Record-breaking Black Friday and Cyber sales drive parcel surge across Australia

Australians have driven record-breaking online shopping volumes during this year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, with parcel volumes rising 6.3 per cent year on year and delivering the busiest day in Australia Post’s history.

More than 5.8 million parcels were processed in a single day during the four-day sales period, while Australians spent an estimated $1.5 billion online. A total of 3.1 million households shopped online, marking a 9.2 per cent increase compared to last year and making it the most active cyber sales event on record.

Shopping trends revealed some unexpected leaders. Athleisure emerged as the strongest-performing category with 42 per cent growth, followed by books and stationery at 24.7 per cent. Women’s fashion rose by 18 per cent, while department stores recorded 16 per cent growth as consumers continued to support domestic online retailers.

While Black Friday officially began on 28 November, sales momentum built earlier than usual, with retailers launching promotions weeks ahead of schedule. Since November, parcel volumes have continued to climb, signalling that shoppers are becoming increasingly strategic and value-focused in the lead-up to Christmas.

New South Wales accounted for one-third of national eCommerce parcel volumes, while Western Australia recorded the strongest growth at 10.8 per cent year on year. Victoria followed with 6.3 per cent growth, closely trailed by Queensland at 6 per cent.

Gary Starr, Executive General Manager of Parcel, Post and eCommerce Services at Australia Post, says Black Friday and Cyber Monday remain defining moments on the retail calendar despite the earlier start to promotions.

He adds that Australia Post has been investing heavily in network upgrades, electric delivery vehicles, workforce expansion, weekend deliveries, and extended trading hours to prepare for continued demand through Christmas.

The AusPost app also recorded 14.8 million visits during the sales period, with 2.7 million customers using the app, up 28 per cent year on year, underlining the growing importance of real-time parcel tracking.

With Christmas approaching, Australia Post is reminding customers to observe last sending dates to ensure pre-Christmas delivery.