Seven sleeps from 30 June and the mood of the Australian shopper is the deal story of the week. The Westpac, Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index fell to 80.6 for June, down 2.9 per cent on May, with senior economist Matthew Hassan reporting that “cost-of-living issues came back with a vengeance”. Retail crime climbed past 800,000 reported incidents nationally over the past year, on ARA numbers, with one in six involving threats or violence. And the casualty list of Australian retailers lengthened again with Glue Store joining Lincraft (online only) and Barbecues Galore (liquidation) in the distress column. Three stories that change how you should be shopping this final EOFY week, plus five fresh Australian sales we have not featured before.
Consumer Sentiment Drops To 80.6: Why Shoppers Are Hunting Discounts Harder Than Ever
The Westpac, Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index landed at 80.6 for June 2026, down 2.9 per cent from 83.0 in May, leaving the national mood deep in pessimistic territory (any reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists). Matthew Hassan, Westpac senior economist, called the reading bluntly when the data dropped on 12 June: “Cost-of-living issues came back with a vengeance in June.” Households assessed both their current finances and their 12-month outlook sharply lower, with the “family finances vs a year ago” subindex among the weakest readings.
The ANZ, Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence weekly read, published mid-June, sits virtually unchanged at a similarly low level, confirming the sentiment slip is sustained rather than a one-month wobble. For shoppers the meaning is direct. The 2026 EOFY discount audience is the largest of the cycle, and households are not splurging, they are auditing. Every dollar saved at a markdown gets weighed against the next mortgage repayment, the next grocery shop and the rising premium on car or home insurance. The retailers selling well this week are the ones doing the maths for the shopper on the price tag: original price, sale price, real percentage off, deadline. The retailers struggling are the ones still asking shoppers to do that work themselves.
Retail Crime Hits 800,000 Incidents: The Quiet Reason More EOFY Shopping Moves Online
The Australian Retailers Association reported roughly 800,000 retail crime incidents nationally in the past year, with around 16 per cent involving threats or violence, according to Cec Busby reporting for Business Builders on 19 June. Victoria recorded 82,152 incidents alone, up nearly 28 per cent year-on-year. Within that, threatening behaviour rose 52 per cent and weapon-related crime jumped 66 per cent. ARA chief executive Chris Rodwell put the human cost plainly: “We cannot accept that an 18-year-old shop assistant or a parent with kids in tow should have to navigate threats, weapons or violence just to get through a shift or pick up their groceries.”
Jeanette Fenske, Woolworths director of stores, added that recent in-store interventions “have not stopped the escalation of violence.” Daniel Agostinelli, chief executive of Accent Group (parent of The Athletes Foot, Platypus, Hype DC and Stylerunner) pointed at the structural answer: “At the end of the day, we sell shoes. We are not qualified in this space. The landlords and the authorities need to do more with security overall.” For the shopper there is a practical read here that goes beyond the headline. Online channels are where the deepest, most consistently audited EOFY discounts already live this final week. The store team are safer when the shop is quieter, the shopper saves the trip and the parking, and the warranty cover from an Australian-owned retailer is identical online or in store. The case for shopping local online has rarely been stronger.
Glue Store Joins Lincraft And Barbecues Galore On The Distress List
The casualty count among Australian retail brands grew again this week, with ABC News The Business reporting on 17 June that Glue Store is closing, joining Lincraft (which transitioned to online-only in recent weeks) and Barbecues Galore (in liquidation). Roger Montgomery, founder of Montgomery Investment Manager, told the program that the pressure on legacy retail brands is widening, not narrowing, as cost-of-living strain compounds with rent escalation and rising insurance premiums. The brands holding up are the ones with tight inventory turn, low fixed costs and a clear online proposition.
For shoppers, distressed-stock clearances are real bargains. A Glue Store closure sale will produce genuine 60 to 80 per cent markdowns on streetwear and contemporary fashion that was at full price six weeks ago. Two cautions before you buy. First, check the warranty pathway: if the brand is in administration, returns and warranty claims may route through the administrator rather than the store, with longer timelines. Second, check the size and stock depth before driving to a physical store, because closure inventory shifts daily. The safest closure-sale shop is the online one with a clear stocked-in-Australia statement, an ABN-backed Australian-owned trading name and a published returns policy that survives the administration.
Five Fresh Australian Stores, Never Featured Here Before
Five stores. Five categories. The deepest headline discounts surfaced from a sweep of every retailer on It’s On Sale, audited at dawn.
Discount
LightspotLightingUp to 87% off Lightspot’s clearance: pendant lights, table and floor lamps, outdoor lighting, ceiling fans and smart bulbs from the Australian-owned lighting specialist headquartered in Melbourne, with showroom pickup and Australia-wide shipping on every order.87%OFF2
Spendless ShoesShoesUp to 85% off Spendless Shoes’ women’s sale: heels, flats, boots, sneakers, sandals, work shoes and school shoes from the Australian family-owned retailer that has been on the high street since 1988, with over 200 stores nationwide and free click-and-collect.85%OFF3
MossmanWomen's WearUp to 83% off Mossman’s sale: dresses, separates, knitwear, denim, tailoring and outerwear from the Australian-owned women’s fashion label with stores across the eastern seaboard, free shipping on orders over $150 and a 30-day returns policy.83%OFF4
AlfaberryBaby SuppliesUp to 81% off Alfaberry’s clearance: baby clothing, sleepsuits, dresses, accessories and gift sets for newborns and toddlers from the Sydney-based Australian-owned baby supplies retailer, with same-day dispatch on orders placed before 2pm AEST and free shipping over $100.81%OFF5
BardotFashionUp to 79% off Bardot’s sale: dresses, tops, denim, knitwear, outerwear, accessories and occasion wear from the Australian-owned contemporary women’s brand, with free shipping on orders over $80 and a generous 30-day returns window for full-price and sale items.79%OFF% discounts shown are indicative across each store’s sale range. Individual product savings vary.
Our Take
Three stories, one shopper trade. The mood of the country is the most cautious it has been all cycle, the safest place to shop is the audited Australian online aisle, and the retailers in distress are the ones moving stock the deepest. The seven days between today and 30 June are the only window this calendar year where households can move real dollars by buying well. After 30 June the EOFY clearance lines retreat to RRP or close to it, and the next genuine markdown window does not open until October.
This is exactly the week It’s On Sale was built for. We track 35,000 Australian stores and 45,000 live sale products, every retailer Australian-owned and locally fulfilled, every promotion audited daily. Today’s Sales shows every store currently running a discount in one place, and our AI search reads the way real shoppers ask (try “winter coat under 200” or “kids sneakers under 60”). You will never find Temu, Shein, AliExpress or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand here. The 30 June clock is now 7 sleeps away. Browse Today’s Sales before the bargain window closes.