Shoppers Still Buy Online, but Promotions Face Greater Scrutiny
Economic pressure has not stopped U.S. consumers from shopping online, but it is changing how they decide what to buy. Feedvisor’s “2026 Consumer Commerce Report” finds that many shoppers are comparing prices more often, waiting for sales and using more coupons or cashback. The figures point to a tougher environment for marketers: demand remains, but offers have to withstand closer examination.
In the survey, 87% of U.S. consumers said economic factors had changed how they shop. At the same time, 52% said they buy online at least weekly, and 88% do so at least monthly. The results suggest that shopping frequency and financial caution can coexist. For brands, the challenge is not simply to bring consumers back to online shopping, but to make the value of a purchase clear.
More comparison before checkout
Forty-five percent of respondents said they compare prices more than they did a year earlier. Another 41% said they wait for sales, while 31% reported increased use of coupons or cashback. Among shoppers who are doing more price comparison, nearly half check three retailers before making a purchase.
That behavior raises the stakes for retention as well as acquisition. A promotion may prompt a visit, but shoppers can readily weigh it against competing offers. Loyalty efforts that depend on repeated discounts could therefore face pressure if customers see little distinction between one retailer’s deal and another’s. The report does not establish which loyalty tactics work best, but its findings underscore the importance of making an offer’s value understandable and credible.
Small discretionary purchases persist
The survey also complicates a simple account of consumers cutting all nonessential spending. Fifty-six percent said they buy something to improve their mood at least once a month, and 34% do so weekly or more. Clothing, groceries and beauty were the leading categories cited. Spending remains bounded, however: 44% said they cap these purchases at $10 to $20.
For marketers, those figures indicate that some discretionary demand remains, particularly for relatively modest purchases. They do not mean consumers are unconcerned about price. Rather, the report describes shoppers balancing small indulgences against tighter limits. Brands seeking repeat business may need to communicate not only a product’s appeal, but why the purchase fits the customer’s priorities and budget.
Promotional trust is not guaranteed
Consumers expressed reservations about major sales events. Just 49% said events such as Prime Day and Black Friday offer genuine savings. Twenty-eight percent said deal quality had declined or felt artificial, while 15% said they were tired of sales and ignored promotions.
Views also varied by age. Thirty-eight percent of respondents aged 18 to 29 said deal quality had declined or seemed artificial, compared with 22% of those aged 65 and older. Older consumers, meanwhile, were more likely to tune out sales altogether. The findings describe different forms of skepticism: some shoppers question whether a discount is real, while others have become less responsive to promotions in general.
That distinction matters for customer communication. Simply increasing the volume or frequency of discount messaging may not address doubts about whether a deal represents genuine savings, and it may do little for people who have stopped paying attention. Marketers can take the report as a reason to make promotional claims easier to assess and to consider value beyond price, including convenience or enjoyment. The survey’s central signal is that consumers continue to buy, but are doing more work to decide when an offer is worth accepting.
