What Black Friday shopping habits reveal about retail’s future

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The Black Friday sales have given Australia’s retail industry a much needed boost, with trade up some 80 per cent compared to last year.

While Australians have in the past shunned American traditions, this one – held the day after Thanksgiving in the US – appears to have been welcomed by consumers and retailers alike.

Australia Post smashed its postal records – shipping some 3.1 million parcels on the following Monday, the most in a single day in its 210-year history.

Data from global e-commerce company Shopify shows Australia was the fourth biggest participant in the sales, after the US, Canada and the UK.

Australians shopped mostly for health and beauty items, as well as DIY and home and garden goods – these categories experienced a 72 per cent increase in sales, compared to 2019.