See How Much the Average American Spends Online Shopping

It’s hard to beat the convenience of online shopping, but this can be a double-edged sword. It’s now easier than ever to get anything you want with the click of a button, but this also means it’s easier than ever to spend money.

But just how much are Americans spending online shopping? To find out, BadCredit.org surveyed over 800 Americans about their spending habits. See how your online shopping habits compare.

Many Americans Actually Spend Less Than They Think

When asked how much they think they spend every month online shopping, the average American said that they spent $628. But when they were asked to do the math and see how much they are actually spending, based on credit card and bank statements, the average American found that they spend $513 a month.

While this is still a significant amount of money, it is interesting that the average American overestimated their online spending by $115. “This discrepancy highlights the disconnect between perception and reality that many American online shoppers have,” the survey concluded.

Americans Spend the Most on Food and Grocery Delivery

Food and beverage orders account for the largest portion of most Americans’ online shopping spending, with the average American spending $167 on groceries, meal delivery services and takeout each month, the survey found. The next highest spending category is clothes, with the average monthly spending at $105.

Other top online spending categories include consumer electronics, with an average spend of $94 per month; shoes, with an average spend of $80 per month; self-care, with an average spend of $53 per month; and home goods, with an average spend of $46 per month.

Americans’ Online Shopping Habits

Most Americans now do at least half of their shopping online. The survey found that 3 in 5 Americans do 50% or more of their shopping online, and 44% of Americans shop online at least once a week.

The most popular items to buy online include clothing (69%); consumer electronics (50%); books, movies, music and games (50%); shoes (48%); and personal care items (48%).

Nearly One-Third of Americans Admit to Overspending Online

Some Americans are making an effort to keep their online shopping under control, but many admit they are not doing so. Nearly 4 in 10 Americans (39%) said they have a budget for online shopping and 20% actively use budgeting tools or apps to track their online spending, but 32% admit they often go over budget.

Overall, 27% of Americans said they are concerned about their online shopping habits, with Gen Z being the most concerned — 34% of this generation thinks they are overspending. Additionally, 44% of Americans are trying to reduce their online spending this year. Gen Z is the generation who most wants to curb their spending, with 58% saying they want to spend less online shopping in 2024.

Tips for Curbing Your Online Shopping Spending

If you’re part of the 44% of Americans who want to reduce their online shopping, there are some proactive steps you can take to cut back.

Stick to a Budget, but Allow for Flexibility

Vanessa N. Martinez, CEO and managing partner at Expressive Wealth, recommends adding a healthy level of flexibility to your budget.

“This allows you to not feel trapped, but pulls you back when you have gone too far,” she said. “Create a spreadsheet of your spending for the past six months to one year. This can help you see the damage you’ve been doing. Maybe it’s a $10 or $30 item and you think it’s not that much, but if at the end of the month you’ve spent over $1,000 on small unnecessary items, you might be more inclined to think twice moving forward. You can save that $1,000 for a weekend getaway, a new house or a necessary big-ticket item.”

Think Before You Click

Before checking out your online shopping cart, give yourself time to think about your purchase.

“[Ask yourself], is it something you really need or only something you really want?” Martinez said.

Make It Harder To Spend

According to the survey, the ease of purchasing is the No. 1 reason it’s so easy to overspend when you’re shopping online — so you need to make it more difficult.

“Build obstacles to make it harder to shop,” Martinez said. “When the habit has gone too far, there need to be more aggressive measures like deleting your most used apps.”

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