Australians are being warned to watch out for dodgy sales tactics and false advertising as the Black Friday sales continue.
The ACCC has already put retailers on notice for misleading or deceptive sales advertising urged consumers to watch out for shopping scams.
Here a consumer law expert breaks down how to spot misleading deals and what to do if you think you've been misled by false advertising during the Black Friday sales.
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Are Black Friday deals really worth it?
They can be if you shop smart, according to University of Melbourne law professor Jeannie Marie Paterson.
That means watching out for manipulative advertising tactics like countdowns and timers designed to pressure consumers into overspending.
"Retailers and marketers want people to buy more than they need," Paterson told 9news.com.au.
"People who run marketing campaigns have studied psychology [and] we need to realise that they know more about us than we know about ourselves, so just beware."
How do retailers create fake or misleading discounts?
The ACCC has warned retailers it is on high alert for misleading advertising tactics during the Black Friday sales period, including:
- advertising a sale as 'up to X per cent off' but the 'up to' text is not prominently displayed, or few products are on sale at the advertised rate
- using misleading time representations (e.g. saying sale is for 'X days only', using a countdown timer) that don't reflect the true duration of the sale
- claiming a sale is store-wide or site-wide when some products are excluded
- using fine print or disclaimers to limit headline claims about a sale (e.g. members-only deals)
- using misleading pricing representations that inflate the pre-sale price of a product
Paterson said many of these tactics boil down to creating a misleading sense of pressure for consumers to buy and warned Aussie shoppers to avoid such deals.
Companies caught breaking the rules can face investigations and fines.
Michael Hill, My House and Hairhouse online paid penalties earlier this year for allegedly making false and misleading representations about their Black Friday sales in 2024.
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What can I do if I've been misled by false advertising?
Businesses that mislead consumers through false advertising or claims can be subject to fines and other penalties in Australia.
To protect yourself from potentially false or misleading advertising, Paterson recommends taking screenshots of online advertisements, product listings, and shopping carts.
It takes just a few seconds and can provide crucial evidence if you don't get what was promised.
If you think you've been a victim of false advertising, you can report it to the ACCC.
Is it legal for stores to inflate prices before a sale?
No, but that doesn't stop it from happening.
Some retailers increase the price of a product before discounting it, resulting in a sale price that seems better than it really is.
This is misleading and illegal, but it's hard for consumers to spot unless they were tracking the product's price before it went on sale.
Some use online archives like The Wayback Machine to check a product's price history before buying, but it doesn't always work.
It's better to plan ahead if you want to avoid being duped.
"Go and do some research on the products you might be interested in first," Paterson said.
"Then when sales times comes, you can shop from an informed position that you're getting the discount you actually think you are."
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What are the most common Black Friday scams to look out for?
Aussies have lost millions to shopping scams already this year and they're currently the most reported scam type involving financial loss in 2025, according to the ACCC.
It's warning consumers to watch out for these scams over the Black Friday sales period.
"Scammers love Black Friday sales too because they know shoppers are looking for bargains and they rely on creating urgency and pressure that can come with a busy shopping period," ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.
"We remind consumers to take their time, check the legitimacy of websites and its offers, and be cautious about sharing personal or financial information online."
Shopping scams initiated through fake websites, advertisements, social media, and mobile apps have already resulted in $122 million in losses this year.
Paterson said that if a Black Friday deal sounds "too good to be true", it probably is.
She also issued a specific warning for the 'ghost store' scam, which has tricked plenty of Aussies out of their hard-earned cash in a matter of minutes.
"Ghost stores are stores that often say they're closing down and selling off their stock, but in fact don't really exist," she explained.
"They're just a scam."
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Are online deals better than in-store deals?
It depends on the retailer.
Some retailers offer online-exclusive deals, including discounts that may be better than what they can afford to offer in bricks and mortar stores.
"The overheads for retailers selling online are much lower than selling in store," Paterson explained.
"We also know that people are less likely to return products they buy online."
But she warned that digital deals may come with hidden catches.
For example, if you order a product from an overseas retailer your consumer protections will be more limited than if you buy from an Australian business.
"If you buy a product and it's faulty or it doesn't fit, you don't have a lot of return rights," Paterson said.
Can I get a refund on a Black Friday sale item?
It depends.
Some retailers say that products bought in Black Friday sales can't be returned, but that doesn't override your consumer rights.
"In Australia we have consumer guarantees, which means you do have a right to a refund or replacement for goods that are faulty," Paterson said.
"But there is no legal right for change of mind returns."
The rules also apply to overseas retailers that sell here as Australian law applies to goods sold into Australia, but it may be harder to enforce.
If in doubt, check the fine print before making purchases in the Black Friday sales.
Have you got a story? Contact reporter Maddison Leach at mleach@nine.com.au
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