Americans Are Spending Less on Impulse Purchases in 2023 Than in Prior Years, According to Annual Survey Commissioned by Slickdeals

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Jul 26, 2023, 09:03 ET

Thirty-eight percent of US Adults have decreased the amount of impulse spending this year, as compared to 14% in 2022 and 16% in 2021

LOS ANGELES, July 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Impulse buying is down in 2023, according to an annual survey commissioned by Slickdeals, the only shopping platform powered by millions of avid shoppers sharing and discovering the most up-to-date online deals and coupons.

Commissioned by Slickdeals and conducted by OnePoll, the study of 2,000 American impulse shoppers found that 38% have decreased the amount of impulse spending this year, as compared to 14% in 2022 and 16% in 2021.

The number of impulse purchases per month also saw a dip this year, with the average respondent making just six impulse purchases per month. That number is down from twelve purchases per month both in 2022 and 2021 and nine per month in 2020.

Respondents are also spending less overall on impulse purchases. The average person is only spending $151 impulsively per month, which is down from previous years ($314 in 2022, $276 in 2021 and $183 in 2020).

Seven in ten have saved money as a result of holding back on their impulse shopping habits, an increase from what was reported in previous studies (58% in 2022).

Seventy-seven percent have been conscientious about their budget this year because of inflation — 39% said they spend more impulsively on necessities than luxuries (19%). The most common impulse shopping categories this year are clothing (55%), food and groceries (50%), and household items (42%).

A third (35%) said some of their impulse buys were done to escape the feeling of FOMO, a steep decrease from 2022, where 67% made purchases to be part of the "in" crowd.

"With shoppers stating that they are more likely to make impulse purchases on necessities than luxuries, while simultaneously reporting a decrease in impulse spending, we may be seeing a shift in how consumers define an impulse purchase," said Vitaly Pecharsky, head of deals for Slickdeals. "Shopping opportunistically when there's a sale on something you need like toilet paper or pantry snacks can ultimately save you money in the long run."

Results found that 36% of respondents admit most of their purchases were impulsive, compared to 73% in 2022.

And while 48% said they shop the most from their phones (up from 33% in 2022), only 43% are more likely to spend impulsively while shopping from bed — a sharp decrease from 71% last year.

While 32% in 2022 reported they would only make impulsive purchases if an item was on sale, 58% this year would make the same claim. Over half (53%) always or often look for deals or coupons before making a purchase.

Pecharsky added, "Budgeting for impulse purchases may seem counterintuitive, but by shopping when there's a sale on something that you need, you are spending less on items that you likely would have purchased anyway. By tapping into a community like the one at Slickdeals, shoppers can ensure they're getting the best products at the best prices."

9 COMMON IMPULSE BUYS OF 2023

Clothing - 55%
Food/groceries - 50%
Household items - 42%
Shoes - 32%
Takeout - 23%
Books - 21%
Toys - 20%
Technology - 19%
Coffee - 18%

To learn more about the survey, visit here.

About Slickdeals

Slickdeals is the only shopping platform powered by a volunteer army of 12 million avid shoppers helping other shoppers find, evaluate and share the most up-to-date online deals and coupons from all the top retailers. Through community powered shopping, Slickdeals has saved shoppers $10 billion by providing a forum for deal discovery and shopping discussion; as well as shopping tools such as its free Android or iOS app and its browser extension for Chrome, Firefox and Edge. Slickdeals regularly ranks as one of the top ten most visited shopping sites in the U.S. per Similarweb.

Survey methodology

This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 American impulse shoppers was commissioned by Slickdeals between May 9 and May 13, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR)

SOURCE Slickdeals