Impulse buying is up despite financial crunch. Here's why

Even though American consumers are feeling a financial crunch in their wallets, that's not stopping many from buying on impulse, according to a new study.

Fifty-three percent of consumers surveyed by PartnerCentric said their overall budget is tighter in 2026 than in 2025. But 81% of consumers said they have made an impluse purchase so far in 2026. The average number of impulse buys was seven, with the median spend being $50 per purchase. The average spent on a single largest impulse buy was $355.

“The consumer economy is in a weird place right now. A majority of consumers say their budgets are tighter this year, and yet they’re still buying beyond necessities," Stephanie Harris, Founder and CEO of PartnerCentric, told USA TODAY.

"In fact, Gen Z and Millennials are most likely to report making impulse purchases in 2026, at 86% and 85%,'' she said. "What’s driving it isn’t just need. It’s emotion and the desire for a small reward when life feels expensive and high pressure.”

What did people buy on impulse?

The top category for impulse purchase was food or beverages at 54% while clothing came in second (53%), electronics came in at 35% and shoes or accessories at 26%.

The top reason for the impulse purchase was price, with 65% citing that reason while 64% said they were deserving a treat or reward. Forty-one percent of respondents said it made them feel good in the moment, and 28% said they didn't know they wanted it until they saw it.

But there were generational differences.

The largest number of Gen Z shoppers, 74%, said they deserved a little treat or reward, compared to 59% of Millennials, 62% of Gen Xers and 50% of Baby Boomers. Baby Boomers came out on top for buying impulsively because of the price point or a good deal, with 71% jumping on a bargain compared to 67% of Millennials, 65% of Gen Xers and 63% of Gen Zers.

Women tended to impulse buy clothing, food and beauty products while men bought electronics, food and clothing.

Online or major e-commerce sites were also the top location for impulse purchases at 64% compared to 36% of purchases made in person at a big-box store, 34% at the grocery store and 22% on vacation.

Why do people impulse buy?

Impulse buying is often driven by the interaction between emotion, environment and immediate gratification, said Sining Wang, assistant economics professor at Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management. Wang teaches courses in economic behavior and psychology, among others.

Modern retail environments, especially online platforms, are designed to reduce friction and encourage quick decisions through personalized recommendations, limited-time offers, one-click purchasing and constant exposure to products, Wang told USA TODAY.

Shoppers don't always make a decision in a fully rational or long-term optimizing way, said Wang.

"Emotional states can temporarily shift our attention away from future consequences and toward immediate rewards," he said.

Buying something can create a short-term feeling of pleasure, control or even accomplishment, he said.

"This is especially true when purchases are relatively small individually, even if they can accumulate over time," Wang said.

Stress can add to impulse buying

Stress also plays a major role in impulse buying, Wang said. Under stress, people often experience reduced self-control and increased desire for immediate comfort or reward.

"Shopping can temporarily relieve anxiety or create a sense of control during uncertain periods. This is one reason impulse buying sometimes rises during periods of economic uncertainty, demanding work schedules or broader social stress," Wang said.

There is also evidence that mental fatigue affects decision-making quality, he said. When individuals are cognitively exhausted, they are less likely to carefully evaluate purchases and more likely to rely on emotional or habitual decision-making, Wang said.

Tips to avoid impulse buying

Here are some ways you can avoid or curb your impulse buying, according to Wang:

• Introduce a “cooling-off” period before making non-essential purchases, especially online. Waiting 24 hours can significantly reduce emotionally driven decisions. 
• Avoid shopping when stressed, emotionally upset or overly tired. 
• Use shopping lists and predefined budgets to create structure before entering stores or websites. 
• Remove saved credit card information from online retailers to increase friction in the purchasing process. 
• Track small discretionary purchases over time. Consumers often underestimate how quickly small impulse purchases accumulate.
• Be cautious of marketing tactics designed to create urgency, such as countdown timers or “limited stock” messaging.

"Impulse buying itself is not always harmful, but problems tend to arise when repeated emotional spending becomes disconnected from longer-term financial goals," Wang said.

Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher and @blinfisher.bsky.social on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which breaks down complex consumer and financial news. Subscribe here.