By Shannon Ingrey, VP and GM APAC at BigCommerce
As Black Friday and Cyber Monday loom, the stakes for Australian retailers have never been higher. Last year, Aussies spent nearly $7 billion across the four‑day stretch, cementing it as one of the most lucrative retail periods on the calendar.
Meanwhile, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported 0.8% growth in retail turnover in November 2024, signaling the tangible boost retailers experienced from the promotions and heightened consumer awareness surrounding the event.
Opportunity is knocking for brands, but only if your product feeds are battle‑ready. Get them wrong, and all that traffic, click frenzy, and consumer intent could vanish into a competitor’s cart. So how can brands make sure their feeds don’t crack under pressure?
Here are five ways to make them bulletproof before Black Friday kicks off:
Titles and descriptions make or break you
Think of your product title like a neon sign in the CBD. If it’s dull, unclear or incomplete, shoppers will walk right past. Every channel has its quirks, but clean titles, rich descriptions and accurate specs are the basics. Smart brands add seasonal hooks like ‘Black Friday’ or ‘Cyber Monday’ to ensure their products surface in the right searches when consumers are moving at pace.
Downtime is the ultimate deal-breaker
A broken feed on Black Friday is like locking your shop doors when there’s a queue snaking round the block. Keep feeds clean, connected, and refreshing in real time. The savviest operators are using supplemental attributes like dynamic titles, event-specific landing pages, and personalised product suggestions to stay sharp at the crucial moments.
Label smart, bid smarter
Not all products are created equal. Use custom labels to flag your ‘Black Friday heroes’. These are your products with high-margin deals, fast movers and limited bundles. And remember to structure campaigns so the budget flows to where returns are highest. That way, your stars get the spotlight, and you don’t waste cash on slow burners.
Blend online and offline to win on convenience
Shoppers expect immediacy. According to BigCommerce’s 2025 ANZ Online Shopping Report, 59% of Aussies are willing to fork out $20 for same-day service. So if you’ve got a physical presence, turn it into an advantage. Promote click-and-collect, same-day delivery, or local inventory ads to cut through. For customers, the pitch is simple: get what you want, where and how you want it – and fast.
Fresh feeds win the clicks
Data synchronisation across all your channels is essential to maintaining accuracy in pricing and inventory, as well as consistency in branding. Out-of-date or mismatched data can lead to customer confusion, especially when it comes to descriptions or product attributes that drive decisions. Feed management solutions like Feedonomics help keep your feeds current through frequent or real-time sync capabilities to keep listings consistent no matter where they are or how often they change.
Finally, keep in mind that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the ultimate stress test for your data, operations, and brand experience. Clean and optimised product feeds are the backbone of performance across every channel.
In a market shaped by inflationary pressures, picky consumers and fierce competition, a messy feed can kill momentum when it matters most. Get it right, though, and you won’t just win big in November. You’ll build loyalty, gain repeat customers, and generate a sales run that extends well into the new year.