Watch out for these dodgy Black Friday sale tactics
Shoppers looking for bargains during Black Friday sales have been warned about common misleading tactics. This year’s retail event is expected to set new records in Australia, with Western Australia forecast to see the biggest spending surge.
The four-day shopping spree runs from Friday, November 28, to Cyber Monday, December 1. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has highlighted several traps consumers should watch out for.
Common Black Friday Traps
- False sense of urgency created by phrases like “three days only” and countdown timers that don’t match the actual sale duration.
- Claims of store-wide or site-wide sales that actually exclude certain products.
- Small print or disclaimers that limit the headline sale offers, such as member-only deals or product exclusions.
- Advertisements stating “up to X per cent off” where the “up to” text is not clearly visible, or where only a few products are discounted to the advertised level.
ACCC’s Focus
The ACCC is conducting a “sweep” to identify misleading or deceptive advertising. Their efforts will target ads that exaggerate discounts or obscure important details.
“The watchdog will even be trawling for ads proclaiming ‘up to X per cent off’ where the ‘up to’ text is not prominently displayed, or where few products are indeed discounted to the stated extent.”
Record Shopping Bonanza
The Australian Retail Association predicts a record-breaking shopping weekend, with sales expected to reach $6.8 billion—four per cent higher than last year.
“It comes as the Australian Retail Association tips a record shopping bonanza over the year’s biggest sales weekend of $6.8 billion, up four per cent on last year.”
Author’s summary: Black Friday shoppers in Australia should be alert for misleading sale tactics, as authorities crack down on deceptive advertising during this year’s record-breaking shopping event.