Black Effing Friday!
Over it? Save 35% + much more!
Black Friday
Every November, I brace for it - and every year, it starts earlier. “Black Friday Sale!” on November 1st. Or October 28th. Or whenever some marketing department decides the calendar is merely a suggestion.
Here’s the thing: Black Friday was never meant to be a month-long retail occupation.
It began in the 1960s in the US - a single Friday when stores flipped their ledgers from red to black after Thanksgiving. It didn’t go global until the late 2000s when Amazon and a handful of big-box retailers exported the tradition along with pumpkin spice and over-zealous cheer.
And yes, it worked. For them.
But what does a four-week discount marathon do to small retailers?
It pulls sales forward, dilutes margins, crushes in-store (and online) traffic, and conditions customers to wait for discounts instead of buying at normal prices. Independents can’t offer 40% off for 30 days. They’re lucky to offer 10% off for 48 hours without erasing their profit line.
The result? “Black Friday Month” becomes a race to the bottom that only the biggest stores can afford to win - both online and on the ground.
So here’s my modest proposal: Let’s put Black Friday back in its box. A three-day sprint - Friday to Sunday - and then we can all get on with December like grown-ups.
Also it’s a US tradition tied to US holidays, US retail cycles and US consumer behaviour. Australia doesn’t have to mimic every imported trend, especially ones that punish local shops while global giants carpet-bomb us with algorithmic discounts.
Keep it short. Keep it sharp. Keep it in November’s last weekend - not the whole month. Maybe we could have an Australia Day sales program instead? Again that needs to be short!
We support your local retailers. They actually live here. And on that note:
Buy local!
For a limited time - Friday 28th to Sunday 30th November, 8pm (it has to stop sometime!) - get your hands on my SEQ Ready Reckoner Reports with exclusive Matusik Missive savings.
Individually each report: usually $192.50
But until Sunday 30th November: just $125 - saving you 35%
Box Set (10 reports): usually $1,540
But for the next few days the Box Set is just $1,000 - saving you 35%
And if you buy the box set you also get a 30-minute chat with me (if you could stomach that!) via Zoom or Teams
Your purchase may even be tax-deductible — check with your accountant.
Use the coupon BlackFriday35 to save 35% available only between Friday 28th to Sunday 30th November, 8pm.
Ten Ready Reckoners in under two minutes flat
Noosa Shire
Australia’s coastal gem - high prices, low supply, and a strong retiree market shaping limited local housing options. The Noosa Ready Reckoner unpacks shifting demand, worker displacement to Gympie, and what’s driving premium growth despite affordability strain. A must-read for anyone chasing the next Byron Bay - minus the hype.
Sunshine Coast
Lifestyle rich, income light. This report shows how the Coast’s retiree economy, soaring land values and record low rental vacancies are reshaping demand. It also flags where supply can still expand - before the current price surge runs out of puff. The essential blueprint for the Sunshine State’s golden strip.
Moreton Bay
Queensland’s quiet powerhouse - strong population growth, rising construction capacity and vast infill potential. The Moreton Bay Ready Reckoner highlights where new supply can actually be delivered and what’s driving the region’s shift from dormitory suburb to economic hub. Smart investors should start here, not Brisbane’s backyard.
Brisbane City Council
Australia’s Olympic host city and SEQ’s beating heart. This Ready Reckoner tracks the capital’s planning pipeline, housing mix, affordability pinch and post-2032 market outlook. It’s the essential reference for developers and planners navigating the city’s next housing cycle and the infrastructure boom already reshaping its skyline.
Redland
Coastal, constrained, and coveted. Redland faces a widening gap between approvals and actual construction - meaning land values are surging while supply lags. The Ready Reckoner reveals where new opportunities remain, which suburbs are running hot, and why the bayside still holds untapped potential for gentle density projects.
Gold Coast
From glitter strip to growth machine. The Gold Coast Ready Reckoner charts its infrastructure wave, record migration, and affordability squeeze. It explains how this city of sun and surf is heading toward 800,000 residents by 2032 - and what that means for builders, investors, and policy makers alike.
Logan
Brisbane’s southern engine room - where affordability meets expansion. The Logan Ready Reckoner dives into population surges, land release trends, and the next 100,000 homes challenge. It’s a data-driven guide showing how this growth corridor can meet demand while keeping prices within reach of first home buyers.
Ipswich
SEQ’s most affordable market - but tightening fast. The Ipswich Ready Reckoner examines strong population growth, stretched building capacity, and the emerging undersupply in new dwellings. It’s a vital read for anyone tracking where future SEQ expansion will actually occur - and at what price point.
Lockyer Valley
Rural heart meets urban spill. The Lockyer Valley Ready Reckoner shows how major industrial investment and migration overflow from Ipswich are transforming local housing. It highlights the region’s affordable-housing edge and explains why attached dwellings are now outperforming detached homes. The SEQ frontier is shifting west.
Toowoomba
Queensland’s inland capital - evolving from rural centre to regional powerhouse. The Toowoomba Ready Reckoner explores growth drivers, demographic change, and new housing feasibility. It reveals how steady jobs, lifestyle demand and infrastructure links are underpinning future expansion - making Toowoomba one to watch in SEQ’s next decade.
Use the coupon BlackFriday35 to save 35% available only between Friday 28th to Sunday 30th November, 8pm.