eBay estimates that more than 2.6 million customers will visit its ebay.com.au on Black Friday, 29 November, making it the busiest day of the year for Australians shopping online.

Of these visits, eBay expects over 1.9 million will be via mobile devices, an increase on Black Friday 2018. Data also suggests spending will see double digit growth compared to 2018, with mobile purchases driving this.

eBay Australia head of retail insights, Gavin Dennis said, “With an unparalleled pool of buying and selling data, eBay is a true reflection of Australian retail and shopping trends. Black Friday is a major event in the US and our data shows Australia has officially caught onto this retail phenomenon, opting for the convenience, delivery options and time-saving benefits of online shopping.

“Traditionally we’ve seen our busiest shopping day fall in December but the rise in popularity of Black Friday has spurred an earlier start to the Christmas retail season. This is driven by consumers shopping smarter and taking advantage of the great discounts offered by retailers.”

Throughout the day there will be approximately five gifts purchased every second with three of those via mobile. Site-wide shopping is predicted to peak between 8.30pm to 8.45pm, while the busiest time for mobile shopping will be later in the evening between 9.00pm to 9.15pm. In comparison, desktop sales peak during lunchtime from 12pm to 12.15pm.