Money Matters - Impulse Buy Survey

A new consumer survey on the purchase process by PartnerCentric found that 81% of consumers have made at least 1 impulse buy in 2026 so far.

• Average number of impulse purchases in Q1: 7
• Median spend: $350 total, $50 per purchase
• Top categories: Food, clothing, electronics
• 49% of Gen Zers made impulse buys on social media shops like TikTok

Why? Equal parts price motivation and emotional reward, with nearly 2 in 3 citing deserving a treat. Another 1 in 6 impulse buy to relieve anxiety, and 1 in 5 do so to relieve boredom. Unfortunately this does cost: 34% cite financial anxiety due to impulse buys, and 62% regret purchases at least part of the time. 

The full report, linked above, also shows how AI is affecting the planned purchase process, with 29% saying AI changed their mind on a purchase.