Black Friday 2025 Unpacked: What Drove Australia’s Retail Wins 

The Meltwater Retail Insights Report explores how creators, AI and cross-platform consumer behaviour shaped the Black Friday 2025 buzz.

Drawing on real-time analysis of Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Singles Day conversations across social media, news, creators, forums and AI platforms, the report reveals the forces behind Australia’s $6.8 billion spending surge. With insights surfaced through Meltwater’s dashboards and GenAI Lens, the report shows what retail, marketing and eCommerce teams need to know to stay ahead.

Key Insights 

• Creators and UGC outperformed brands, with @twobrokechicks driving over 20% of all #blackfriday conversation, demonstrating how authentic, community-driven content now shapes shopper decisions more than traditional advertising.
• AI as a central shopping tool: Australians are using platforms like ChatGPT to compare prices, find deals and research products. Insights detected through Meltwater’s GenAI Lens highlight a major shift in how discovery and evaluation now take place.
• Amazon dominated cross-category visibility, setting expectations around value, speed and convenience while benefiting from strong amplification through creators and affiliates.
• Viral cultural moments shaped shopper interest, with MiraAI identifying emerging trends and attention spikes as they spread across platforms.
• Black Friday conquered, with Cyber Monday acting as an extension rather than a standalone event, while Singles Day remained niche, driven primarily by beauty and Gen Z spaces.
• Health and Fitness and Travel were the strongest category drivers, offering retailers a clear signal for Christmas, Boxing Day and 2026 planning.

Access the full report to uncover the creators, platforms, products and behaviours that defined Australia’s Black Friday 2025 and see what will drive impact in 2026.