Shopping now takes less time. Thanks to technology, you can get your weekly groceries, a new outfit and a used car delivered to your doorstep in a matter of hours. But this convenience comes at a price.
New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that fewer people shop daily today than 20 years ago, and those who do shop spend less time doing so. Yet we spend more money, probably because we no longer even have to open our wallets, let alone leave the house, to buy all the things we need or want.
Even though our efforts have waned, online shopping has led to a dramatic increase in retail spending over the past few decades. Whether it’s groceries or wardrobe, you’ve probably succumbed to more impulse purchases because it’s so damn easy.
We spend less time shopping
Between 2003 and 2023, the percentage of people who shop on any given day will have dropped from about 46% to just under 40%, according to the American Time Use Survey, an annual publication by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that examines how we spend our time.
And when we go shopping, we are a little faster. The time people spend shopping each day fell by about six minutes over the 20-year period.
One way to look at this in terms of efficiency is that we are getting better at shopping – we can do what we need to do in less time and in fewer days. But efficiency means we get a greater return for our efforts. In this case, it may only be a small gain in time because we are actually buying more.
Our efficiency costs us money; online shopping is probably to blame
Retail sales, a measure that comes closest to defining shopping (though it does not include purchases of services, which the Time Use Survey does), show a 37% increase—from $437 billion per month in the first quarter of 2003 to $597 billion twenty years later, adjusted for inflation. And one category within this data has experienced even more dramatic growth.
Over the past two decades, online shopping has gone from a novelty to a commonplace affair. Spending on “electronic shopping and mail-order stores” — the old-fashioned-sounding U.S. Census Bureau category that applies to your late-night couch-shopping sprees — has grown from about $17 billion to $99 billion since 2003, adjusted for inflation. That’s an increase of about 470%. And adjusting for inflation means we’re not only spending more, we’re buying more “stuff.” It turns out that when you don’t have to leave the house or even get dressed to find a new hat or hats, you’re more likely to buy something.
Slow down the purchasing process
When I’m getting ready for a vacation, I always find myself buying more things for my trip simply because it’s convenient. I order two scarves to compare and keep the one I want; blister balm and a few bandages for the inevitable foot pain I’ll get from walking around; everything in travel size so I don’t have to check luggage; and a few new outfits to break in while abroad. Twenty years ago, this probably would have taken me multiple trips to multiple stores and I wouldn’t have made all of these purchases. But now I do it because I can. And it’s this frictionless shopping experience that makes it easy to overspend.
It’s one thing to shop for the things you need within your means, but it’s another to feel guilty when the packages pile up outside your door. If you find yourself buying more stuff than you want, it can be helpful to speed up the otherwise smooth process by putting a few brakes on it:
Shop with intention. Browsing aimlessly can lead to you buying things you don’t really need. Before you head to your favorite retailer just to “see what’s new,” ask yourself what you’re really looking for. If you don’t need a new pair of pants or another basic white t-shirt, maybe wait until you really have a reason to shop before you head into the middle of your favorite virtual store.
Set shopping times and avoid impulse purchases. Limit the days or times of day you shop. While it’s not the same as having to leave the house, find a parking spot, and fight through crowds, limiting yourself to specific shopping times will help you focus on your goals. Not to mention, it will create a waiting period when you shop impulsively.
Set a waiting time, if possible. Filled your cart? Great, now walk away. Take a time out between the selection and purchase process. This pause can help you gain perspective on potential purchases, and you can clear a few things before paying. However, some retailers use this tactic and give you a limited amount of time before they empty your cart for you. Don’t let their timer pressure you into making a purchase decision you’re not entirely sure about.
Review your purchases regularly. Once a week or once a month, sit down and look at your purchases from the previous period. What did you buy? What did you end up returning? What should you have returned but didn’t? Reflecting on your recent purchases can help you identify patterns or spending categories that you may be able to work on.
