Price-Conscious Aussies Spend up on Record Black Friday

Electronic gadgets, home entertainment, and holiday bookings have helped drive booming Black Friday sales, putting shoppers on track to spend a record amount despite cost-of-living pressures.
Australian consumers were on target to splurge $6.7 billion (US$4.4 billion) at this year’s Black Friday to Cyber Monday sales, up 5.5 percent from 2023, the Australian Retail Association said.
The bumper figure is being largely attributed to cash-strapped consumers seeking discounted holiday-season gifts as many household budgets feel the pressure from high interest rates and inflation.
Association chief industry affairs officer Fleur Brown said crowds were big in stores for most segments, with actual trade expected to hit the industry group’s multibillion-dollar forecast….