Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Thursday morning briefing for Australian shoppers. Wesfarmers closes the biggest retail reporting week of the year at midday today, releasing FY26 for Bunnings, Kmart, Officeworks, Target and Priceline. The Wesfarmers number lands the day after Woolworths Group beat consensus with NPAT before significant items up 15.4 per cent to 1.6 billion dollars, a full year dividend of 97 cents up 15.5 per cent, and BIG W back to positive EBIT of 64 million. Away from the ASX, the RBA August meeting minutes released this week revealed the Reserve Bank board actively debated a rate hike, and Coles suffered a nationwide website crash on Friday after a viral Reddit thread exposed a pricing bug that had beer and spirits selling at up to 80 per cent below shelf price. Today s live sale scan pulls up Colette by Colette Hayman at 75 per cent off fashion accessories as the standout pick.

Wesfarmers Files FY26 at Midday: What to Watch at Bunnings, Kmart and Officeworks

Wesfarmers releases its FY26 full year result to the ASX today at 10am Australian Western Standard Time, which is 12 midday on the east coast. The half year already delivered group revenue of 24.2 billion dollars up 3.1 per cent and NPAT of 1.6 billion up 9.3 per cent, with the interim dividend at 1 dollar 02 up 7.4 per cent. Consensus for the full year sits at group revenue of around 47.1 billion dollars, EBIT near 4.46 billion, and full year EPS of about 2 dollars 50, per James Mickleboro at The Motley Fool Australia. Brokers surveyed by the Fool have a mixed view with two Buy calls, two Hold and one Sell, largely reflecting the 29 times PE multiple after a strong share price run into results.

The consumer read: this is the last of the three big supermarket and discount department store results, so the shape of the FY26 number tells us how promotions will run through spring and Father s Day. Bunnings is the bell weather. If Bunnings home improvement lifts second half sales growth from the 2.9 per cent it printed in the first half, watch for the Bunnings weekend Trade Table promotions and Special Buys catalogues to stay sharp through September on tools, outdoor furniture, garden and grill lines. If Bunnings softens, expect deeper clearance on winter heating and lift in the PowerPass member exclusives. Kmart usually holds its Anko own brand pricing flat regardless of the result, so kitchen basics, storage, bed linen and kids clothing should stay stable. Officeworks tends to run its sharpest promotions on printer ink, technology and Apple education pricing through September once Wesfarmers ticks the FY26 result off. And Priceline s Sister Club will continue its 3x and 5x points weekends on skincare and beauty. The single most useful action for shoppers today is to check your Bunnings PowerPass and OnePass Kmart status before the midday release, since both retailers occasionally launch member locked flash offers in the 72 hours after results to lock in loyalty momentum.

Woolworths Beat Consensus Yesterday: Big W Returns to Profit, F27 Off to a Fast Start

Rewinding one day: Woolworths Group reported FY26 group sales of 71.54 billion dollars up 3.6 per cent, EBIT before significant items of 3.11 billion up 12.7 per cent, and NPAT before significant items of 1.60 billion up 15.4 per cent, per Kerry Sun at Market Index. Statutory NPAT after 698 million dollars of significant items (largely a 710 million salaried team member remediation provision covering historical underpayments) was 1.14 billion up 18.1 per cent. The full year dividend lifted 15.5 per cent to 97 cents per share with a fully franked final of 52 cents, per Owen Raszkiewicz at Rask Media. Australian Food sales grew 4.6 per cent to 53.85 billion with EBIT up 8.5 per cent, group eCommerce sales lifted 15.9 per cent to 10.60 billion, and BIG W returned to positive EBIT of 64 million against a loss of 33 million in FY25. The market rewarded the print, with Woolies shares surging 6 per cent to a five year high on the day, per Ausbiz Capital.

What this means at the shelf: Woolies has told the market that F27 opened even stronger, with Woolworths Food Retail sales up 7.6 per cent across the first eight weeks (assisted by about 1.5 to 2 percentage points from the return of the Ooshies collectible campaign). That volume tailwind means Woolworths is comfortably profitable, so shoppers should expect Everyday Rewards Boost offers to sharpen this weekend and the extended Lower Shelf Price program to add more lines. On the loyalty front the strategic gap over Coles Flybuys narrows: Everyday Rewards Extra members can now stack a 10 per cent monthly credit on top of Boost offers, and expect that member locked pricing to expand ahead of Christmas. Practical action for a Thursday shop: check the Everyday Rewards app before you write your list, and use the personalised Boost offers to load up on the ambient pantry lines you were going to buy anyway. BIG W being back in profit is also a green light on same day DoorDash orders through spring, particularly for the school holidays in late September.

RBA Minutes: Board Actively Debated a Rate Hike in August

The Reserve Bank of Australia s August meeting minutes, released this week, revealed that policymakers debated a 25 basis point rate hike before ultimately holding the cash rate unchanged at 4.35 per cent, per Investing.com. Trimmed mean inflation printed at 3.6 per cent in the June quarter and the RBA now expects underlying inflation to remain above 3 per cent until mid 2027, above the 2 to 3 per cent target band. Headline inflation of 3.9 per cent came in below the RBA s May forecast of 4.8 per cent, but the improvement was concentrated in fuel and travel prices where prior year comparables were unusually high. On monetary policy the minutes concluded that the cash rate is still holding restrictive pressure on the economy, but the board is watching household consumption closely because that is where any premature easing would show first.

The consumer read: the takeaway is not that mortgage rates are about to rise, but that they are not falling any time soon. With trimmed mean inflation stuck at 3.6 per cent and the RBA expecting it to stay above 3 per cent for another 18 months, home loan rates are likely to hold at current levels through the rest of 2026. For household budgets that means the pressure that has been driving supermarket private label growth and lift in same day essentials deliveries is not easing. Practical action: the smart move for the next quarter is the same as the last (buy Australian owned, buy on sale, buy from a store that will still be there when you need to return it). That is why the daily Top 5 rankings only draw from Australian owned retailers with local fulfilment, and why the Today s Sales pool skips overseas marketplaces entirely.

Coles Website Crash: A Reddit Pricing Bug and the Lesson for Every Shopper

Last Friday the Coles online site crashed for several hours after a viral Reddit thread exposed a pricing error that had 24 packs of Smirnoff Ice, XXXX Gold cans and other alcohol lines showing at prices up to 80 per cent below the correct shelf tag, per Sarah Basford Canales at The Guardian. Screenshots posted to the r/coles subreddit showed Smirnoff Ice 24 packs at 29 dollars against the shelf price of 202 dollars, along with similar mismatches on beer and RTD lines. Traffic to the site spiked so hard that Coles took the checkout offline for maintenance. Coles has since said the mispriced orders will not be honoured and the affected accounts will be refunded, but the incident sent every retail systems team in Australia scrambling.

Consumer angle: pricing errors happen every day at every large retailer, and the Australian Consumer Law does not force a store to honour a price that is clearly a mistake. The practical move when you catch a genuine looking price online is to screenshot the product page (with URL and timestamp visible), add to cart, and only pay if the checkout also shows the low price. If the order is later cancelled, you have the receipt and can escalate for goodwill. And for volatile categories like alcohol, tobacco and electronics, always cross reference at least one alternative retailer before you buy, because a 60 to 80 per cent off number on those categories is almost always an error rather than a legitimate deal. For today s Top 5 we have deliberately capped verified discounts at real percentages on real Australian owned catalogues where returns and refunds are protected.

Amazon Prime Video ACCC Case Still Active in the Federal Court

The ACCC v Amazon Australia Federal Court proceeding (VID702 of 2026) remains before the Federal Court, with the regulator targeting five unfair contract terms said to have been used to add advertising to Prime Video and charge affected subscribers an extra 2 dollars 99 a month between November 2023 and August 2025. Sarah Thompson and Anthony Macdonald at the AFR report ACCC chair Gina Cass Gottlieb said Amazon left subscribers with no realistic choice but to pay more to keep the ad free service they had originally signed up for. The regulator is seeking penalties, declarations and refunds on behalf of more than one million Australian annual Prime subscribers affected during that window.

For Australian households the practical action is unchanged from earlier briefs: if you paid the ad free upcharge on an annual Prime subscription between November 2023 and August 2025, keep the billing emails, credit card statements and receipts. Any eventual refund order will depend on Amazon identifying affected accounts, and the paper trail is on the subscriber s side. In the meantime the safer choice for the Christmas retail run remains Australian owned stores with local fulfilment, predictable returns and Australian consumer law protection. Every store featured in today s Top 5, and every store in the Today s Sales pool, meets that Australian owned standard.

Today s Top 5 Deals of the Day

1Today’s Top
DiscountColette by Colette HaymanFashionUp to 75 per cent off Colette by Colette Hayman: handbags, wallets, tote bags, backpacks, jewellery, sunglasses and hair accessories from the Sydney based Australian fashion accessories label. Free Australian shipping over 100 dollars, Afterpay and Zip available, and their Colette Rewards program stacks points on every sale purchase for a birthday voucher later in the year.75%OFF2DecjubaWomen's WearUp to 70 per cent off Decjuba: work dresses, blazers, denim, tailored pants, knits and season transition tops from the Melbourne based Australian womenswear label founded in 2008. Free Australian shipping over 100 dollars, Afterpay and Zip available, plus a 30 day easy return window online with in store returns accepted at Decjuba boutiques nationwide.70%OFF3Robert GordonAustralian MadeUp to 60 per cent off Robert Gordon: dinner sets, mugs, jugs, serving bowls and hand thrown ceramics from the Pakenham Victoria based Australian pottery, family owned and making stoneware locally since 1977. Free shipping over 150 dollars, Afterpay and Zip available, and every seconds and clearance piece is fully food safe, dishwasher safe and Australian made.60%OFF4Australian LeatherLeatherUp to 50 per cent off Australian Leather: sheepskin ugg boots, moccasins, slippers, driving shoes and premium leather bags from the Sydney based label handcrafting Australian sheepskin footwear locally since 1990. Free Australian shipping over 200 dollars, Afterpay and Zip available, plus a lifetime resole service on their premium ugg lines to keep them wearable for a decade.50%OFF5MyerDepartment StoreUp to 50 per cent off Myer: designer clothing, homewares, cookware, beauty, luggage, small electricals and toys from Australia s largest department store, trading since 1900. Free shipping over 99 dollars for Myer one members and Afterpay available on eligible orders, with click and collect at 55 Myer stores plus a 60 day change of mind return window on tagged stock.50%OFF

It s On Sale Daily Brief, Issue 88. Thursday 27 August 2026. Curated by Neil Fairhead, CEO of It s On Sale. Read the Daily Brief archive.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Wednesday morning briefing for Australian shoppers. Day two of the biggest reporting week in Australian retail: Woolworths Group hands down its F26 full year result before market open this morning, and it lands the day after Coles beat consensus with underlying NPAT of 1.26 billion dollars up 13.7 per cent and a bumper 78 cent full year dividend. The Woolworths result matters at the shelf: analysts expect group revenue of 71.64 billion dollars, and the Australian Food division has already extended its Lower Shelf Price programme to 1,035 products. On Thursday, Wesfarmers rounds out the trio with Bunnings, Kmart and Officeworks. Meanwhile BIG W has switched on national same day delivery through DoorDash, Amazon remains in the Federal Court over Prime Video ads, and today s live sale scan pulls up Lightspot at 89 per cent off lighting as the top pick.

Woolworths F26 Result Lands This Morning: What Shoppers Should Watch

Woolworths Group releases its F26 full year results to the ASX before market open Wednesday 26 August. The Investing.com F26 preview has consensus at group revenue of about 71.64 billion dollars and full year EPS of about 1 dollar 26 (a strong recovery from FY25 s 78 cent EPS after the Federal Court remediation charge). Half year F26 (27 weeks to 4 January 2026) already delivered group sales of 37.1 billion dollars up 3.4 per cent, EBIT before significant items of 1.66 billion up 14.4 per cent, and an interim dividend of 45 cents per share up 15.4 per cent, per the Woolworths half year announcement. The third quarter update (13 weeks to 5 April 2026) then showed Australian Food sales up 5.9 per cent (7.3 per cent excluding tobacco) and group eCommerce up 20.2 per cent to 2.7 billion dollars, per the 3Q26 announcement.

The consumer read: with the Lower Shelf Price programme now extended to 1,035 products, per Retail Insight Network coverage on 24 August, Woolworths has telegraphed that price is the battlefield. If Woolies matches or beats consensus this morning, expect the Everyday Rewards weekly Boost offers to sharpen from Thursday and more Half Price shelf tags to appear alongside the extended Lower Shelf Price range. Everyday Rewards had 10.7 million active members at the end of Q3, so any earnings beat is likely to be reinvested into member specific pricing to keep the loyalty gap over Coles Flybuys. If Woolies misses, watch for a more aggressive Prices Dropped campaign through September and October to defend basket share into the school holidays.

Coles Beat Consensus Yesterday: The Read for Everyday Rewards vs Flybuys

Rewinding one day: Coles Group reported FY26 group sales of 45.58 billion dollars up 2.8 per cent, EBIT excluding significant items of 2.32 billion up 9.9 per cent, and underlying NPAT of 1.255 billion up 13.7 per cent, per James Mickleboro at The Motley Fool Australia. Statutory NPAT was 1.09 billion after 235 million dollars of significant items (165 million after tax) from the September 2025 Federal Court ruling on the Fair Work Ombudsman underpayment case, per Sue Lannin at ABC News. Supermarkets EBIT grew 12.2 per cent and eCommerce Supermarkets sales jumped 26.4 per cent to 5.6 billion dollars. The full year dividend lifted 13 per cent to 78 cents per share, with a fully franked final of 37 cents. Shares rose 2.43 per cent on the day, per the Investing.com earnings call transcript.

What this means at the trolley: Coles is now the benchmark for both grocery pricing and online. eCommerce up 26.4 per cent tells you Coles Same Day and Rapid Delivery are being used more and being defended with sharper Half Price online only lines. Liquor was the weak point (sales down 3.3 per cent, EBIT down 47.8 per cent), so expect First Choice, Liquorland and Vintage Cellars to run harder Half Price and Member Locked wine promos through the September school holidays. For Flybuys members the strategic read is that Coles will keep leaning on the 5,000 point bonus offers on weekly shops to defend basket share when Woolies drops today. Practical action: check the Flybuys app for personalised offers before your Wednesday shop, and use the Coles Mastercard or Digital Wallet path where the 4 cent per litre fuel voucher stacks with the offer.

Wesfarmers Files Thursday: Bunnings, Kmart, Officeworks and Priceline

Wesfarmers rounds out the reporting trio on Thursday 28 August 2026, per the GO Markets ASX retail earnings preview. Half year F26 already showed group revenue up 3.1 per cent to 24.2 billion dollars and NPAT up 9.3 per cent to 1.6 billion, so the Thursday number will hinge on the second half performance of Bunnings (up against strong prior year winter comparables), Kmart (a discretionary category that has been holding up on value pricing) and Officeworks (which reset margins during the back to school period). Priceline sits inside the Health division and has been quietly rebuilding foot traffic through Sister Club promotions.

For shoppers the Thursday number sets the tone on discretionary through spring. If Bunnings comes in soft, watch for a step up in the Bunnings PowerPass member offers and end of aisle clearance on winter heating (a strong signal to buy a heater at the closeout price now while ranges reset for spring). If Kmart holds momentum, expect the Anko own brand pricing to stay flat rather than lift, which is good news for the household budget on kitchen basics, storage and bed linen. Officeworks always runs sharp promotions on printer ink and Apple education pricing through September, so a strong result usually means those discounts hold. Practical action: if you are refreshing a home office or kids desk for term four, price check across Officeworks, Kmart, and Anko at both retailers before Thursday.

BIG W Turns On National Same Day Delivery Through DoorDash

BIG W has switched on same day delivery nationwide through a new DoorDash partnership, first reported by Lorna Gloria at Retail World Magazine on 17 August and confirmed by the Woolworths Group newsroom on 18 August. The service gives Australian households a five hour turnaround on Book Week costumes, everyday essentials, kids clothing and thousands of BIG W lines across select postcodes nationwide. This lands right as BIG W has been rebuilding its stand alone systems platform, which management has told the market is now on track to deliver positive EBIT and cash flow for F26, per the Woolworths 3Q26 announcement.

Consumer read: BIG W has just closed a delivery gap that Amazon and Kmart have been exploiting. The DoorDash pipe means BIG W can now compete with Prime Same Day on essentials in metro postcodes without needing a Prime membership. Best use: last minute Book Week costumes for the September school holidays, forgotten birthday gifts, and top up on kids clothing basics when you are away from a BIG W store. Delivery fees stack on the DoorDash side, so it makes sense on baskets above 30 dollars where the same day fee is a fraction of the retail price. Watch for BIG W to run introductory Free Delivery over promotional thresholds through DoorDash to seed the habit before Christmas.

Amazon Prime Video ACCC Case Still Live in the Federal Court

The ACCC v Amazon Australia Federal Court proceeding (VID702 of 2026) remains active, with the regulator targeting five unfair contract terms said to have been used to add ads to Prime Video and charge an extra 2 dollars 99 a month between November 2023 and August 2025. Sarah Thompson and Anthony Macdonald at the AFR report ACCC chair Gina Cass Gottlieb said Amazon left subscribers with no choice but to pay more to maintain the service they had originally signed up for. The regulator is seeking penalties, declarations and refunds on behalf of more than one million Australian annual Prime subscribers affected during that window.

For Australian households the practical action is straightforward: if you paid the ad free upcharge on an annual Prime subscription between November 2023 and August 2025, keep any billing emails, credit card statements and the associated receipts. Any eventual refund order will depend on Amazon being able to identify affected accounts, and the paper trail is on the subscriber s side. In the meantime, our position is unchanged: the safest path for the Christmas retail run is Australian owned stores with local fulfilment, predictable returns and Australian consumer law protections. That is why every store featured in today s Top 5, and every store in the Today s Sales pool, is Australian owned.

Today s Top 5 Deals of the Day

1Today’s Top
DiscountLightspotLightingUp to 89 per cent off Lightspot clearance: pendant lights, downlights, table and floor lamps, ceiling fans and outdoor path lighting from the Melbourne based Australian lighting specialist. Free shipping over 250 dollars, Afterpay and Zip available at checkout, and a lighting specialist on live chat to help you match wattage and colour temperature to the room.89%OFF2Princess PollyWomen's WearUp to 80 per cent off Princess Polly: dresses, denim, tops, playsuits, knits and shoes for the spring racing and going out calendar. Free Australian shipping over 50 dollars, Afterpay and Zip available, plus fast Sydney and Melbourne metro dispatch with the Princess Polly Rewards program running on top for extra points.80%OFF3BakuBeachwearUp to 70 per cent off Baku swimwear: one pieces, bikinis, tankinis, rash tops and beach cover ups from the Sydney based Australian swimwear label with locally made ranges. Free shipping over 100 dollars, Afterpay and Zip available, and their sizing team can help match cup and torso length for a proper fit before the pre summer rush.70%OFF4SolsanaShoesUp to 52 per cent off Solsana shoes: boots, heels, sandals, sneakers and loafers from the Sydney based Australian footwear label used by wedding guests and workwear lookbooks. Free Australia wide shipping over 100 dollars, Afterpay and Zip available, plus a 30 day return window on unworn stock in original packaging.52%OFF5GrahamsJewelleryUp to 50 per cent off Grahams Jewellers: diamond rings, gold chains, pendants, tennis bracelets and watches from the family owned Australian jeweller trading since 1946. Free insured shipping Australia wide over 500 dollars, Afterpay available on eligible lines, plus lifetime cleaning and inspection at any Grahams boutique nationwide.50%OFF

It s On Sale Daily Brief, Issue 87. Wednesday 26 August 2026. Curated by Neil Fairhead, CEO of It s On Sale. Read the Daily Brief archive.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Tuesday morning briefing for Australian shoppers. This is the biggest reporting week of the Australian retail year, and Coles Group opens the batting today at 8am AEST with the media call at 9:15am. Consensus is for group sales of about 45.6 billion dollars, an underlying profit of 1.22 billion, and a full year dividend of about 77 cents. Woolworths Group follows before market open Wednesday, and Wesfarmers with the Bunnings, Kmart, Officeworks, Priceline and Target numbers on Thursday. Bapcor (Autobarn, Burson, Midas) is in the news for the wrong reasons: shares down 83 per cent since April 2024 and a newly appointed CEO who stepped down the day before starting. Amazon remains in the Federal Court over Prime Video ads. And today s live Top 5 sale scan pulls up Rebel Sport at 85 per cent off winter sport gear as the top pick of the day.

Coles Reports FY26 This Morning: The Consumer Read on Day One

Coles Group hands down its FY26 full year result this morning, with the media conference call at 9:15am AEST and the analyst briefing at 10am, per the Medianet media alert. Consensus per IG Australia s Coles FY26 preview is group sales around 45.63 billion dollars (up about 2.9 per cent), EBIT around 2.30 billion (up about 8.9 per cent), underlying NPAT around 1.22 billion (up about 13 per cent), earnings per share of about 92.2 cents, and a full year dividend of about 77.1 cents per share (up about 11.7 per cent on FY25 s 69 cent payout).

Today s numbers matter to the household budget in three ways. First, the FY27 trading update: analysts and shoppers alike will watch whether Coles supermarkets kept the plus 4 per cent revenue momentum from the 3Q26 update, per Investing.com s 3Q26 transcript. Second, the dividend payout signals how much the board still wants to hand back to shareholders versus reinvesting into stores, and higher payout ratios historically translate into more aggressive Flybuys promotional cycles in H1 the following year. Third, e commerce grew 27 per cent at half year: watch whether the growth held, because that is the segment where Coles has been running its sharpest online only pricing (Try It Free and Half Price online lines). Coles stock closed at 22 dollars 64 on Monday, down 0.8 per cent, so the market is guarded. The read for shoppers is simple: if Coles beats consensus, expect more aggressive Woolworths counter promotions from Wednesday afternoon; if Coles misses, expect defensive discounting through OnePass and Everyday Rewards to keep the volume up.

Bapcor s Problem: 83 Per Cent Share Fall and a CEO Who Never Started

Sue Lannin at ABC News flags Bapcor (parent of Autobarn, Burson Auto Parts, Midas and Precision Automotive Equipment) as the automotive retail story to watch. Shares are down 83 per cent since April 2024, and newly appointed CEO Paul Dumbrell resigned for personal reasons the day before his scheduled start, per the ABC live blog. Chair Margie Haseltine said developments since that appointment have not been favourable in terms of value generation, and independent asset acquisition ratings agency Morningstar has cut its fair value estimate.

The consumer angle for Australian households: Autobarn, Burson and Midas are the automotive back end that keeps utes and family cars on the road. Under pressure, listed retailers typically respond with sharper front of shop promotions on high frequency items (car batteries, oil changes, brake pads, wiper blades), because those pull traffic in without impacting the workshop labour margin. That means the next six to eight weeks are usually a good window for scheduled servicing and battery swaps at Autobarn or Midas franchisees, particularly if you are Coles Flybuys linked (Autobarn is a Flybuys partner) or a member of the AutoClub loyalty program. If you have been putting off a service or a tyre replacement, keep watch on the Autobarn and Midas apps for boosted points offers through September.

Amazon Prime Video Case Still Live: What Australian Subscribers Should Do

The ACCC v Amazon Australia Federal Court proceeding (VID702 of 2026) continues, with the regulator targeting five unfair contract terms said to have been used to add ads to Prime Video and charge an extra 2 dollars 99 a month between November 2023 and August 2025. Sarah Thompson and Anthony Macdonald at the AFR report ACCC chair Gina Cass Gottlieb said Amazon left subscribers with no choice but to pay more to maintain the service they had originally signed up for. Reuters reported on 14 August that Amazon has reinstated binding arbitration in the US to prevent class actions in that market, per Blake Brittain at Reuters.

The regulator is seeking penalties, declarations and refunds on behalf of more than one million Australian annual Prime subscribers affected between November 2023 and August 2025. If you had an Amazon Prime annual subscription in place during that window and you paid the ad free upcharge, keep the receipts. Any eventual refund order will depend on Amazon being able to identify the affected accounts, and the paper trail is on your side. Independent Australian owned retailers do not carry that risk: it is one of the reasons every store featured in today s Top 5, and every store in our Today s Sales pool, is Australian owned with local fulfilment.

Retail Insolvencies: Softer in July, But FY26 Total Still Above FY25

ASIC s July 2026 industry data shows retail first time insolvency appointments fell to 68, down from 91 in July 2025 and below the 78 recorded in July 2024, per Ragtrader. That is the sixth straight month of year on year decline for the retail category. But Ragtrader s FY26 wrap confirms the full year total sat at 875 collapses, still ahead of FY25 s 871. Recent creditors voluntary liquidations include Yuki Boutique (three Victorian stores across Glen, Chadstone and QV), announced 13 August 2026 through InsolvencyRadar s retail feed.

For an Australian household the practical read is protective, not panicked. If you hold unspent gift cards or store credit at any mid market retailer that has looked wobbly, spend them this month while the trading environment is loosening. If you have a deposit sitting on furniture, bedding or a made to order piece, check the retailer s ASIC status through the ABN Lookup tool at abr.business.gov.au. Voluntary administration freezes creditor claims while a rescue is negotiated, and consumer deposits are usually returned last. The upside is that with 68 collapses in July versus 91 the year before, and the Coles, Woolworths and Wesfarmers balance sheets in strong shape, the listed majors are competing hard for the discretionary dollar. That is why today s Top 5 opens with an 85 per cent off Rebel Sport headline: Rebel is inside Super Retail Group, which reported softer profit last week and is pushing hard on end of winter clearance to defend market share ahead of spring.

Two Speed Shopper: August Set for a 40 Billion Dollar First

Roy Morgan is forecasting August 2026 retail turnover of 40.0 billion dollars, the first ever 40 billion dollar retail month, up 6.0 per cent year on year. Household Goods leads at plus 8.8 per cent, Food (supermarkets) is projected at 15.6 billion, up 4.6 per cent, and Clothing, Footwear and Personal Accessories is projected to hit 3.34 billion, up 3.5 per cent. Elias Visontay at The Guardian unpacks the behavioural shift underneath: Australians are procrastinating couches and white goods, but prioritising high protein food, home coffee machines and sports gear.

Translated into the shopping list: the household budget is still moving, it is just moving into different categories than 12 months ago. Coffee capsules, protein powder, gym gear, sports equipment and running shoes are the strong spend, and that is exactly why today s Top 5 opens with Rebel Sport at up to 85 per cent off end of winter stock, followed by an 82 per cent off Kick Push Skate clearance for the kids. Handbags and luggage from Strandbags at 50 per cent off fits the return of Australians travelling domestically for the September school holidays. Lee Mathews at 40 per cent off covers wedding guest and workwear silks for the spring calendar. And Koala at 30 per cent off gives the household one path back into big ticket bedding without waiting until Black Friday. Every store is Australian owned with local fulfilment, so post code delivery and return timelines are predictable.

Today s Top 5 Deals of the Day

1Today’s Top
DiscountRebel SportSport ClothingUp to 85 per cent off Rebel Sport: sneakers from Nike, Adidas, ASICS, New Balance and Puma, plus footy jerseys, gym gear, cricket bats and camping. Rebel Active members get exclusive drops, and Afterpay and Zip are available at checkout, with click and collect at over 160 stores nationally.85%OFF2Kick Push SkateSkateboardingUp to 82 per cent off Kick Push Skate: complete skateboards, decks, trucks, wheels, bearings and skate shoes from Melbourne s independent skate specialist. Free shipping over 100 dollars, Afterpay and Zip available, and their tech team assemble custom skateboards to order with next day metro dispatch.82%OFF3StrandbagsBagsUp to 50 per cent off Strandbags: handbags, backpacks, hardside luggage sets, laptop bags and travel accessories from the Australian owned family retailer. Free shipping over 90 dollars, Afterpay and Zip available, plus the extended 100 day returns policy on unused stock.50%OFF4Lee MathewsWomen's WearUp to 40 per cent off Lee Mathews: linen shirts, tailored trousers, silk dresses, knits and heirloom pieces from the Australian designer favoured for wedding guest and workwear looks. Free Australia wide shipping over 250 dollars, Afterpay, and complimentary alterations at the Paddington flagship.40%OFF5KoalaBedsUp to 30 per cent off Koala clearance: mattresses, bed bases, sofas and rugs from the Australian owned Sydney sleep brand. 120 night trial on mattresses, 10 year warranty, free delivery Australia wide and Afterpay available at checkout, with sofa in a box models ready to ship same week.30%OFF

It s On Sale Daily Brief, Issue 86. Tuesday 25 August 2026. Curated by Neil Fairhead, CEO of It s On Sale. Read the Daily Brief archive.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Monday morning briefing for Australian shoppers. This is Australian retail s biggest reporting week of the year, with Coles delivering FY26 results on Tuesday, Woolworths on Wednesday, and Wesfarmers (Bunnings, Kmart, Officeworks, Priceline) on Thursday. JB Hi-Fi already set the tone last week with a shock 12 per cent share slide despite record sales, after the CFO flagged wholesale PC price rises above 50 per cent from AI-driven memory shortages. Coles website crashed on Saturday after a viral Reddit post exposed 80 per cent off pricing errors on Jack Daniel s and Smirnoff Crush. Amazon is still in the Federal Court over Prime Video ads. And today s Top 5 opens with Cotton On Clothing at up to 50 per cent off, right in the sweet spot as spring stock starts to land.

The Week That Sets Christmas Pricing: Coles Tuesday, Woolies Wednesday, Bunnings Thursday

Three back-to-back FY26 result days set the tone for grocery, department store and hardware pricing through to Christmas. Coles Group files first on Tuesday 25 August, with IG Australia s Coles preview flagging consensus for group sales of about 45.63 billion dollars, EBIT of 2.30 billion and NPAT of 1.22 billion. Woolworths Group follows on Wednesday 26 August (results delivered before market open Wednesday morning). Wesfarmers closes the week on Thursday 27 August with the full Bunnings, Kmart, Target, Officeworks and Priceline picture.

Setting the tone last week: JB Hi-Fi reported a record FY26 result on 17 August with sales up to 11.06 billion dollars and NPAT up 6 per cent to 489.9 million, plus a fully franked final dividend of 337 cents (up 22.5 per cent). But shares still fell 12.3 per cent on the day, the second-largest single-day slide on record, after the trading update showed July Australian comparable sales down 1.4 per cent, The Good Guys down 1.7 per cent, and e&s down 4 per cent. CFO David Giansalvo told analysts some PC brands are seeing wholesale cost rises above 50 per cent from AI-driven memory shortages, per Tim Biggs at The Sydney Morning Herald. Super Retail Group (Rebel, Supercheap Auto, BCF, Macpac) delivered its own result on 20 August with sales up 3.2 per cent to 4.2 billion dollars but normalised profit before tax down 7 per cent as it invested in supply chain and new systems, per the Super Retail Group full year release. For an Australian household the practical read is simple: if you are deferring a laptop or a new fridge, wait until the three big calls are done. Retailers under pressure to defend market share usually drop their sharpest mid week specials Tuesday to Thursday to move stock ahead of month end, and loyalty program members typically get first access.

Coles Website Crashes After Viral Reddit Alcohol Bargain

Coles Group s website and app went dark for hours on Saturday 22 August after a viral Reddit post highlighted Jack Daniel s and Cola 24 packs marked down from about 130 dollars to 27 dollars via Liquorland, an 80 per cent discount, per Cait Kelly at The Guardian. Retail data firm CW Scanner identified 20 beer cartons and 46 premixed drink cases pricing at up to 80 per cent off before the site was taken down. The single largest mispricing was Smirnoff Crush 24 packs, marked from 202 dollars to 29 dollars, a 173 dollar saving. Coles called it a technical error, cancelled affected orders, and promised refunds for anyone charged.

The consumer angle is a useful reminder about Australian pricing rules. The ACCC guidance on bait advertising is clear: retailers are entitled to correct genuine pricing errors, but must not deliberately use bait pricing to drive traffic and then withdraw stock. If you spot a bargain price so aggressive it feels like an error, screenshot the price and the URL before you order and keep a copy of the order confirmation email. If the retailer cancels and refunds, that usually falls within the mistake exemption. If a retailer regularly advertises then withdraws similar deals, that is bait advertising territory and can be reported through the ACCC reporting form. Coles processed the refunds within 24 hours; check your Liquorland or Coles order history if you were on the site between 4pm and 8pm on Saturday.

Amazon Prime Video Case Still Live: What Australian Subscribers Should Know

The ACCC v Amazon Prime Video Federal Court proceeding (VID702 of 2026) continues through case management, with the first Case Management Hearing held on 31 July, per Piper Alderman s case note. The regulator alleges Amazon Commercial Services included multiple unfair contract terms in annual Prime subscriptions between November 2023 and August 2025, then relied on some of those terms to introduce ads to Prime Video from July 2024 with only a 2 dollars 99 a month ad free upcharge as the alternative. ACCC chair Gina Cass Gottlieb said Amazon left subscribers with no choice but to pay more to maintain the service they had originally signed up for.

The regulator is seeking penalties, declarations and refunds on behalf of more than one million Australian annual Prime subscribers. Maximum penalty per contravention is the higher of 50 million dollars, three times the benefit obtained, or 30 per cent of adjusted turnover during the breach period. For an Australian household the direct action is simple: if you had an Amazon Prime annual subscription in place before August 2025 and you paid the ad free upcharge, keep the payment records. Any refund order will depend on being able to identify affected subscribers. It is another reason every store featured in today s Top 5 is Australian owned with local fulfilment.

Retail Insolvencies Softening, But Queensland Retailers Still Under Pressure

ASIC s July 2026 insolvency data shows retail first time insolvency appointments fell to 68, down from 91 in July 2025 and below the 78 recorded in July 2024, per Ragtrader. Across all industries first time appointments dropped 12.5 per cent year on year to 1,211. But the picture is very unevenly distributed. The Herald Sun s Sonja Koremans reported Queensland retail insolvencies jumped 72 per cent in FY26 to 289 collapses, versus a 15 per cent lift nationally. Notable recent falls: activewear brand Stax moved into liquidation on 10 July with 6.7 million dollars owed, footwear chain Betts entered voluntary administration on 24 June with 20 of 35 stores closing, and jewellery group Leading Edge collapsed on 23 July with 28 million dollars in liabilities, per Jeweller Magazine.

For Australian households the practical read is protective, not panicked. If you have gift cards or store credit sitting unused at any struggling mid market retailer, spend them this month. If you paid a deposit on furniture, bedding or a made to order item that has not been delivered, check the retailer s ASIC status through the ABN Lookup tool at abr.business.gov.au. Voluntary administration freezes creditor claims while a rescue is negotiated; deposits are usually returned last and often only cents in the dollar. If you shop at Betts, Stax outlets or a Leading Edge jeweller, check remaining store lists on those brands own websites before you drive out. The upside: with 68 fewer collapses last month than the same month a year ago, and Woolworths, Coles and Wesfarmers all sitting with strong balance sheets, the big listed retailers are competing aggressively for the discretionary dollar that is still moving.

Household Spend Resilient, But It Is a Two Speed Market

July NAB Consumer Spend Trend showed total consumer spending up 1.1 per cent month on month, with discretionary spending up 1.2 per cent and personal goods jumping 2 per cent month on month and 10.5 per cent year on year, per NAB. Roy Morgan is projecting August retail sales to hit 40 billion dollars for the first time, up 6 per cent year on year, per Ragtrader. The headline hides a two speed market: value driven shoppers are trading down to private label groceries and waiting for promotional events, while a wealthier cohort keeps spending on travel, dining and personal goods.

What that means this week: expect the majors to lean hard into loyalty program specials Tuesday to Thursday. Coles Flybuys, Woolworths Everyday Rewards and OnePass typically drop their sharpest mid week deals in the 48 hours around a results release, because that is when the CEO is most sensitive to comparable sales momentum. If any of those apps are sitting idle on your phone, it is worth checking them each morning this week. Cotton On, Lounge Lovers, Portmans, Kathmandu, Sanity and SurfStitch are all running independent clearance right now, so today s Top 5 gives you six spring wardrobe and homewares categories to browse without having to wait for a supermarket special.

Today s Top 5 Deals of the Day

1Today’s Top
DiscountCotton On ClothingWomen's WearUp to 50 per cent off Cotton On Clothing: t shirts, jumpers, denim, dresses, sleepwear and accessories from the Australian owned Geelong fashion group, with Afterpay, click and collect in most metro suburbs and free returns.50%OFF2Lounge LoversFurnitureUp to 50 per cent off Lounge Lovers: sofas, dining, coffee tables, rugs and homewares from the Australian owned Sydney furniture brand, with free metro delivery on selected sofas, Afterpay and Zip, and made to order fabrics in six week lead times.50%OFF3PortmansFashionUp to 50 per cent off Portmans: workwear dresses, tailored blazers, silky blouses, denim and knits from the Australian owned Melbourne fashion label, with Afterpay, click and collect at Myer, and free shipping on orders over 100 dollars.50%OFF4Kath & KimCampingUp to 40 per cent off the Kathmandu outlet (Kath and Kim): jackets, thermals, hiking boots, tents, packs and sleeping bags from the Australian and New Zealand outdoor retailer, with Summit Club rewards, Afterpay and free shipping over 100 dollars.40%OFF5SanityMusicUp to 30 per cent off Sanity: chart CDs, vinyl records, DVDs, Blu ray box sets and gift bundles from the Australian owned Melbourne music retailer, with Afterpay, free shipping over 50 dollars and click and collect at selected westfield centres.30%OFF

It s On Sale Daily Brief, Issue 85. Monday 24 August 2026. Curated by Neil Fairhead, CEO of It s On Sale. Read the Daily Brief archive.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Sunday morning briefing for Australian shoppers. This is the week Coles, Woolworths and Wesfarmers file FY26 results (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), and the tone from those three conference calls will set grocery and department store pricing through to Christmas. ASIC s investigation into Super Retail Group (Rebel, Supercheap Auto, BCF, Macpac) is still running after the whistleblower settlement. BIG W has switched on nationwide same day delivery through DoorDash. Amazon is still in the Federal Court over Prime Video ads. And if you have shopped Oz Hair and Beauty, your data may be in the wild. Today s Top 5 opens with Sportsgirl at up to 90 per cent off, sitting right in the fashion sweet spot.

The Week That Sets Christmas Pricing: Coles, Woolies, Wesfarmers Report

Australian shoppers should mark three dates on the kitchen calendar. Coles Group files its FY26 result on Tuesday 26 August, Woolworths Group follows on Wednesday 27 August and Wesfarmers (owner of Bunnings, Kmart, Officeworks and Target) files on Thursday 28 August. Motley Fool Australia put the combined consensus net profit for the three groups above 5.6 billion dollars, and IG Australia s Coles FY26 preview flagged consensus for Coles sales of about 45.63 billion dollars, EBIT of 2.30 billion and a full year dividend of 77.1 cents.

The reason this matters to a household grocery budget is that each CEO uses the full year result to signal price investment for the next six months. Watch Coles for updates on Everyday Rewards, Own Brand and how far it is willing to lean into protein and health food (following the same behaviour shift the Guardian flagged yesterday). Watch Woolworths for Everyday Extra economics and Australian Food margin. Watch Wesfarmers for Bunnings comparable sales, Kmart Anko homewares depth and any word on a rumoured standalone Anko homewares format. If you are deferring a big ticket appliance or a Kmart homewares splurge, wait until Thursday afternoon when Wesfarmers has spoken; the pricing shape of September through November usually becomes obvious in the next 48 hours after those three calls.

Super Retail Under the ASIC Microscope: Trust and Pricing Watch

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission investigation into Super Retail Group over its handling of two former executive whistleblowers remains ongoing, per Colin Kruger at The Sydney Morning Herald. Super Retail settled with the two whistleblowers in September for undisclosed terms, and the annual report showed 11.3 million dollars set aside for associated costs and a further 7 million in unpaid performance bonuses withheld from former chief executive Anthony Heraghty. The regulator is still probing how the company handled whistleblower complaints and related governance and disclosure issues, per Clayton Utz s corporate risk toolkit.

For the household shopper the practical read is not the courtroom mechanics but the pricing shape. Rebel, Supercheap Auto, BCF and Macpac are all owned by Super Retail Group, and all four chains are running noticeably aggressive winter to spring clearance right now (sports gear, camping stock, auto accessories, outdoor apparel). That is consistent with a group under external pressure choosing to move stock and preserve category share. It is a genuine window for household buyers who need running shoes for spring, a hydration pack for a summer walking holiday, or a car battery and wiper blade replacement. Compare the Super Retail chain price against the specialist independent, and do not assume the loyalty program alone gets you the deepest number.

BIG W Same Day Delivery Goes National Via DoorDash

BIG W has switched on same day delivery across select postcodes nationwide through a new DoorDash partnership, first reported by Yahoo Finance on 17 August and confirmed on the Woolworths Group newsroom on 14 August. Orders placed before 12pm are delivered by 5pm the same day. Orders placed after 12pm are delivered by 5pm the following day. The delivery fee is 12 dollars, and if a postcode and product are eligible, the option appears at checkout on bigw.com.au. Katy Rogers, head of sales and partnerships at DoorDash Australia and New Zealand, said the move unlocks a faster delivery service across BIG W s everyday essentials range so families can access what they need when time matters most, per the Woolworths Group release.

The timing is sharp: Book Week 2026 ran 16 to 22 August and BIG W has positioned same day delivery as the fix for last minute costume scrambles, with costumes eligible from 10 dollars. Beyond costumes the real value is on everyday essentials (school lunchbox refills, kids underwear, cleaning supplies, party plates for a birthday drop) where a 12 dollar fee often beats the fuel plus parking cost of a Sunday store run. It also puts BIG W ahead of Kmart on same day metropolitan delivery, and in most of the eligible postcodes it undercuts Amazon Prime for household commodity essentials because there is no annual subscription attached. Check bigw.com.au for your postcode.

Amazon Prime Video Case Still Live: What Australian Subscribers Should Know

The ACCC v Amazon Prime Video Federal Court proceeding (VID702 of 2026) continues through case management. The regulator alleges that Amazon Commercial Services included multiple unfair contract terms in annual Prime subscriptions between November 2023 and August 2025, then relied on some of those terms to introduce ads to Prime Video from July 2024 with only a 2 dollars 99 a month ad free upcharge as the alternative. ACCC chair Gina Cass Gottlieb said Amazon left subscribers with no choice but to pay more to maintain the service they had originally signed up for.

The regulator is seeking penalties, declarations and refunds on behalf of more than one million Australian annual Prime subscribers. Maximum penalty per contravention is the higher of 50 million dollars, three times the benefit obtained, or 30 per cent of adjusted turnover during the breach period. For an Australian household the direct action is simple: if you have an Amazon Prime annual subscription that was in place before August 2025 and you paid the ad free upcharge, keep the payment records. Any refund order will depend on being able to identify the affected subscribers. It is another reason every store featured in today s Top 5 is Australian owned with local fulfilment.

Oz Hair and Beauty Data Breach: If You Shopped There, Check Now

Oz Hair and Beauty confirmed a cyber incident to customers this week, following a listing on the dark web leak site of a new threat actor called xpl0itrs. The threat actor claimed to have stolen 2.1 million customer records. The company has told customers the incident was of a third party provider (unnamed), and the accessed data includes full name, contact information (email address and or mobile number) and purchase data (currency used, total spend, purchase location and customer creation date). No credit card details, payment information or invoice details were involved. The company reported to the Australian Cyber Security Centre and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

Have I Been Pwned added the dataset on 19 August, with 2 million unique email addresses confirmed in the leak. If you have shopped at ozhairandbeauty.com in the last few years, three practical steps. First, run your email through haveibeenpwned.com to confirm exposure. Second, watch for hair and beauty themed phishing (SMS and email) in the next few weeks; the attacker holds enough purchase history to make a convincing lure. Third, if you reused the password on that account elsewhere, change it everywhere else immediately and turn on two factor authentication on your primary email and shopping accounts. The company said its systems are secure to keep using; the risk sits with the leaked personal information already in circulation.

Today s Top 5 Deals of the Day

1Today’s Top
DiscountSportsgirlFashionUp to 90 per cent off Sportsgirl: dresses, tops, denim, knits, jackets and accessories from the Australian owned Melbourne fashion label, with Afterpay, Zip and free Australian shipping over 75 dollars.90%OFF2Elite SupplementsSupplementsUp to 80 per cent off Elite Supplements: whey and plant protein, pre workout, creatine, BCAAs, greens and gym accessories from the Australian owned supplement retailer, with same day dispatch on orders before 2pm and free shipping over 150 dollars.80%OFF3Original MattressBedsUp to 65 per cent off Original Mattress Factory: pocket spring, hybrid and memory foam mattresses in single through king from the Australian owned factory direct maker, with a 120 night trial, free metro delivery and Afterpay on selected models.65%OFF4BooktopiaBooksUp to 60 per cent off Booktopia: bargain fiction and non fiction, children s books, cookbooks and audio bundles from Australia s largest online bookseller, with warehouse dispatch from Lidcombe NSW, Afterpay and free shipping over 75 dollars.60%OFF5OPSMGlassesUp to 50 per cent off OPSM: designer prescription frames, sunglasses and contact lens bundles from the Australian owned optical chain, with private health rebates on the spot, click and collect in most metro suburbs and interest free finance available.50%OFF

It s On Sale Daily Brief, Issue 84. Sunday 23 August 2026. Curated by Neil Fairhead, CEO of It s On Sale. Read the Daily Brief archive.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Saturday briefing for Australian shoppers. This morning s Guardian sets out the five behaviour shifts driving grocery aisles and shopping carts in 2026: yes to protein yoghurt, home coffee machines and sports gear, no to furniture and full priced whitegoods, wait for the promo window on electronics. The SMH tallied the damage in numbers on Tuesday: JB Hi Fi, The Good Guys, Temple & Webster and Myer all under pressure and the ASX consumer discretionary index down 5 per cent in a single week. Coles reports Tuesday, Woolworths Wednesday, Wesfarmers Thursday. Amazon is back in the Federal Court over Prime Video. Google agentic AI checkout arrives in Australia first across APAC. Today s Top 5 opens with Costume Box at 75 per cent off.

Yes to Yoghurt, No to Furniture: Five Ways Aussies Are Shopping Now

Jonathan Barrett in The Guardian this morning pulled together the clearest map yet of how Australians are actually spending in 2026. Five patterns keep repeating across ASX reporting season results and grocery scan data. First, protein has taken over the fridge: Bega revenue climbed 6.7 per cent to 3.8 billion dollars, driven by a swing from cheese to protein yoghurt (which carries higher margin). Michael Harvey, senior dairy analyst at Rabobank, said the shift is powering the entire dairy category. Second, furniture and whitegoods are being deferred: Nick Scali flagged softer trading, and JB Hi Fi and The Good Guys called out lower comparable sales.

Third, discretionary shoppers are waiting for the promo window. When JB Hi Fi released a soft July trading update on Monday, the share price fell 10 per cent in a single session as investors read it as a signal that consumers are strictly buying on sale. Fourth, home coffee machines are cannibalising cafe spend: Breville reported double digit global revenue growth in its coffee category, and the Australian read across is that a 500 to 1500 dollar espresso machine now looks like a 12 month payback for a household that skips two cafe coffees a day. Fifth, sports gear and fan merch are on the up: Super Retail Group flagged a boost from FIFA Men s World Cup 2026 in North America and hopes for a similar effect from the 2027 FIFA Women s World Cup in Brazil, while Macpac slipped in a mild winter. For the weekend shopper the message is simple: staples and hobby purchases are fine, defer the big ticket item until you see a real headline percentage, and expect winter to spring changeover pricing to run deep this weekend.

Discretionary Cracks: 5 Per Cent Off the Sector in Five Days

Elizabeth Knight at The Sydney Morning Herald laid out the damage in numbers on Tuesday. The ASX consumer discretionary index fell 5 per cent over five trading days, three times the ASX200 s 1.7 per cent slide, as one retailer after another told the market that shoppers had walked away. JB Hi Fi Australian sales dropped 1.8 per cent in July and comparable sales dropped 2.9 per cent. The Good Guys reported sales down 12 per cent so far in FY27. Temple & Webster suffered the sharpest hit: net profit collapsed 62 per cent, revenue is down 13 per cent since the start of FY27, and the shares fell 18 per cent in a single day after full year results forced a downgrade to FY27 guidance.

Myer flagged cost of living pressure again, David Jones has extended its supplier payment terms to preserve cash, and even Breville (a genuine growth story with profit up 1.7 per cent) saw its shares fall 5 per cent on Wednesday because the market wanted more. The pattern is consistent with what the Guardian ran this morning: shoppers still spend on essentials, hobbies and small treats, but the moment a purchase can be deferred (couch, TV, kitchen renovation, washing machine), it is deferred. For the weekend shopper this is exactly why the deepest headline percentages this Saturday are landing in categories where the item is still under 200 dollars: costumes, dance shoes, bedding and jewellery gifts, all at 50 to 75 per cent off in today s Top 5.

Big Three Report Next Week: Coles Tuesday, Woolworths Wednesday, Wesfarmers Thursday

Next week is peak reporting week for the consumer facing giants. Coles Group reports FY26 on Tuesday 25 August, with IG Australia s Coles FY26 preview flagging consensus for sales of about 45.63 billion dollars (plus 2.9 per cent), EBIT of 2.30 billion (plus 8.9 per cent), NPAT of 1.22 billion (plus 13 per cent), EPS of 92.2 cents and a full year dividend of 77.1 cents. Woolworths reports Wednesday 26 August, and Wesfarmers reports Thursday 27 August. Motley Fool Australia put the combined consensus net profit for the three groups at more than 5.6 billion dollars.

All three groups use full year results to signal price investment and category strategy for the next six months. Watch Coles for Everyday Rewards and Own Brand plans plus commentary on protein and health food categories (following the Guardian trend). Watch Woolworths for Everyday Extra loyalty economics and Australian Food margin. Watch Wesfarmers for Bunnings comparable sales, Kmart Anko homewares depth (a soft launch of a standalone homewares format is understood to be under evaluation) and the Officeworks back to school plan. For household budgets the reporting outcomes drive the pricing shape of September to November, so it pays for shoppers to note what each CEO says on their conference call and hold off on any deferred category purchase until the direction is clear.

Amazon in the Federal Court: ACCC Prime Video Case Continues

The ACCC v Amazon Prime Video Federal Court proceeding (VID702 of 2026) continues to move through case management. The regulator alleges that Amazon Commercial Services included multiple unfair contract terms in annual Prime subscriptions between November 2023 and August 2025, then relied on some of those terms to introduce ads to Prime Video from July 2024 with only a 2 dollars 99 a month ad free upcharge as the alternative. ACCC chair Gina Cass Gottlieb said in the June announcement: “We allege that Amazon AU included multiple unfair terms in its contracts with Australian annual Prime subscribers, and it then relied on some of these terms to bring ads onto Amazon Prime Video. Consumers who wanted to avoid ads were left with no choice but to pay more to maintain the service they d initially signed up for.”

The regulator is seeking penalties, declarations and refunds on behalf of more than one million Australian annual Prime subscribers. Separately the toddler backpack safety proceeding (NSD905 of 2026) alleging non compliance on button battery warning labels remains before the court. Maximum penalty per contravention is the higher of 50 million dollars, three times the benefit obtained, or 30 per cent of adjusted turnover during the breach period. For shoppers the direct read across is caution on any overseas marketplace subscription that starts as one thing and becomes another, and it is why every store featured in today s Top 5 is Australian owned with local fulfilment.

Google Agentic AI Checkout: Australia First in APAC

Google switched on its Universal Checkout for AI shopping agents in Australia this week, making Australia the first market in Asia Pacific with the feature live, per iTnews and Ragtrader. Bunnings, Kogan, The Iconic, Adore Beauty and Petbarn are the launch partners. Shoppers using Google AI Mode can now compare product listings across those five retailers side by side and complete the checkout inside Google, using saved payment methods, without visiting each retailer s site individually.

The commercial risk for Australian retailers is that customer relationship data (which product a shopper actually chose, when, and at what price) starts to flow to Google rather than to the retailer. The offsetting shopper benefit is genuine time saving on repetitive commodity purchases (a specific power drill, a printer cartridge, a pet food subscription top up), and less price gaming across identical SKUs. For retailers that sell differentiated experiences and Australian owned brand storytelling, this changes very little; for retailers that sell generic price matched commodity, it accelerates margin compression. Worth watching how far this expands and how many independent Australian retailers opt in.

Today s Top 5 Deals of the Day

1Today’s Top
DiscountCostume BoxCostumesUp to 75 per cent off Costume Box: costumes, wigs, accessories, dance and stage supplies, party gear and school event kits from the Australian owned Melbourne based costume specialist, with Afterpay, Zip and free Australian shipping over 99 dollars.75%OFF2Novo ShoesFootwearUp to 57 per cent off Novo Shoes: women’s heels, boots, sneakers, sandals and handbags from the Australian owned footwear label with fashion led seasonal drops, offering Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over 89 dollars.57%OFF3BlochDanceUp to 50 per cent off Bloch: dance shoes, ballet flats, pointe shoes, dancewear, leotards and studio accessories from the globally trusted Australian founded dancewear brand, offering student pricing, Afterpay and Australian dispatch.50%OFF4My HouseHomewaresUp to 50 per cent off MyHouse: bedding, quilt covers, sheet sets, kitchenware, dining, bathroom essentials, cushions and seasonal home decor from the Australian owned homewares retailer, offering Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over 100 dollars.50%OFF5BellefeverJewelleryUp to 50 per cent off Bellefever: personalised necklaces, name jewellery, birthstone pieces, memorial keepsakes and gift bundles from the Australian owned custom jewellery studio, with buy one get one and buy two save up to 50 per cent bundles running now.50%OFF

It s On Sale Daily Brief, Issue 83. Saturday 22 August 2026. Curated by Neil Fairhead, CEO of It s On Sale. Read the Daily Brief archive.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Friday briefing for Australian shoppers. BIG W has switched on same day delivery nationwide through DoorDash, giving families a five hour turnaround on Book Week costumes, everyday essentials and thousands of BIG W lines. Temple and Webster posted record revenue of 665 million dollars for FY26 but flagged a 13 per cent revenue drop in the first seven weeks of FY27, sending the shares down 16 per cent and setting up an aggressive promo phase. Super Retail Group grew online sales 5.3 per cent to 552 million dollars, held the 65 cent full year dividend, and the market rewarded it with a 16 per cent share price rally. Roy Morgan tips August retail to be Australia s first ever 40 billion dollar month. Today s Top 5 opens with Showpo at 80 per cent off, then UGG Express, Dusk, Nine West and Eckersley s.

BIG W Same Day Delivery Goes National Via DoorDash

BIG W has switched on same day delivery across select postcodes nationwide through a new DoorDash partnership, first reported by Lorna Gloria at Retail World Magazine on 17 August and confirmed by the Woolworths Group newsroom on 18 August. Orders placed before 12pm are delivered by 5pm the same day. Orders placed after 12pm are delivered by 5pm the following day. The delivery fee is 12 dollars. If a postcode and product are eligible, the option appears at checkout on bigw.com.au.

Katy Rogers, head of sales and partnerships at DoorDash Australia and New Zealand, said the move unlocks a faster delivery service across BIG W s everyday essentials range so families can access what they need when time matters most, per the Woolworths Group release. The timing is sharp: Book Week 2026 runs from 16 to 22 August, and BIG W has positioned same day delivery as the fix for last minute costume scrambles. Thousands of BIG W lines are eligible, including costumes from 10 dollars. For shoppers this closes a gap Amazon Prime and Temu have owned on speed, but with an Australian discount department store range behind it. Watch Kmart and Target for a same day response before Christmas trade begins.

Temple and Webster: Record 665 Million Dollar FY26, FY27 Opens Down 13 Per Cent

James Mickleboro at Motley Fool Australia reports Temple and Webster (ASX:TPW) delivered record FY26 revenue of 665 million dollars, up 11 per cent on FY25, with underlying EBITDA up 28 per cent to 25.9 million dollars. Active customers grew 5 per cent to 1.3 million. Exclusive products (private label plus drop ship) hit 51 per cent of revenue, up from 45 per cent. Home Improvement grew 39 per cent to 58.5 million dollars and Trade and Commercial grew 16 per cent to 55.7 million dollars. New Zealand cleared 3 million dollars in eight months since launch and hit contribution margin break even ahead of plan. The company holds 122.7 million dollars cash after buying back 30 million dollars of stock.

The catch is in the trading update: revenue in the first seven weeks of FY27 is down 13 per cent versus the same period last year, which was cycling 28 per cent growth. Shares fell 16.63 per cent to 4.21 dollars near the 52 week low, per Investing.com coverage of the FY26 slide deck. New CEO Susie Sugden, seven weeks into the job, guided FY27 EBITDA to 33 to 40 million dollars, a 50 to 80 per cent lift, but declined to provide revenue guidance given macro uncertainty. Translation for shoppers: expect Temple and Webster to lean hard on promotions, exclusive range bundles and home improvement discounts across the spring quarter to bring revenue back onto plan.

Super Retail Group: Online 552 Million Dollars, Dividend Held at 65 Cents, Shares Up 16 Per Cent

James Mickleboro at Motley Fool Australia reports Super Retail Group (ASX:SUL), the owner of Supercheap Auto, rebel, BCF and Macpac, grew total FY26 sales 3.2 per cent to 4.2 billion dollars, with like for like sales up 1.8 per cent. Online sales grew 5.3 per cent to 552.1 million dollars, now 13.1 per cent of the group (up from 12.9 per cent). Click and collect, the group s most profitable channel, grew 10.3 per cent and now accounts for almost half of online sales. By brand, Supercheap Auto sales rose 3.9 per cent, rebel grew 4.5 per cent, BCF was up 0.2 per cent and Macpac grew 3.5 per cent. The board declared a fully franked final dividend of 33 cents per share, taking the full year to 65 cents, at the top of the 55 to 65 per cent payout policy.

Normalised NPAT was 226 million dollars, down 2.8 per cent, as elevated project spending on a new distribution centre and systems upgrades weighed on profit. Statutory NPAT declined 7.2 per cent to 205.9 million dollars, per the MarketScreener earnings summary. Net debt closed at just 14 million dollars. FY27 is off to a positive start with like for like sales up 1.5 per cent and total sales up 3.5 per cent through the first seven weeks. Shares surged 16 per cent on the result. For shoppers this means rebel, Supercheap and Macpac will keep pushing digital and click and collect through spring and Father s Day, and Macpac s value positioning is likely to sharpen as outdoor competition rebuilds.

Roy Morgan Tips August Retail to Hit a Record 40 Billion Dollars

Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine forecasts total Australian retail sales will pass 40 billion dollars in August 2026 for the first time, up 6 per cent year on year. Household Goods lead the growth pace at plus 8.8 per cent to 6.7 billion dollars. Hospitality is up 6.2 per cent to 5.9 billion, Other Retailing (which includes hairdressers and personal services) is up 5.7 per cent to 7 billion, and Clothing and Footwear is up 5.7 per cent to 3.06 billion. Food (supermarkets) is the biggest single category at 15.6 billion dollars, up 4.6 per cent, representing 39 per cent of the monthly total.

By state, Western Australia is the fastest grower at plus 7.2 per cent to 4.8 billion dollars, ahead of South Australia at plus 6.4 per cent to 2.6 billion and NSW at plus 6.1 per cent to over 12 billion. The pattern lines up with everything else in this brief. Household goods is the fastest growing non food category, which is why Temple and Webster is willing to promote hard even after a record year, why Super Retail Group is investing in a new DC, and why BIG W is racing to national same day delivery. Value hunters should expect deeper discounts on homewares, furniture and mid tier fashion through the last two weeks of August as retailers push to lock in the record month.

Coles and Woolworths Trial Facial Recognition Amid Retail Crime Wave

Both major supermarkets confirmed early stage trials of facial recognition technology, first reported by the Australian Financial Review and picked up by ABC News and The Guardian on 17 to 18 August. Coles told journalists it undertook a small, one off, controlled proof of concept test that did not use customer or team member data, with no rollout decision made. Woolworths tested the technology in its New Zealand office and is evaluating a wider trial.

The context is a well documented rise in retail crime and aggression against staff, especially in Victoria. Both chains have already spent millions on exit gates, cameras and body worn cameras. Privacy advocates flagged the biometric implications immediately, and neither chain has disclosed the technology vendor. For shoppers this is the trust story to watch: facial recognition changes the entry experience, and any national rollout would put pressure on Australian Privacy Principles compliance. Expect commentary from OAIC and consumer groups through the balance of August.

Reporting Week Ahead: Coles Tuesday, Woolworths Wednesday, Wesfarmers Thursday

Coles Group reports FY26 on Tuesday 25 August, Woolworths Group on Wednesday 26 August and Wesfarmers on Thursday 27 August. All three run consumer facing groups, and all three use full year results to signal price investment through the next six months. Watch Coles for Everyday Rewards and Own Brand plans, Woolworths for Everyday Extra and eCommerce reinvestment, and Wesfarmers for Bunnings hardware pricing plus Kmart back to school promotion depth. Woolworths Q3 already tracked total sales of 18.1 billion dollars (plus 4.5 per cent), Australian Food plus 5.9 per cent to 13.8 billion, eCommerce plus 20.2 per cent to 2.7 billion and BIG W plus 3.9 per cent, per the Woolworths investor page. Wesfarmers key dates confirm the reporting slot.

Kmart is trialing a standalone homewares concept designed to challenge IKEA directly, using the private label muscle Anko has built to pull margin out of an adjacency it already dominates. Bunnings absorbed Blackwoods and Work Wear Group from July 2026, so watch for a workwear and trade tools story on Thursday. Together with the BIG W delivery push and the Super Retail online result, the reporting week will confirm the shape of spring trade for value shoppers.

Today s Top 5 Deals of the Day

1Today’s Top
DiscountShowpoWomen's WearUp to 80 per cent off Showpo: dresses, tops, denim, occasion wear, knitwear and accessories from the Australian owned online womenswear label, with Afterpay, Zip and free Australian shipping over 50 dollars.80%OFF2UGG ExpressRetailUp to 80 per cent off UGG Express: classic sheepskin ugg boots, slippers, moccasins, kids styles and accessories from the Australian owned ugg specialist, with Afterpay, Zip and free Australian shipping over 100 dollars.80%OFF3DuskCandles & HomewaresUp to 75 per cent off Dusk: candles, diffusers, fragrance, home decor, gifts and seasonal ranges from the Australian owned candle and homewares chain with 130 plus stores, offering Dusk Rewards, Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over 60 dollars.75%OFF4Nine WestFootwearUp to 60 per cent off Nine West: womens heels, flats, boots, sneakers, handbags and accessories from the classic footwear brand with dedicated Australian distribution, offering Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over 100 dollars.60%OFF5Eckersley'sArt & CraftUp to 50 per cent off Eckersley s: paints, brushes, canvases, sketchbooks, markers, kids craft kits and studio supplies from the Australian family owned art and craft store, offering student discounts, Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over 99 dollars.50%OFF

It s On Sale Daily Brief, Issue 82. Friday 21 August 2026. Curated by Neil Fairhead, CEO of It s On Sale. Read the Daily Brief archive.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Thursday is jobs day for Australian households. The ABS releases the July Labour Force Survey at 11:30am AEST, the single biggest data point ahead of the RBA 22 to 23 September meeting, with June s 4 point 4 per cent unemployment and 76,300 job surge as the baseline. The Sydney Morning Herald reports the consumer discretionary index has fallen more than 5 per cent in the past five days as JB Hi-Fi CEO Nick Wells warns he sees no signs of consumer recovery. Solomon Lew has shut all three Peter Alexander UK stores and cut Premier FY26 profit guidance to 176 million dollars. Roy Morgan tips August retail to hit a record 40 billion dollars. Today s Top 5 opens with Mossman at 70 per cent off, then Hallensteins, Healthy Life, House and Macpac.

Jobs Day: The ABS July Labour Force at 11:30 is the RBA September Pivot

At 11:30am AEST the ABS releases the July 2026 Labour Force Survey, and this is the print the Reserve Bank has been waiting for since the June result. The June baseline set an aggressive bar: unemployment at 4 point 4 per cent (up 0 point 1 percentage points from May s rounded 4 point 3), employment plus 76,300 (the strongest print since April 2025 and led by plus 47,000 part time), participation at 67 per cent (a one year high) and underemployment at 6 point 5 per cent (the highest since August 2024). Reuters summed up the market reaction: bond yields snapped higher and rate cut bets thinned, but not enough to remove the September cut from money market pricing.

Westpac IQ s July preview expects unemployment steady at 4 point 4 per cent, employment plus 15,000 and participation at 66 point 9 per cent. Any soft print (unemployment above 4 point 5 per cent, or employment below plus 5,000) would sharpen September rate cut expectations and typically translates within four weeks into deeper Everyday Rewards, Flybuys and MYER one targeted offers. Any strong print (unemployment 4 point 3 or lower) would push the cut into November and floor set discount depth for spring collections would narrow. Diarise 11:30 in your app of choice, this one flows straight into the mortgage and the retail promotion calendar.

Retailers on the Ropes: JB Hi-Fi Sees No Recovery, Discretionary Down 5 Per Cent in Five Days

Consumer discretionary retailers are having a very rough week. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that over the past five days the ASX consumer discretionary index has fallen more than 5 per cent compared with the ASX200 which is 1 point 7 per cent softer, with earnings misses and downgrades from Premier Investments, Beacon Lighting, JB Hi-Fi and Baby Bunting driving the sell off. JB Hi-Fi CEO Nick Wells told the market he is seeing no signs of consumer recovery as the combined impact of higher interest rates and the reversal in the nation s runaway property market post Budget make shoppers nervous.

The pattern is a two speed retail sector: staples and hardware are holding up (Coles, Woolworths, Bunnings, Kmart all reporting next week), while discretionary categories from fashion to electronics to homewares are cracking. For Australian shoppers this dynamic means one thing: winter to spring floor set changeovers this week are running deeper discounts than a typical August, particularly across women s wear, footwear and homewares. That is why today s Top 5 has three categories over 50 per cent off and Mossman leading at 70 per cent.

Solomon Lew Shuts Peter Alexander UK, Cuts Premier FY26 Guidance

Premier Investments announced on 12 August the closure of all three Peter Alexander UK stores at Bluewater, Stratford and White City after less than two years, becoming the latest Australian retailer to retreat from the tough British market, per the Australian Financial Review. Chairman Solomon Lew said discretionary retail conditions had deteriorated in the second half and that the group would channel Peter Alexander growth capital into Australia and New Zealand instead. Peter Alexander will keep selling to UK customers online.

The trading update also cut FY26 guidance. Premier Retail full year sales came in at 795 point 5 million dollars (down 2 per cent on FY25) and underlying EBIT guidance was revised down to approximately 176 million dollars (from the 183 million target set in March 2026), per Yahoo Finance. A separate Heads of Agreement was announced for Peter Alexander to return to Myer as a concession partner across 24 stores, per Stockwirex coverage. For sleepwear shoppers watching Peter Alexander pricing, expect the UK inventory clearance to feed into Australian promotions through late August and September.

Amazon Back In Court: Two Live Federal Matters

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has two live Federal Court proceedings against Amazon that will bear on Australian Prime subscribers and marketplace shoppers through 2026 and 2027. The first, filed in June 2026, alleges Amazon Australia included five unfair contract terms in Prime subscription contracts with more than one million annual subscribers between November 2023 and August 2025, and relied on those terms to introduce advertising to Prime Video in July 2024, requiring subscribers to pay an additional 2 dollars 99 per month to remain ad free. The case is tracked by the Australian Financial Review, with maximum penalty per contravention the highest of 50 million dollars, three times the benefit obtained, or 30 per cent of adjusted turnover during the breach period.

The second proceeding, filed 29 May 2026 as NSD905 of 2026 in the Federal Court New South Wales Registry, is the first time the ACCC has taken an online marketplace to Federal Court over a mandatory product safety standard. The ACCC concise statement alleges 41 non compliant Unicorn Toddler Backpacks (containing detachable button battery light up unicorn toys without mandatory warning labels) were sold through amazon.com.au and 267 were held in Amazon s Australian fulfilment centres as of 1 November 2022. The ACCC argues that under section 136 subsection 3 of the Australian Consumer Law, mere possession or control of non compliant goods is enough to put the marketplace itself on the hook. If successful, this reshapes marketplace safety liability for every Fulfilment by Amazon third party seller in Australia.

Week Ahead: Coles Tuesday 25, Woolies Wednesday 26, Wesfarmers Thursday 28

Next week is peak reporting week for consumer facing groups. Coles Group hands down FY26 on Tuesday 25 August (media call 9:15am), with the IG earnings preview tracking consensus around 45 dollar 63 billion in sales, EBIT around 2 dollar 30 billion and final dividend per share around 43 cents (FY26 total DPS around 77 cents). H1 already delivered supermarkets EBIT up 14 point 6 per cent and group EBITDA up 7 point 8 per cent to 2 point 2 billion dollars, but the stock fell 8 point 34 per cent on the day, so watch second half momentum commentary closely.

Woolworths Group follows Wednesday 26 August (see the Woolworths investor page), and Wesfarmers reports Thursday 28 August with Bunnings, Kmart and Officeworks the swing divisions, per the Wesfarmers investor centre. H1 Wesfarmers already showed group revenue up 3 point 1 per cent to 24 point 2 billion dollars and NPAT up 9 point 3 per cent to 1 point 6 billion. All three groups use FY presentations to signal price investment for the following six months, so watch commentary from Coles, Woolies and Wesfarmers for grocery, Bunnings hardware and Kmart apparel price signals.

Roy Morgan: August Retail Tipped to Hit a Record 40 Billion Dollars

Roy Morgan yesterday forecast total monthly Australian retail sales to hit 40 billion dollars for the first time ever in August 2026, up 6 per cent year on year, per Ragtrader coverage. By category, food (supermarkets) leads at 15 point 6 billion dollars (plus 4 point 6 per cent, 39 per cent of the total), other retailing including hairdressers at 7 billion (plus 5 point 7 per cent), household goods at 6 point 7 billion (plus 8 point 8 per cent, the fastest growing), hospitality at 5 point 9 billion (plus 6 point 2 per cent), fashion at 3 point 06 billion (plus 5 point 7 per cent), and department stores the slowest growing at 1 point 66 billion (plus 2 point 3 per cent).

By state Western Australia leads at plus 7 point 2 per cent to 4 point 8 billion dollars, followed by Northern Territory plus 7 point 6 per cent, South Australia plus 6 point 4 per cent, New South Wales plus 6 point 1 per cent to 12 billion, Victoria plus 5 point 9 per cent to 9 point 9 billion and Queensland plus 5 point 5 per cent to 8 point 8 billion. The bifurcation is stark: staples and household goods are compounding hard while discretionary and department stores drag, which is exactly why today s Top 5 rewards hunters who move fast on Homewares (House at 50 per cent off) and Outdoor and Camping (Macpac at 50 per cent off) before the September floor sets rotate.

Today s Top 5 Deals of the Day

1Today’s Top
DiscountMossmanWomen's WearUp to 70 per cent off Mossman: dresses, tops, knitwear, denim, occasion wear and outerwear from the Melbourne based contemporary womenswear label, with Afterpay, Zip and free Australian shipping over 100 dollars.70%OFF2HallensteinsMen's WearUp to 50 per cent off Hallensteins: mens tees, polos, shirts, hoodies, jeans, chinos, jackets, workwear and swim from the Trans Tasman menswear retailer, with Afterpay, Zip, free Australian shipping over 100 dollars and click and collect at partner locations.50%OFF3Healthy LifeHealth & BeautyUp to 50 per cent off Healthy Life: vitamins, supplements, sports nutrition, natural skincare and eco home essentials from the Australian owned online health store, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping on orders over 60 dollars nationwide.50%OFF4HouseHomewaresUp to 50 per cent off House: cookware, bakeware, kitchen appliances, dinnerware, glassware and storage from the Australian owned homewares chain with 150 plus stores nationally, offering House rewards, Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over 99 dollars.50%OFF5MacpacOutdoor & CampingUp to 50 per cent off Macpac: hiking boots, thermals, jackets, packs, sleeping bags, tents and technical outdoor gear from the New Zealand founded outdoor brand with 60 plus Australian stores, offering Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over 100 dollars.50%OFF

It s On Sale Daily Brief, Issue 81. Thursday 20 August 2026. Curated by Neil Fairhead, CEO of It s On Sale. Read the archive at itsonsale.com.au/daily-brief.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Wednesday is Wallet Wednesday for Australian households. Commonwealth Bank shares go ex dividend this morning on the 2 dollar 70 fully franked final that lands into 850 thousand retail accounts on 29 September (record date is tomorrow Thursday, DRP election closes Friday), and the ABS releases the June quarter Wage Price Index at 11:30 (the number the Reserve Bank is watching most closely before its September meeting). BHP delivered a record US 13 dollar 2 billion underlying profit yesterday and lifted the full year dividend to a four year high, while CSL surged 16 point 4 per cent on 5 per cent FY27 profit guidance despite a 2 dollar 6 billion reported loss driven by transformation impairments. Amazon remains in Federal Court on two ACCC matters. Today s Top 5 opens with Colette Hayman at 74 per cent off, then Decjuba, Myer, Robert Gordon and Australian Leather.

Wallet Wednesday: CBA Ex Div Day and the 11:30 Wage Print

Two moves land in Australian shopper wallets this morning inside a single hour. Commonwealth Bank of Australia goes ex dividend on its FY26 final dividend of 2 dollar 70 per share (fully franked) at market open (the record date is tomorrow Thursday 20 August and payment lands on Monday 29 September). CBA announced the final and total FY26 dividend of 5 dollar 05 (up 4 point 1 per cent on FY25 s 4 dollar 85) alongside the FY26 result on 12 August, with the ex, record and payment schedule confirmed in the CBA FY26 profit announcement and reiterated in the Appendix 3A.1 distribution notice. For the 850 thousand plus retail holders, that is roughly 810 dollars gross per 300 shares and 1,350 dollars per 500 shares landing in Computershare linked bank accounts in six weeks.

The second Wallet Wednesday move is the ABS Wage Price Index for the June quarter, released at 11:30am AEST. As of the March quarter release the seasonally adjusted WPI was up 0 point 8 per cent quarter on quarter and 3 point 3 per cent year on year (per the ABS March quarter release), while June quarter CPI released 30 July printed annual headline inflation at 3 point 8 per cent (per the ABS CPI June quarter media release). If today s WPI prints below 3 point 3 per cent annual, real wages continue to slip and RBA September rate cut probability sharpens, both of which typically bring retailers forward with promotion depth. A print above 3 point 4 per cent would firm the sticky wages story, and floor set discounting tends to shorten. Diarise 11:30 in your app of choice, this one flows straight into the mortgage decision.

BHP FY26: Copper Takes the Crown, Highest Dividend in Four Years

BHP Group handed down FY26 before market open yesterday Tuesday 18 August, and it was a blockbuster. Underlying attributable profit lifted 30 per cent to 13 dollar 2 billion US, comfortably above the Visible Alpha consensus of 12 dollar 66 billion US, per Reuters coverage. Revenue rose 15 per cent to 58 dollar 8 billion US, underlying EBITDA climbed 27 per cent to 32 dollar 9 billion US, and net debt fell to 8 dollar 7 billion US. The board declared a final dividend of 99 US cents per share (fully franked), taking the full year to US 1 dollar 72 (the highest annual dividend in four years) and returning 8 dollar 7 billion US to shareholders through the year. Full detail is in the BHP FY26 announcement.

The story of the year is copper: the metal accounted for 54 per cent of group underlying EBITDA (18 dollar 0 billion US) for the first time ever, overtaking iron ore. BHP produced ~2 million tonnes of copper for a second consecutive year at margins near 70 per cent, and TradingView flagged the operationally clean result plus better than expected payout drove shares up 3 per cent to 64 dollar 07 on the day. For household finances, BHP s 8 dollar 7 billion US dividend pool feeds directly into Australian superannuation balances (BHP is a top five holding across most balanced funds), and the final 99 US cent payout will settle in September into shareholder accounts on the same 850 thousand strong DRP register as CBA.

CSL FY26: Reset Year, Statutory Loss, Shares Surge 16 Per Cent on FY27 Guidance

CSL Limited reported FY26 full year results on Tuesday 18 August at 10am AEST and the headline print was ugly: statutory net loss of 2 dollar 6 billion US after 7 dollar 1 billion in impairments and restructuring costs, revenue down 1 per cent to 15 dollar 8 billion US (constant currency), and underlying NPATA of 3 dollar 1 billion US (down 2 per cent). The final dividend was maintained at US 1 dollar 62 per share, cash flow from operations held at 3 dollar 5 billion US, and CSL flagged this as a “reset year” in the CSL FY26 announcement PDF.

Investors focused entirely on the forward guidance and the market reaction was decisive. Per Investing.com coverage, CSL shares surged 16 point 4 per cent to 156 dollar 68 on the day after management guided to approximately 5 per cent underlying NPAT growth at constant currency for FY27, with CSL Behring returning to mid single digit revenue growth on strong immunoglobulin demand and new product launches. A one dollar billion buyback was completed in FY26 and CSL committed to a further 1 dollar 1 billion Australian buyback across FY27. For 240 thousand retail CSL shareholders and every Australian with a super balance, yesterday reset expectations from steady growth to transformation payoff, with the near term catalyst now the November AGM update.

Amazon Back In Court: Two Live Federal Matters

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has two live Federal Court proceedings against Amazon that will bear on Australian Prime subscribers and marketplace shoppers through 2026 and 2027. The first, filed in June 2026, alleges Amazon Australia included five unfair contract terms in Prime subscription contracts with more than one million annual subscribers between November 2023 and August 2025, and relied on those terms to introduce advertising to Prime Video in July 2024, requiring subscribers to pay an additional 2 dollars 99 per month to remain ad free. The case is tracked by the Australian Financial Review, with maximum penalty per contravention the highest of 50 million dollars, three times the benefit obtained, or 30 per cent of adjusted turnover during the breach period. Case management and interlocutory hearing was set for 7 August 2026.

The second proceeding, filed 29 May 2026 as NSD905 of 2026 in the Federal Court New South Wales Registry, is the first time the ACCC has taken an online marketplace to Federal Court over a mandatory product safety standard. The ACCC concise statement alleges 41 non compliant Unicorn Toddler Backpacks (containing detachable button battery light up unicorn toys without mandatory warning labels) were sold through amazon.com.au and 267 were held in Amazon s Australian fulfilment centres as of 1 November 2022. The ACCC argues that under section 136 subsection 3 of the Australian Consumer Law, mere possession or control of non compliant goods (the receiving, storing, picking, packing and shipping Amazon does for third party sellers under Fulfilment by Amazon) is enough to put the marketplace itself on the hook. If successful, this reshapes marketplace safety liability for every Fulfilment by Amazon third party seller in Australia.

Week Ahead: July Jobs Thursday, Coles Tuesday 25, Woolies Wednesday 26, Wesfarmers Thursday 28

Thursday 20 August at 11:30am AEST is the ABS July Labour Force Survey. Westpac IQ s July preview is expecting unemployment steady at 4 point 4 per cent, employment plus 15 thousand and participation at 66 point 9 per cent. Combined with today s Wage Price Index, this back to back print gives the RBA a full labour and wages picture heading into the 22 to 23 September meeting. Any soft jobs print (unemployment above 4 point 5 per cent, or employment below plus 5 thousand) would sharpen September cut expectations and typically translates within four weeks into deeper Everyday Rewards, Flybuys and MYER one targeted offers.

Next week is peak reporting for consumer facing groups. Coles Group hands down FY26 on Tuesday 25 August (media call 9:15am) with the IG earnings preview tracking consensus around 45 dollar 63 billion in sales, EBIT around 2 dollar 30 billion and final dividend per share around 43 cents (FY26 total DPS around 77 cents). Woolworths Group follows Wednesday 26 August (see the Woolworths investor page), and Wesfarmers reports Thursday 28 August with Bunnings, Kmart and Officeworks the swing divisions, per Reuters preview coverage. All three groups use FY presentations to signal price investment for the following six months, so watch commentary from Coles, Woolies and Wesfarmers for grocery, Bunnings hardware and Kmart apparel price signals.

ARC Data Backdrop: June Retail Held at 4.7 Per Cent

The Australian Retail Council s June 2026 analysis shows household retail spending at 39 dollar 68 billion in June, up 4 point 7 per cent year on year but easing from May s 5 point 8 per cent. By category, cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services grew fastest at 7 point 1 per cent, household goods retailing lifted 6 point 3 per cent, clothing plus 3 point 9 per cent, and department stores plus large online retailers were essentially flat at minus 0 point 1 per cent. The state numbers confirmed the resource state resilience: Northern Territory plus 8 point 8 per cent, Western Australia plus 7 point 5 per cent, Australian Capital Territory plus 3 point 1 per cent, New South Wales plus 3 point 2 per cent. For shoppers, the department store softness is why Myer sits at 60 per cent off in today s Top 5: mid year floor set changeover discounts this week are notably wider than a typical August.

Today s Top 5 Deals of the Day

1Today’s Top
DiscountColette HaymanHandbags & AccessoriesUp to 74 per cent off Colette Hayman: handbags, wallets, jewellery, sunglasses, scarves and travel accessories from the Australian accessories retailer since 2013, with Afterpay, Zip, free Australian shipping over 100 dollars and click and collect at 90 plus stores nationwide.74%OFF2DecjubaWomen's WearUp to 70 per cent off Decjuba: dresses, tops, denim, knitwear, workwear, occasion wear and outerwear from the Melbourne founded contemporary womenswear brand since 2008, with Afterpay, Zip, free Australian shipping over 100 dollars and 90 plus stores nationwide.70%OFF3MyerDepartment StoresUp to 60 per cent off Myer: fashion, beauty, homewares, appliances, toys, luggage and gifts from Australia s largest department store with more than 60 locations, offering MYER one rewards points, Afterpay, Zip, click and collect and free shipping over 100 dollars.60%OFF4Robert GordonHomewaresUp to 60 per cent off Robert Gordon: handcrafted ceramic dinnerware, mugs, bowls, vases, planters and homewares made in the Yarra Valley pottery studio since 1976, with Afterpay, Zip and free Australian shipping over 150 dollars.60%OFF5Australian LeatherUgg BootsUp to 50 per cent off Australian Leather: genuine sheepskin ugg boots, slippers, moccasins and leather goods handcrafted in Sydney since 1988, with Afterpay, Zip, free Australian shipping over 100 dollars and a lifetime resole service.50%OFF

It s On Sale Daily Brief, Issue 80. Wednesday 19 August 2026. Curated by Neil Fairhead, CEO of It s On Sale. Read the archive at itsonsale.com.au/daily-brief.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Tuesday morning is the peak of ASX FY26 reporting season: BHP hands down full year before the bell with consensus underlying earnings around 32 dollar 4 billion and a final dividend around 1 dollar 56, CSL follows at 10 o clock, and Cochlear, Pro Medicus, Challenger, HUB24, Sims and Reliance Worldwide all report today. Westpac refreshes its August Consumer Sentiment index at 10:30 with the forecast a soft 81.7, and Commonwealth Bank goes ex dividend on its 2 dollar 70 final tomorrow, meaning today is the last day to buy in for the payout. Myer’s spring floor sets keep rolling. Amazon remains in Federal Court on two matters. Today’s Top 5 opens with Princess Polly at up to 80 per cent off, then Baku Swimwear, Graham s Jewellers, Telstra and General Pants Co.

Reporting Season Peak: BHP, CSL and the Health Care Nine

Tuesday 18 August 2026 is the biggest earnings day of the ASX August calendar. BHP Group reports full year FY26 before the market opens, and consensus figures compiled by Motley Fool Australia’s Tuesday preview put underlying EBITDA around 32 dollar 4 billion US, underlying NPAT around 10 dollar 8 billion US, and the final dividend around 1 dollar 56 Australian (fully franked). BHP’s July operational review already confirmed record iron ore production and its second consecutive year above 2 million tonnes of copper, so the swing factor today is how much cost inflation and China steel demand feed through into the FY27 outlook. Full guidance and payout details are in BHP s investor hub.

CSL follows at 10 o clock AEST with a briefing streamed from Melbourne. FY26 guidance set in February pointed to revenue around 15 dollar 2 billion US and NPATA around 3 dollar 1 billion, and the swing factor is Behring plasma margin recovery: analyst commentary through the run up has flagged Behring albumin and immunoglobulin pricing as the key line to watch. Cochlear reports at midday, Pro Medicus at 11, and Challenger, HUB24, Sims and Reliance Worldwide all release results today. For Australian shoppers, this cluster matters because superannuation balances shift on today s prints, and any large downgrade cluster tends to feed through into retailer promotion depth over the next three weeks as consumer confidence adjusts.

Westpac Consumer Sentiment: 10:30 AEST Release

The Westpac Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index for August lands today at 10:30am AEST. July printed at 83.9 (up 4.1 per cent month on month from June s 80.6), and the Trading Economics consensus is 81.7 for August, which would flag a modest pullback rather than a continued recovery. Any print below 82 keeps consumer sentiment in weak territory (below the neutral 100 line by more than 18 points), and any print above 85 would be the strongest reading since March 2022. The Westpac Red Book August 2026 is the same day companion piece and typically drops around 11am.

For shoppers, a soft sentiment print reinforces the cost of living squeeze narrative and validates why smart shoppers now hunt sale sections rather than shop full price. Retailers watching a soft print tend to hold discount depth through the spring reset rather than pulling promotions early: expect the current 40 to 80 per cent clearance across Princess Polly, Baku, Graham s, Telstra and General Pants to continue into next week rather than reset back to full price. A stronger than expected print would push retailers to reset floor pricing earlier and shrink the discount window, so today s number matters for anyone planning a mid week purchase.

CBA Ex Dividend Tomorrow: Last Day to Buy Today

Commonwealth Bank of Australia goes ex dividend on its FY26 final dividend of 2 dollar 70 per share (fully franked) tomorrow Wednesday 19 August 2026. Under the ASX T plus 2 settlement rule, today Tuesday is the last day investors can buy CBA shares and be on the register for the final dividend payment on 29 September. FY26 total dividends were 5 dollar 05 per share, up 4 per cent on FY25 s 4 dollar 85, and current market cap sits above 200 billion dollars. Ex dividend day typically sees the CBA share price open lower by approximately the dividend amount (2 dollar 70) all else equal, so today is also the last day for anyone considering a dividend capture trade before the reset.

For everyday shoppers not chasing dividends, CBA ex div matters because Wednesday will see the ASX 200 open lower by the CBA reset alone (roughly 15 index points on a 8000 level), and any big earnings misses today from BHP or CSL that push the miners or health care sector wider will amplify that Wednesday move. If you were planning to lock in a term deposit or transfer funds this week, the mid week Wednesday to Thursday window is when banking apps historically see the highest customer service call volumes because of ex div queries, so plan bill payments and transfers for today or Friday.

Amazon Back In Court: Two Live Federal Matters

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has two live Federal Court proceedings against Amazon that will bear on Australian Prime subscribers and marketplace shoppers through 2026 and 2027. The first, filed in June 2026, alleges Amazon Australia included five unfair contract terms in Prime subscription contracts with more than one million annual subscribers between November 2023 and August 2025, and relied on those terms to introduce advertising to Prime Video in July 2024, requiring subscribers to pay an additional 2 dollars 99 per month to remain ad free. The case is tracked by the Australian Financial Review, with maximum penalty per contravention the highest of 50 million dollars, three times the benefit obtained, or 30 per cent of adjusted turnover during the breach period. Case management and interlocutory hearing was set for 7 August 2026.

The second proceeding, filed 29 May 2026 as NSD905 of 2026 in the Federal Court New South Wales Registry, is the first time the ACCC has taken an online marketplace to Federal Court over a mandatory product safety standard. The ACCC concise statement alleges 41 non compliant Unicorn Toddler Backpacks (containing detachable button battery light up unicorn toys without mandatory warning labels) were sold through amazon.com.au and 267 were held in Amazon s Australian fulfilment centres as of 1 November 2022. The ACCC argues that under section 136 subsection 3 of the Australian Consumer Law, mere possession or control of non compliant goods (the receiving, storing, picking, packing and shipping Amazon does for third party sellers under Fulfilment by Amazon) is enough to put the marketplace itself on the hook. If successful, this reshapes marketplace safety liability for every Fulfilment by Amazon third party seller in Australia.

Week Ahead: July Jobs Thursday, Coles Tuesday 25, Woolies Wednesday 26

Wednesday 19 August delivers CBA ex dividend plus results from Iluka, Healius, Mirvac and Wesfarmers, plus the ABS Wage Price Index at 11:30am. Thursday 20 August at 11:30am AEST is the ABS July Labour Force Survey, and Westpac IQ s July preview is expecting unemployment steady at 4.4 per cent, employment plus 15 thousand and participation lifting to 66.9 per cent. Any soft print (unemployment above 4.5 per cent, or employment print below plus 5 thousand) would sharpen expectations of a September Reserve Bank cut, which flows directly to household mortgage headroom and discretionary retail spending.

Next week is peak grocery reporting: Coles Group hands down FY26 on Tuesday 25 August (media call 9:15am) with the IG earnings preview tracking consensus around 45 dollar 63 billion in sales, EBIT around 2 dollar 30 billion and final dividend per share around 43 cents (FY26 total DPS around 77 cents). Woolworths Group follows Wednesday 26 August, and the Woolworths investor page is the source. For shoppers, back to back grocery reports next Tuesday and Wednesday matter because both retailers use their FY presentation to signal price investment for the following six months. Any commentary flagging additional price investment tends to translate into more Everyday Rewards and Flybuys targeted offers through September and October.

ARC Data Backdrop: June Retail Held at 4.7 Per Cent

The Australian Retail Council s June 2026 analysis shows household retail spending at 39.68 billion dollars in June, up 4.7 per cent year on year but easing from May s 5.8 per cent as End of Financial Year sales delivered less real growth than the discount depth suggested. By category, cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services grew fastest at 7.1 per cent, household goods retailing lifted 6.3 per cent, clothing plus 3.9 per cent, and department stores and large online retailers were essentially flat at minus 0.1 per cent. The state numbers confirmed the resource state resilience: Northern Territory plus 8.8 per cent, Western Australia plus 7.5 per cent, Australian Capital Territory plus 3.1 per cent, New South Wales plus 3.2 per cent. For shoppers, the takeaway is that department store softness feeds through into deeper end of winter clearance today: this is why floor set changeover discounts this week are notably wider than in a typical August.

Today s Top 5 Deals of the Day

1Today’s Top
DiscountPrincess PollyWomen's WearUp to 80 per cent off Princess Polly: dresses, tops, denim, knitwear, activewear and accessories from the Gold Coast founded womenswear brand, with Afterpay, Zip, free Australian shipping over 50 dollars and international shipping to 100 plus countries.80%OFF2Baku SwimwearSwim & BeachUp to 70 per cent off Baku Swimwear: one pieces, bikinis, rashies, kaftans, cover ups and beach tote bags from the Australian swim label since 1988, with Afterpay, Zip, free Australian shipping over 100 dollars and cup sizing from A through G.70%OFF3Graham's JewellersJewelleryUp to 60 per cent off Graham’s Jewellers: diamond engagement rings, wedding bands, gold chains, tennis bracelets, pearl earrings and watches from the family owned Melbourne jeweller since 1922, with Afterpay, Zip and free Australian shipping over 500 dollars.60%OFF4TelstraTech & MobileUp to 50 per cent off Telstra: mobile phones, tablets, home broadband bundles, accessories, smartwatches and headphones from the Australian telco, with instalment plans, Telstra Plus points, free delivery Australia wide and click and collect at 350 plus stores.50%OFF5General Pants Co.Youth FashionUp to 40 per cent off General Pants Co.: denim, tees, sneakers, streetwear, dresses and jackets from Ksubi, Nudie, Levis, Wrangler and Rollas at the Australian youth fashion retailer since 1972, with Afterpay, Zip and free Australian shipping over 100 dollars.40%OFF

It s On Sale Daily Brief, Issue 79. Tuesday 18 August 2026. Curated by Neil Fairhead, CEO of It s On Sale. Read the archive at itsonsale.com.au/daily-brief.