Australian retail sales increased by 7 per cent in November 2025, as shoppers started peak-season spending earlier, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Total retail turnover reached $39.1 billion, increasing by $2.5 billion from November 2024. Rises were spread across a broad range of categories.
Western Australia recorded the highest growth at 8.9 per cent, followed by Queensland and New South Wales. Australian Retail Association CEO Chris Rodwell noted that the November statistics demonstrate a shift in peak-season shopping patterns.
“November has become a critical peak trading month in its own right,” he said.
“We’re seeing strong demand across discretionary and essential categories well before mid-December – year after year, this trend is becoming more entrenched.”
Recent ARA research suggested that Australians are starting Christmas shopping earlier, with nearly one in three purchasing gifts sooner than in 2024. Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become key components of the holiday season.
“Black Friday and early-season promotions are now firmly embedded in the shopping cycle,” Rodwell said.
“What used to be a once-off mid-December rush is now a sustained, earlier, deal-sensitive shopping season.”
Rodwell suggested that this change indicates that shoppers are seeking value and spreading discretionary purchases over a longer period during sales promotions and discounting events.
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