An Omnisend survey finds 66% of Americans switching to cheaper brands, with rising cart abandonment and hidden purchases reflecting financial strain.
Financial pressure is reshaping not only what Americans buy, but how they feel about spending.
A new survey from Omnisend, based on responses from 1,072 Americans, found that 66 percent have switched to cheaper products in the past year, 60 percent abandon online shopping carts in the hope of getting a discount, and 44 percent admit to hiding an online purchase from someone in their lives.
Taken together, the findings suggest that tighter household budgets are driving both behavioral and emotional shifts. As more consumers trade down to less expensive brands and delay purchases in search of deals, spending decisions appear to carry greater psychological weight.
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Secrecy and Justification
Among those who said they had hidden an online purchase, 21 percent cited a spouse or partner as the person they concealed it from. Fourteen percent said they hid purchases from children in the household, while 12 percent pointed to parents or friends.
When asked why, respondents offered a mix of financial and emotional reasons: 17 percent said the item was expensive, 15 percent described it as unnecessary or impulsive, and another 15 percent said it felt personal or embarrassing.
Deal-driven shopping may be intensifying that tension. Fifty-eight percent acknowledged buying something primarily because it seemed like a good deal, even if it was not needed.
“People are feeling more accountable for every dollar, especially at home,” said Marty Bauer, an e-commerce expert at Omnisend. “When money is tighter, purchases carry more weight.”
Trading Down
Two-thirds of respondents said they had switched to cheaper alternatives either often or occasionally over the past year. Among them:
- 57 percent chose lower-priced brands
- 46 percent opted for private-label or store brands
- 29 percent selected simpler products with fewer features
- 26 percent purchased second-hand or refurbished items
Only 7.5 percent said they responded to higher prices by simply buying less rather than substituting.
For many shoppers, discovering that a lower-cost product performs adequately can permanently alter brand loyalty, Bauer said, as consumers recalibrate their expectations.
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Waiting for the Real Price
Price sensitivity is also reshaping how Americans navigate online checkouts. Half of the respondents said they wait for sales or promotions before buying. Forty-three percent compare prices across multiple websites, and 40 percent search for discount codes before completing a purchase.
Sixty percent reported abandoning carts at least occasionally in anticipation of a follow-up discount or reminder email. Nearly 19 percent delay purchases even when they intend to buy.
Years of aggressive online promotions have conditioned shoppers to assume that the first price is rarely the final one, Bauer said. Waiting has become embedded in the purchase journey — and paying full price can feel like a misstep.
In an environment of economic uncertainty, the psychology of shopping appears to be evolving alongside household budgets, with thrift increasingly shaping not just transactions but the emotions surrounding them.
