1 November 2026 · Issue 154
Black Friday Starts Early
It is the first of November, and Black Friday is still almost four weeks away. Yet the sale emails have already started, and some retailers are calling their discounts “early access”. Before you buy anything this weekend, it pays to know what a genuine discount looks like, and what the consumer watchdog has already caught retailers doing.
Today’s brief leads on the early start to the Black Friday sales and how to check a was price, then covers online fashion brands opening real shops, the rescue of footwear chain Betts, and Tuesday’s Reserve Bank decision. The retailer offers later in this issue are a separate, freshly verified selection from a disclosed partial scan.
Black Friday has started early, so check the was price
Finder’s Mariam Gabaji reported on 30 October that Black Friday falls on Friday 27 November this year, with Cyber Monday on Monday 30 November, but that early deals are already appearing, including offers from Lenovo, LG, Myer and JB Hi Fi. Finder said its research shows Australians spend an average of $531 on Black Friday alone, contributing to an estimated $4.5 billion in national spending.
Retailers are leaning on these events because shoppers are waiting for them. JB Hi Fi told the ASX on 29 October that customers remained focused on value and were “increasingly shopping during promotional events”, and that its sales had slowed in October ahead of the Black Friday and Christmas trading periods.
That makes the fine print matter. The ACCC said in April that around half of the 50 retailers it reviewed in its 2025 Black Friday sweep made concerning claims. It listed countdown timers that did not match the true end of a sale, “sitewide” claims with less prominent exclusions, “up to” discounts that applied to very few products, and misleading was and now or strikethrough prices. “Fine print disclaimers and exclusions buried in terms and conditions disguise the true extent of sales,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.
The regulator has followed through. On 29 September the ACCC announced that furniture retailer James Lane paid a $19,800 penalty after it allegedly advertised its Black Friday sale as ending on 3 December 2025, while the discounted prices continued for another week, and that play equipment retailer Vuly paid penalties totalling $39,600 over countdown timers that reset to a new end date while the same or higher discount continued. “Businesses must ensure any sale end dates, countdown timers or limited time discount claims are genuine,” Ms Lowe said. Paying an infringement notice is not an admission of a breach.
For shoppers, the practical steps are simple. Write down or screenshot the price of anything you plan to buy now, so you can tell in late November whether the Black Friday price is really lower. Treat a countdown timer as marketing, not a deadline. Read “up to” as the best case, and check that the item you want is not excluded from a sitewide offer. The ACCC itself suggests checking prices before sales events so you can judge whether a discount is genuine.
Online fashion brands open real shops
ABC News reported on 31 October (no byline shown) that brands built online are moving into bricks and mortar even as legacy fashion chains collapse. Princess Polly, which opened at Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast in July, has opened in Brisbane this weekend, and chief merchandise officer Courtney Dres said customers had told the company they wanted physical stores. QUT retail expert Gary Mortimer said “speed is now becoming the currency of retailers”, while CreditorWatch chief executive Patrick Coghlan said conditions in fashion retail were likely to get tougher before they improve.
For shoppers, a store means you can try on before you buy and skip the return post. Check whether the online price, sale offers and returns policy are the same in store before you assume they match.
Betts rescued, six stores to close
Inside Retail’s Harry Booth reported on 30 October that footwear retailer Betts has emerged from voluntary administration through a $13.3 million rescue deal led by the founding family, under a deed of company arrangement secured by administrators Pitcher Partners. Three stores in New South Wales, two in Western Australia and one in Victoria will close. Chief executive Michael Breckler said some stores saw sales triple during the four months of administration. If your nearest Betts store is one of those closing, check before you travel, and use any gift card or credit note sooner rather than later.
Rate decision on Tuesday
The Reserve Bank’s calendar shows its Monetary Policy Board meets on 2 and 3 November, with the decision due at 2.30pm Sydney time on Tuesday 3 November (1.30pm in Queensland). AAP reported (no byline shown) that markets are bracing for a fifth rate rise this year, and that a further 25 basis point increase would take the cash rate to 4.85 per cent, its highest level since 2008. If you have a variable rate loan, work out what that would add to your repayments before you plan your Black Friday and Christmas spending.
Today’s shopping note
Use this Sunday to make a short list of the things you genuinely need before Christmas, and note today’s price beside each one. That list is your best protection against a countdown timer. Read “up to” as a range claim, and confirm size, stock, delivery cost and exclusions before paying.
Our scan records unsuccessful checks as well as successful ones. A retailer page being retrieved is not enough to establish that every offer, item or delivery condition has been verified.
Primary reporting sources: ACCC media releases, 14 April 2026 and 29 September 2026 (Catriona Lowe quoted); JB Hi Fi FY27 Sales Update to the ASX, 29 October 2026; Finder, Mariam Gabaji, 30 October 2026; ABC News, 31 October 2026 (no byline shown; Courtney Dres, Gary Mortimer and Patrick Coghlan quoted); Inside Retail, Harry Booth, 30 October 2026 (Michael Breckler quoted); Reserve Bank of Australia calendar; AAP, 29 October 2026 (no byline shown). Shopper advice and synthesis by Neil Fairhead for It’s On Sale. Hero photo: MDRX, Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, Gold Coast).
Top 5 Deals of the Day
Five stores. Five categories. The strongest discounts we verified on in stock items from our latest retailer scan, with every price, was price and stock level rechecked this morning, 1 November.
We attempted all 179 retailer sale URLs in our 31 October scan pool and retrieved usable sale content from 140. The remaining pages could not be verified after fallback checks and are excluded. This is a disclosed partial scan, not a complete audit of every Australian retailer. Retrieval does not mean an offer was fully verified: this ranking includes only eligible stores where we confirmed a ticketed sale price against a was price on an item listed as available when checked. Generic sale descriptions, unresolved price evidence and same category duplicates are excluded. Each percentage is the verified example shown, not a discount on every item in store. Offers and stock can change.
Discount
Eclectic HouseFashionSale across its brand range. The Scotch & Soda Bell organic mercerised cotton slim fit chino in Desert is $21.25 from $199.95 (about 89% off), listed as available in sizes 27/32 and 30/32 when checked. Check the size guide before ordering.89%OFF2
M.J. BaleMenswearMenswear sale. The Edgar Shirt in Blue is $29 from $129.95 (about 78% off) in size 48 only, and the Alcard Shirt in Navy is also $29, from $110, in sizes 38, 39 and 42 when checked.78%OFF3
99 BikesCyclingOn sale range. The 100% Ridecamp Youth Long Sleeve MTB Jersey in Navy and Slate is $14 from $49.95 (about 72% off), listed as available in youth sizes small to extra large.72%OFF4
Oliver ThomasKids & BabyChildren’s boutique sale. The OYOY Happy Circus Single Bedding Set is $50 from $179 (about 72% off), listed as available when checked. Check the quilt and pillow sizes against your child’s bed.72%OFF5
Eckersley’sArt & CraftArt supplies sale. The STAEDTLER FIMO Leather Tool Box kit is $17.95 from $44.95 (about 60% off), listed as available. A handy start on handmade Christmas gifts.60%OFF% discounts shown are for the verified example in each card. Individual product savings vary.
One More Category Worth a Look
JB Hi Fi: if a cordless vacuum is on your list, the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute is $749 from $1,249 (about 40% off) in this week’s hottest deals, listed as available when checked this morning. Note today’s price and compare it again on Black Friday before you decide.