A significant portion of Australian online shoppers are planning to do their Christmas shopping during the upcoming sales events, according to a survey conducted by franchised courier service CouriersPlease.

The survey, which included 1007 Australians who shop online, found that 53% of respondents plan to do their Christmas shopping during Click Frenzy, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday this year.

The survey revealed that 35% of online shoppers will do most of their Christmas shopping during Black Friday sales, while 18% will do most of their shopping during Click Frenzy and Cyber Monday. Interestingly, the survey also highlighted a generational divide in shopping habits, with 66% of under-50s planning to shop the sales, compared to 36% of over-50s.

“The proximity of these back-to-back sales events to Christmas, their deep discounts, and their extended durations – with Black Friday lasting up to two weeks – have proven to be a winning formula for retailers,” said CEO of CouriersPlease, Richard Thame. “The sales enable retailers to capture a large share of Christmas spending in November. With consumers likely to have smaller Christmas shopping budgets in December, retailers would be wise to target their Black Friday sales to Christmas gift buyers to successfully compete for a share of wallet.”

Thame also pointed out the logistical benefits of early shopping. He said: “The November sales also give consumers peace of mind when it comes to shipping timeframes. While Click Frenzy and Black Friday create a crowded delivery schedule just like Christmas, these sales give online shoppers a head start, reducing the stress of last-minute deliveries. CouriersPlease reminds shoppers to get their shopping done before local delivery cut-off dates. With Christmas approaching, it’s important to complete online purchases by the recommended dates to ensure deliveries arrive in time for the festive season.”

The survey also found that 21% of respondents said they would hold off until mid-December to do their shopping, while 11% will buy during Click Frenzy and 7% during Cyber Monday. Last year, 40% of respondents did their Christmas shopping at the last minute, in mid-December. The survey also found that 43% of under-50s will shop at the Black Friday sale, compared to 23% of over-50s. Meanwhile, 27% of over-50s won’t shop at all, compared to 9% of under-50s.

These findings come as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to June 2024, indicating a potential impact on consumer spending habits this festive season.