FEAR & GREED | Business News Q+A: Inside the new Black Friday economy
Dec 3, 2025
Karl Durrance, Managing Director at Stripe for Australia and New Zealand, shares insights into the explosive growth of Black Friday in Australia, now surpassing post-Christmas sales. He discusses the staggering $35 billion transaction volume and Sydney's ranking as a top city for online spending. Durrance introduces the concept of agentic AI shopping, set to revolutionize retail by automating purchases. He highlights the challenges retailers face during peak demand and how technology plays a crucial role in meeting consumer expectations.
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Black Friday Became Australia's Biggest Retail Moment
- Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become Australia's biggest retail moment, concentrated into an intense sales period.
- Some retailers now do 20–30% of their annual transactions during this season.
Australia Punches Above Its Weight Online
- The Australian dollar ranked fourth by transaction volume on Stripe during the sales season.
- Sydney is the ninth biggest city globally in participation on Stripe's network for the event.
Prioritise High-Availability Payments
- Use highly available payment infrastructure to avoid losing sales during peak traffic.
- Prioritise partners with proven uptime so checkout stays fast and reliable under load.