<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>334437</docID> <postdate>2024-12-02 12:09:43</postdate> <headline>Consumers snap up discounted TVs as sales start early</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-334438" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241128187735910662-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="601" /></p> <caption>Retail sales have lifted higher than the 0.4 per cent consensus forecast by economists. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Poppy Johnston</strong> in Canberra</span></p> <p><strong>Australian shoppers jumped on early Black Friday sales, propping up an above-expectations 0.6 per cent rise in retail sales in October.</strong></p> <p>The uptick was a little higher than the 0.4 per cent consensus forecast and followed a more subdued 0.1 per cent gain in September.</p> <p>"After a steady result last month retailers told us that sales activity grew in October ahead of the Black Friday sales," Australian Bureau of Statistics head of business statistics Robert Ewing said.</p> <p>"The stronger than usual October month saw some retailers enticing buyers to spend early with discounting, particularly on discretionary items."</p> <p>The other retailing category logged a substantial 1.6 per cent increase and household goods sales gained 1.4 per cent, with people spending more on televisions and other electronics as it went on sale, the bureau noted.</p> <p>Not all non-food categories rose over the month, with clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing sinking 0.6 per cent and department stores falling 0.3 per cent.</p> </body>