You’ll Need A Drink To Process How Much Drunk Americans Spent While Shopping Online Last Year

how much drunk americans spend shopping online

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In my experience, alcohol has a tendency to make you think objectively stupid ideas are actually some of the most brilliant things your mind has ever dreamed up, which is why the internet is filled with videos of college kids yelling “My dad’s a lawyer!” while getting tossed around like a rag doll because they thought it would be a good idea to try to take on a bouncer twice their size.

Of course, if you’ve ever woken up on a Saturday morning with an unexpected email from Amazon in your inbox, you know all too well getting into ill-advised physical altercations is far from the only way to shoot yourself in the foot while you’re getting your drink on.

Over the years, I’ve made a number of inebriated purchases that I probably shouldn’t have, and while I don’t necessarily regret buying an autographed picture of Paul Giamatti in Cinderella Man on eBay a couple of years ago, I fully acknowledge it probably wasn’t the best financial decision at the time.

Thankfully, I can take solace in knowing I’m far from alone. In 2017, Americans collectively spent $30 billion while shopping online in an inebriated state, but according to VinePair and a study by Finder, we got even more reckless last year:

Over the past 12 months, inebriated U.S. shoppers spent $39.4 billion, compared with $30.43 billion the year before. Though the number of Americans that admitted to sipping and spending actually dropped compared with 2018 (26 percent down from 46 percent).

This means that while fewer people are making drunken purchases, each individual is spending a lot more when they do so. The study of around 2,000 people revealed that, on average, Americans spent $736 while intoxicated over the course of the year, up from $447.50 in 2018.

The study said men are more likely to make drunken purchases online and that millennials spend more than any other generation while browsing while buzzed.

Based on my personal experience, that sounds about right.

Connor Toole avatar and headshot for BroBible
Connor Toole is the Deputy Editor at BroBible. He is a New England native who went to Boston College and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. Frequently described as "freakishly tall," he once used his 6'10" frame to sneak in the NBA Draft and convince people he was a member of the Utah Jazz.