That’s according to e-commerce platform Shopify, which forecasts average Australian spending of $346 during the promotional period. This represents a 6.8 per cent increase from $324 in 2025, outpacing the latest annual inflation rate of 4 per cent. Meanwhile, global spending is expected to decline by 3.1 per cent.
A July survey found that 85 per cent of its 2,000 Australian respondents – among 18,000 adults surveyed across nine countries – preferred to wait for the right product rather than choose the most readily available option. James Johnson, head of Shopify Australia and New Zealand, told The Australian that consumers are increasingly discerning and are using AI tools to find suitable products.
“Australians are still willing to spend this holiday season, but they’re putting more work into deciding what’s worth their money,” Johnson said.
“They’re researching, weighing up more options and increasingly using AI to help them find products that fit what they’re looking for.”
The shift toward earlier holiday shopping has made November a more significant retail period in Australia, moving peak-season spending from December. Retail sales, for example, increased 7 per cent year on year in November 2025, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Separate research found that nearly one in three Australians began Christmas shopping earlier in 2025 than in 2024. Earlier promotions allow retailers more time to attract shoppers before the festival.
The survey also found that 54 per cent of Australian respondents said economic conditions had negatively affected their holiday shopping plans. This was prior to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s September interest rate increase.
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