Black Friday 2025: How to get the best deals

Love it or loathe it, Black Friday has arguably become the largest sales event of the year in Australia - even ahead of the traditionally popular Boxing Day sales.

Six million shoppers are expected to spend a combined $6.8 billion this year over a four-day period between Black Friday (November 28) and Cyber Monday (December 1), according to research from the Australian Retailers Association.

The average participant is forecast to spend a whopping $804 on their Black Friday shopping, with women expected to fork out $750 on average compared to $882 for men.

While there's often scepticism about whether Black Friday is a genuine sales event or just a marketing exercise, Sarah Megginson, personal finance expert at Finder, believes the former is true.

"I think these sales represent a real opportunity, if people are strategic. If you're already thinking about Christmas, Black Friday can be a good chance to get that shopping sorted and pay less for it.

"It's also the one event where brands that don't normally go on sale will do some discounts.

"A good example is Apple who are notorious for rarely discounting products. They don't have across-the-board sales during Black Friday, but they do usually pick a few products to discount."

So how can shoppers set themselves up for success during Black Friday and avoid ending up with a budget blowout? Here are ten tips to consider ahead of and during the sales.

Before the sales start: Preparing a game plan

Black Friday may not officially commence for just under three weeks, but a little bit of preparation can pay off, especially when retailers seem to be bringing their sales further forward each year.

1. Work out if you're in or out

Before anything else, Megginson suggests considering whether to engage with Black Friday. After all, with a flood of sale emails likely to hit inboxes, it's worth deciding early, in order to avoid temptation.

"Making that decision allows you to stop making micro decisions. If you're not sure what you're going to do then every time you get an email you're weighing up whether you need to look at it, whether an item would make a good Christmas present or whether it's even something you need."

2. Create a budget

For those who are keen to make the most of the sales, going in with a set budget could be one way to avoid overspending or going into debt.

A maximum spending limit can also help you narrow down the items you really want or need to purchase during Black Friday (and can actually afford to buy).

3. Write up a list

With your spending limit set, it's time to create a list. Megginson says that having a concrete list can not only help people avoid overspending, but ensure they can act quickly if an item goes on sale.

"I think it's important to understand what you want to get. Is it specific Christmas presents for people? Is it things you need yourself, like appliances or hair products or white goods?

"Have a think beforehand, so that as opportunities come up you can make a quick decision."

4. Start tracking prices

Just how good of a deal am I really getting? It's a thought that will have crossed the minds of many a shopper looking at a 'was/now' tag during sales. But it's a hard question to answer without context.

One way to know for certain is to track item prices on your Black Friday hit list as early as possible. That way you can work out just how big the discount really is, and whether it's a deal worth taking up.

5. Sign up for alerts and loyalty programs

It's not uncommon for retailers to launch their Black Friday sales early or to offer exclusive discounts to existing customers, so if you can cope with the deluge of promotional emails, signing up for alerts with your favourite brands can prove useful.

Speaking of signing up, that also applies to any loyalty programs you want to utilise during the sales in order to score extra points or rewards.

During the sales: Shopping smarter

Preparing a Black Friday game plan now could put you in a better position to focus on getting the deals you want and avoid any unnecessary spending. But there are also some things worth considering when the sales really kick off - whether you're shopping online or in store.

1. Beware the dopamine trap

Most shoppers will have experienced the positive sensation that making a purchase can bring - that dopamine rush. Given that, Megginson suggests keeping that knowledge in the back of your head.

"That hit can make you feel really productive when you buy something. It feels like a really positive thing you're doing, but it can easily lead you to overspend.

"There's also a phenomenon where, once you decide to buy something from a store, your brain will convince you to keep adding to your basket to justify going to the register. So really, that goes back to making sure you're clear on what you want to buy and spend."

2. Don't forget points or cashback

As satisfying as it may be to snag that pair of jeans you've been eying off or a new fridge at a sizeable discount, it can arguably be more satisfying to secure a discount plus some extras on top.

Whether that's points with a participating loyalty or frequent flyer scheme, or even additional money through a cashback program, it's always worth if you can score some extra perks before you check out.

3. Double check the shipping details

Once you've got items in your online cart it can be easy to sail through to payment, but it's worth taking a careful look at the shipping details - especially at this time of year.

That's not only to make sure you're comfortable with the shipping costs, but to ensure that any items you're planning to give as Christmas presents will actually arrive on time.

4. Consider leaving your cards at home

For Black Friday bargain hunters planning to do their shopping in store, Megginson suggests that paying with cash over card could be a good way to stick to a budget.

"If you are going to the shops and doing a specific amount of shopping, leave your credit card at home and delete it off Apple Pay or Google Pay. Just take the cash you need, because it will help you avoid spending in those tempting situations."

5. Watch out for scams

Unfortunately, the festive sales period is also a popular time for scammers to target shoppers via fake websites and text messages purporting to be from legitimate retailers.

Advice put out by the National Anti-Scam Centre encourages shoppers to keep their guard up, treat offers that seem too good to be true with caution and report any suspicious websites or text messages through Scamwatch.

Get stories like this in our newsletters.