey.
Almost three quarters (73 per cent) of small retailers “are trying something new this year to entice customers, with only 27 per cent following the same approach as in previous years”.
Around one-in-four (26 per cent) small retailers said they would take part in Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
As for trading conditions in 2025, the ARA said 41 per cent of small retailers “feel somewhat (34 per cent) or very (7 per cent) optimistic … 31 per cent say they feel neutral”. That left around three in 10 (28 per cent) who felt neither optimistic or neutral.
