Two in three Aussies hold spending ahead of BFCM festival

Celene Ignacio

1st Nov 2023

Two in three or 65 per cent of Australian shoppers delay purchases before Black Friday and Cyber Monday as they anticipate bigger discounts during the sales, according to research by parcel delivery service provider CouriersPlease.

CouriersPlease surveyed 1005 shoppers and found that 30 per cent of them opt to wait until two weeks before Black Friday to purchase non-essential items, while 17 per cent prefer to defer purchase for a full month.

Ten per cent of the participants said they postpone shopping for two months and five per cent for three months. Three per cent said they delay purchasing for six months.

Meanwhile, 61 per cent responded they hold off buying fashion items, while 51 per cent delay purchasing personal electronics. 

A significant number of shoppers would also postpone household appliances, personal care items, furniture, books, movies, music, games, and holiday purchases hoping to get better deals during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

“Our findings show there may be a temporary dip in sales for retailers in the weeks leading up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday,” said Richard Thame, CEO at CouriersPlease.

“Consumers are withholding spending on non-essential items in anticipation of discounts. To counteract this, retailers might want to consider introducing Black Friday-type deals earlier in the year or invest in a big sale event that becomes synonymous with their brand.”