Canberra shopping centres gear up for influx of shoppers during Black Friday sales

Black Friday sales have grown in popularity in recent years and customers are still shopping in-store despite the lure of online deals, Canberra Outlet Centre's centre manager Claire Read said.

"Customers choose to shop at the Outlet over online as the items and sales price are generally exclusive to the centre and can't be found elsewhere," Ms Read said in a statement.

"With increased cost of living and inflation, it makes more sense than ever to take advantage of Black Friday sales, especially for Christmas gifts."

Westfield centres have also noticed an uptick in the number of customers using the sales to get holiday shopping done.

"Each year we see more and more savvy Canberra customers visiting Westfield to take advantage of the sales and get their Christmas shopping done early," regional manager centre experience at Scentre Group, Danii Ashton said in a statement.

EB Games at Westfield Belconnen has already begun preparing for the sales, hoping they will continue to grow in popularity.

The Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan forecast that consumers will spend a record $6.2 billion over the four-day weekend of sales.

If realised, that figure would be an increase of $200 million from 2021.

In a media release from the retail body, the association's chief executive Paul Zahra said cost of living could be driving interest in the sales.

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Canberra Business Chamber chief executive Graham Catt appealed to Canberrans to consider shopping local during the sales.

"They really are doing it pretty tough again, at the moment, they're grappling with rising costs and struggles with supply chains, trouble finding staff.

"So I think if we are going to spend because it's Black Friday, I really would urge Canberrans to have a think about where they could shop and where they could spend locally," he said.

Mr Catt also said businesses needed to think about ways to engage with the sales to draw in more customers.

"So we're actually taking the opportunity while people are thinking shopping, to make sure that they are thinking about local business and local retailers, as well as just the global giants, and the national chains."

Opening hours at the Belconnen centre will be extended until 9pm on Friday.

Canberra Outlet Centre will have extended opening hours at the weekend, operating from 9am to 8pm on Friday, and 9am to 7pm on Saturday.

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