Australians are increasingly turning their attention and wallets towards Black Friday and Cyber Monday, according to Power Retail's latest Trajectory Report.

The study, which draws from over 10 million online sessions per month and monthly survey data from a minimum of 1,000 respondents, reveals that 74% of Australians are saving for Black Friday sales, a significant 16% increase from last year. According to the research, Cyber Monday is also on the radar, with 47% of shoppers setting aside funds for the event.

The report highlights a shift in consumer behaviour, with interest in traditional Boxing Day sales declining by 10% this year. Instead, the report claims shoppers are focusing on online sales events, with 77% of customers expressing a preference for online-only over in-person sales events, a slight 2% increase from last year.

"For the first time this year, the intent to increase spending (29%) is higher than the intent to decrease spending (19%)," the report states. The report suggests this change in spending behaviour is driven by two key factors: saving for Christmas (40%) and shopping for gifts (64%).

Power Retail claims the top product categories for the sales season are expected to be fashion (71%), electronics (69%), and house & garden (47%). These categories align with the favourite product categories for online sales events, indicating a consistency in consumer preferences.

However, it's not just about the products. According to the report, free delivery is the top feature shoppers are looking for from the sale season, with 61% of shoppers prioritising it. Power Retail suggests the average minimum discount that would persuade shoppers to buy from online sales events is $32.

As reported by Power Retail, despite the growing interest in online sales events, e-commerce sales in September 2023 struggled to see growth. Revenue was down $0.03B from the previous month and $0.07B from last year. The Average Conversion Rate also decreased, dropping 0.3% from last year and 0.06% from the previous month.

Online traffic, however, rose 7% from last year, a 1% rise in year-on-year numbers compared to August 2023.