This article was originally published on techradar.com.au
End of financial year sales form one of the biggest shopping events in Australia, and EOFY is soon approaching on June 30. In the lead up, you’ll find lots of Aussie retailers offering significant discounts on all things tech, plus deals on kitchen appliances, cars and beyond.
EOFY sales is a great time of year to pick up new gear for the office or your work-from-home set-up, but it’s not just about computer and laptop sales at tax time – you can also find great deals on phones, TVs, headphones and even gaming consoles, all with a discount.
It’s a time of year when Australian retailers will be looking to clear stock – quite often last year’s stock – to make way for newer items arriving in the year. With so many EOFY sales going on at once, it can be a lot to trawl through.
EOFY 2022 sales: what is it and when is it?
Australia’s end of financial year is June 30. That means, from July 1 to the end of October 2022, individuals and businesses will need to file their tax returns with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
Prior to EOFY, retailers will be racing to shift old stock to make way for fresh items, and they’ll be slashing prices on plenty of products – which could be tax deductible if you use them for work-related purposes.
Australia’s EOFY sales traditionally begin June 1 and end on June 30, although many retailers jump the gun, offering a few tempting discounts to lure shoppers in towards the end of May. The best EOFY discounts will arrive in June though, and don’t expect to see all retailers coming out with month-long sales.
We’ve been following the EOFY sales for quite a few years now, and we’ve found that deals often change throughout the month, so you’ll need to keep checking back in to see if what you’re after has seen a price drop. If you time it right, you can score yourself a fantastic deal.
EOFY 2022 sales: deal predictions
If you want to save some money on electronics during Australia’s EOFY sales, you’ve come to the right place. We’re very familiar with tax-time deals, and can offer some predictions as to what might go on sale during EOFY 2022.
So, what kind of tech can you find during EOFY sales in Australia? Plenty – from laptops, computers, gaming consoles and gaming peripherals, to last year’s OLED TVs and noise-cancelling headphones. Here are our predictions for EOFY 2022:
Laptops, PCs & peripherals
Computing gear are some of the most popular items purchased during EOFY. Manufacturers such as Dell, HP, Lenovo and Microsoft are all likely to host sales on their sites, but you’ll also be able to grab laptops and desktop PCs from major retailers as well, with average discounts of about 15% to 20%.
You’ll be able to snag bargains on accessories as well, with printers, keyboards, mice and SSDs all going on sale during this time. We’ve also spotted lots of deals on AMD Ryzen CPUs lately, so keep an eye out for these too.
Gaming
Last year’s EOFY gaming discounts mainly landed on the Nintendo Switch console, but an unexpected deal did pop up on the Xbox Series S, which got a massive 25% discount through Big W’s eBay store.
There’s a possibility EOFY 2022 will deliver another big saving on the Xbox Series S, but considering the current-gen PS5 and Xbox Series X are in such short supply and often out of stock, we can almost guarantee there won’t be any surprise deals for them.
On the other hand, the Nintendo Switch OLED and Switch Lite could see some cracking deals (and keep an eye out for bundles too). There’ll also be some blockbuster gaming titles available for cheap if you’d like to expand your gaming library.
Smartphones & tablets
Good smartphone discounts are few and far between throughout the year, with decent deals on the iPhone 13 range and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra particularly hard to come by. Last year saw some small discounts on the then-current iPhone 12, with Telstra offering up to AU$200 off.
Android fans fared a little better, with up to AU$250 off the Google Pixel 4a. We’re less sure about what we’ll see this EOFY, but you might be able to score a good iPhone deal by checking out retailers such as Amazon, JB Hi-Fi or Telstra. Tablet sales are plummeting this year, which could potentially sway retailers to bring them down in price.
TVs, soundbars, speakers & headphones
There’s been plenty of TVs, soundbars and speakers on sale during the last couple of EOFY sales, so we don't expect that trend to change any time soon. We’ve already seen huge deals on sets such as the excellent LG C1 OLED outside of busy sales periods, while the superb Samsung QN85A Neo QLED got an insane AU$856 price cut last EOFY. With this in mind, we’re looking forward to seeing if these top TVs will drop during 2022 tax-time.
Portable speakers and headphones are another likely candidate for deals. We’re expecting to see deals on the top-notch Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, now that the Sony WH-1000XM5 has been announced. For Bose fans, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are another set of cans that could get a steep price cut. If you prefer true wireless earbuds, keep an eye out for good savings on the Apple AirPods Pro, as these buds have seen several discounts on Amazon of late.
Cameras
The EOFY sales are also a great time for photographers – beginners, pros or hobbyists – to grab the latest gear. Last year saw some huge discounts on cameras, with a highlight being the Sony Alpha A7R IV, which got AU$1,950 slashed off its RRP.
EOFY sales on DSLRs, mirrorless cameras and compacts are all possible this year, or if you’re happy with the camera body you already own, keep an eye out for deals on lenses, tripods, bags and SD cards as well.
Smart home devices
Smart gadgets can now be found for every room in the home – from smart lights to smart security systems, and the speakers and displays to control them all. Last year’s EOFY sales didn’t see too many discounts on smart home devices, but a few retailers offered discounts on Google's Nest range – in particular the Google Nest Audio speaker and the Google Nest Wifi mesh networking system (which doubles as a smart speaker).
Home appliances
If the appliances in your home are feeling a little tired, the EOFY sales will help you save plenty on the brand-new appliances you want. You can expect to see bargains on Dyson vacuum cleaners, robovacs, fridges, dishwashers, washing machines and plenty more. Retailers such as Myer, David Jones and Peter's of Kensington will certainly have sales, where you could find great deals on smaller kitchen appliances too.
Click here for best offers from last year
Bowen's Customs and Logistics Quicklinks: