Australia · Pricing and promotions
Black Friday and Cyber Monday: check the offer before the rush
Your campaign can change several times between approval and launch. Make sure the offer customers actually see is the one your team checked.
Start with one clear offer
This is a seasonal reminder about existing Australian Consumer Law obligations. Advertising must give an accurate overall impression. Fine print cannot repair a headline that says something materially different.
Before creative approval, put the offer in one shared record: included products, the price comparison, eligibility, exclusions, start and end times, stock limits, delivery conditions and the total payable. Ask the people building the website and the people answering customer questions to work from that same record.
Six checks before launch
- Evidence for the saving. Identify what a crossed-out or 'was' price represents and retain support for the comparison. Review actual price history, not just the current reference-price field. There is no universal fixed period that makes every comparison safe.
- Headline and exclusions. Check 'storewide', 'up to', bundle and member offers against the actual range. Make material restrictions clear at the point where customers see the claim.
- Genuine deadlines and scarcity. Check countdowns, stock messages and early-access claims against how the offer operates. Plan any extension carefully so an earlier 'ends tonight' message does not create a misleading impression.
- Stock and delivery promises. Confirm availability and the basis for delivery estimates. Give customers clear information about relevant limits and update the message if circumstances change.
- Checkout and code behaviour. Test representative baskets on mobile and desktop, including excluded items, multi-buy combinations and coupon stacking. Check displayed totals and mandatory charges, and confirm the advertised benefit is actually applied.
- Changes after approval. Recheck banners, paid ads, product pages, emails and customer-service scripts when a price, deadline or exclusion changes. Keep a dated copy of the live offer and evidence supporting it.
Give the team a short launch handover
Our practical suggestion is to nominate one launch owner who can resolve conflicting versions and stop or correct an inaccurate offer. Provide store and service teams with the final conditions, common questions and an escalation route.
Test a small set of realistic customer journeys again after launch. An approved design file does not establish that the live shopping experience works as intended. Use any complaints or failed transactions to identify what needs prompt correction.
How Watchdog can help
Watchdog can review promotional wording, terms, price comparisons and customer journeys, and provide practical training for marketing, ecommerce and frontline teams.