How Americans Really Shop, Decide, and Save in 2026 [Data Study]

Whether it’s books, electronics, or even groceries, you can get almost anything online anymore. U.S. retail e-commerce sales ballooned to more than$1.2 trillion in 2025, an all-time high representing cultural shifts in the way Americans shop and spend online.

Once a convenience, now a default, Americans are online shopping like never before, including buying from their phones in bed and turning to AI for product comparisons. These trends, however, aren’t equally prevalent. Shopping behavior varies by group, and especially by generation.

To understand how Americans actually shop, decide, and save online in 2026, our FinanceBuzz research team partnered with Bank of America to survey 2,000 U.S. adults about their online shopping habits, uncovering major differences in the way Americans view and interact with online retailers.

Key findings

• 93% of Americans shopped online in the last week, and the average household receives 2.9 packages a week, equating to about 150 per year.
• 84% have made an online purchase from bed, and 71% have shopped online during work hours. Both of these numbers climb sharply among Gen Z Americans.
• While 94% of shoppers still consult customer reviews before buying, 80% of Americans have also used AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude to help make shopping decisions.
• 94% say free shipping is a deciding factor in where they shop, and 81% admit to adding items to their cart just to hit a free-shipping threshold.
• 72% factor rewards or cashback categories into which credit card they use online, and 70% say those rewards are important when choosing a card.

How many Americans shop online in 2026?

According to our survey respondents, 93% of Americans said they made an online purchase in the last week, including Amazon shopping, groceries, and any other purchase made on a phone or computer. Generationally, age groups didn’t vary much, ranging from 90-94% of all age groups we surveyed.

That volume adds up. On average, American households receive 2.9 packages per week from online orders, equating to 12.6 a month and over 150 a year.

It’s also a trend that is growing: 68% of Americans say they shop online more often than they did five years ago, compared to just 14% who say they shop online less today.

The online/in-store blur: What Americans still buy in person

Just because Americans are shopping online doesn’t mean they’re shopping for everythingonline.

Some categories have gone almost fully online, and it makes sense that the more digital the product, the more digital the purchase: 77% of respondents said they typically buy cable or internet services online versus just 12% who typically go to a physical store, the highest category gap we found. Small electronics like chargers and headphones (70%), books and media (62%), and new phones and phone plans (50%) also were at the top of the online-preferred list.

As items get larger, they also tend to be purchased in-store more frequently: cars (4%), furniture (18%), and appliances (22%) were some of the least likely categories to be purchased online.

Still, some surprises were on the list. With more services like Instacart, DoorDash, and others that deliver groceries, 58% of Americans still prefer to buy in-store versus 15% online. Even more of a gap, shoppers significantly prefer in-store purchases for alcohol (80%) versus online (5%).

The most interesting category is the middle ground. Clothing, pet supplies, and home decor are all close to an even three-way split between online, in-person, and “about equally both.”

That middle ground is also where some credit cards can come in handy. For instance, the Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card features a broad list of online retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, Costco, and more. That can help you streamline your online spending and shop for items you’d traditionally be on the fence about buying in person, while earning up to 6% cash back during your first year.

Shopping online while in store

That in-between behavior shows up more prominently in some confessions respondents made about their in-store shopping behaviors. We asked a series of questions to find out how many respondents use their phones for various things while shopping online, finding that 73% of Americans have tried on or tested a product in-store with the intention of buying it online later, and 56% have gone a step further and actually made the purchase online while standing in the store.

Meanwhile, 89% have looked up online reviews while shopping in person, and 94% have price-compared a product against other retailers.

When and how Americans shop: from bed, at work, and (usually) on a phone

Most online shopping happens in the evening: 44% of Americans say they do most of their online shopping between 5 and 9 p.m., followed by the afternoon (27%).

But the “where” is often more revealing than the “when.” 84% of Americans have made an online purchase while lying in bed, a figure that climbs to 93% among Gen Z and 90% among Millennials, compared to just 51% of Baby Boomers.

Shopping on the clock is common too: 71% have made a personal online purchase during work hours, again led by Gen Z (76%) and Millennials (77%) versus 33% of Boomers.

Do Americans shop on their phones or computers for bigger purchases?

While mobile shopping is the default for many, our data reveals that for most Americans, it also depends on how much they’re spending. 75% of shoppers say they switch from their phone to a computer for bigger purchases since that typically involves fewer taps and less risk of a misclick.

The typical shopper draws that line at a $274 purchase on average, though the median threshold for switching to a bigger screen among our respondents was $100.

How Americans decide what to buy, and who they trust

How Americans make purchases is one thing, but how they decide to make purchases is a psychology in and of itself. When we asked about the most common sources customers consult before making an online purchase, we found a list of mostly familiar sources, along with some new ones.

Customer reviews remain the most trusted input before an online purchase: 94% of shoppers consult them, far ahead of friends and family (44%), social media reviews (39%), and a newer entrant, AI tools (31%). Of interest, just 8% say they consult influencers in their product decision-making process.

Trust splits sharply by generation. Gen Z is the least likely generation to lean on AI for shopping decisions (24%, versus 37% of Baby Boomers) but the most likely to consult social media reviews (53%, versus just 14% of Boomers), a reminder that “digital native” doesn’t mean “trusts every digital tool equally.”

With regard to customer reviews, star ratings still carry real weight among online shoppers. 53% of shoppers won’t buy a product rated below 4 stars. When it comes to reading those reviews, however, negative feedback gets outsized attention: 31% of shoppers say they pay more attention to negative reviews than positive ones, a pattern that’s notably more common among Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z (between 30% and 32% each) than Baby Boomers (19%).

How many Americans are using AI to help make shopping decisions?

Like most things on the internet, AI has quickly become part of the online shopping toolkit: our survey revealed that 80% of Americans say they’ve used an AI tool to help make an online shopping decision. The top use cases include figuring out the best products for their needs (67% of respondents), comparison shopping between products (67%), summarizing reviews (58%), and price shopping (55%).

Even though 80% have used AI tools for shopping decisions, that doesn’t mean they fully trust it. 57% of shoppers say they trust customer reviews more than AI recommendations, compared to just 7% who trust AI more. 36% trust them equally, and Gen Z respondents were least likely to trust AI shopping advice.

Shopping smarter: How Americans stretch every online dollar

Beyond when and how to shop, Americans have also gotten more strategic about how to save online. Most commonly, respondents said their top methods for saving money online include timing purchases around sales events (like Prime Day or Black Friday) (72%), searching for discount codes (61%), waiting weeks or months for the right sale (39%), and checking a product’s price history before buying (36%). About a third (33%) named factoring rewards or cashback categories into which card they use as one of their top money-saving tactics.

That instinct is exactly what a customizable-category card like the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card is built to reward. Pick the category that matches how you’re already spending, whether that’s online shopping, dining, or travel, and the card does the rest. Plus, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card lets you update your bonus category monthly, so you’re always earning on what you’re actually buying.

Whether all this online shopping actually helps a budget is a genuine split decision: 40% say it’s made budgeting easier, 27% say it’s had no impact, and 33% say it’s made budgeting harder. That last group skews heavily younger: Gen Z is about twice as likely to say online shopping has made it harder to stick to a budget versus Baby Boomers.

“Spaving”: the spend-to-save habit hiding in plain sight

One quirk our data found is America’s obsession with spending to save. “Spaving” isn’t a new concept, but its application has evolved substantially with the rise in online shopping. Rather than purchasing a coupon book, American consumers are now spaving in many ways, from purchasing audiobook credits in bulk to one of the most common: spending for free shipping.

94% of shoppers say free shipping is a deciding factor in where they shop online, and 81% admit to adding extra items to their cart just to hit a free-shipping threshold, a tactic that, for many, probably takes longer than the actual purchase decision.

In addition to adding to carts and the opportunity cost of your time consumers are also leaning into paid subscriptions for free shipping services at popular retailers. To avoid paying for shipping altogether, 85% of shoppers pay for at least one subscription service built around free or faster delivery, led by Amazon Prime and Walmart+, with smaller shares paying for DashPass, Target Circle 360, or Instacart+.

How many shoppers are taking advantage of return policies online?

Return policies, for many, matter just as much as free shipping. 69% of shoppers say they avoid retailers that don’t offer free returns.

Some go further, admitting to extreme lengths to get the most out of online retailers’ return policies: 28% admit to buying multiple versions of a product with the intent of returning one (think: two dress sizes, one goes back), and 14% have bought something, used it once, and returned it anyway. Both behaviors are far more common among younger shoppers: Gen Z reports single-use returns at 23%, compared to just 1% of Boomers.

The rewards-savvy shopper: how Americans pay online, and why it matters

How Americans pay is its own strategy. Most (58%) still prefer a regular debit or credit card at checkout, but 1 in 5 (20%) said they prefer a card linked to a digital wallet like Apple Pay or Google Wallet, with good reason. These services often pre-fill shipping and billing information, and don’t require someone to fetch a wallet or physical card, making transactions just a double-tap away.

That preference has real consequences for retailers: 21% of shoppers have abandoned a cart because a retailer didn’t offer Apple Pay or Google Wallet, a number that jumps to 30% among Gen Z, for whom digging out a physical card is apparently one step too many.

How many Americans use cash back or rewards cards?

• 72% of shoppers factor rewards or cashback categories into which card they use for a purchase.
• 60% of shoppers check whether their card has cash back bonuses before buying.
• 58% of shoppers have redeemed card rewards for gift cards or discounts at their favorite retailers.
• 53% of shoppers have chosen where to shop specifically because a retailer offered better cash back or rewards.

Altogether, 70% of Americans say online shopping rewards are important when choosing or comparing credit cards, proof that for most shoppers, the card in their wallet is as much a part of the shopping strategy as the retailer’s app.

That’s exactly the need a card like the Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card is built to meet. Cardholders choose their own 3% cash back category each month, including online shopping, gas & EV charging, dining, travel, drug stores, and home improvement stores. Additionally, new cardholders get double that choice-category rate (6%) for the first year in the category of your choice on up to $2,500 in combined bonus-category purchases each quarter.

In line with our data showing the breadth of products consumers shop for online, the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card’s online shopping category goes beyond the norm, allowing shoppers to earn 6% cash back in the first year (3% after that) in everyday retail categories like clothing and electronics, as well as recurring bills like cable, internet, and streaming subscriptions.

Retailers included in the online shopping category include standard online retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target, as well as nontraditional options like Apple iTunes, allowing you to earn enhanced rates on paid Apple subscriptions (like music, TV, and fitness), cloud services, and app purchases.

Outside of 3% cash back categories, the card offers an automatic 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter), and 1% on all other purchases. There’s no annual fee, and you can earn a $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. Cardholders can change their 3% category once per month if their spending habits shift, which is a fit for shoppers who told us rewards are part of the plan, not an afterthought.

More about the Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

Choosing a card based on where you actuallyspend is what the Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card is built around. Here’s how it works.

How does the Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card help you save on online shopping?

It’s a no-annual-fee cash back card that lets you pick which category earns your top rate, and online shopping is one of the six choices. New cardholders earn 6% cash back in their chosen category for the first year, then 3% after that. Set online shopping as your category and eligible online purchases earn that rate instead of the 1% base. You also automatically earn 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter).

Who is the Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card a good fit for?

Online shoppers, most directly, given that our survey found 93% of Americans shopped online in the past week. Online shopping is one of the six choice categories a cardholder can set as their 6% category for the first year, and 3% after that. That’s up to $150 back per quarter in the first year on the first $2,500 in eligible purchases each quarter if you make them all in your choice category.

What counts as online shopping with the Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card?

More than most people expect. Bank of America’s online shopping category covers:

• Everyday retail across clothing, electronics, books and music, and toys
• Entertainment, streaming, and cable
• Phone plans and subscription services

It applies whether you’re buying on a website or in a merchant’s app. Top merchants in the category include:

• Amazon
• Walmart
• Target
• Apple iTunes

Apple iTunes includes paid Apple subscriptions like music, TV, and fitness, along with cloud services and app purchases.

What kinds of purchases don’t count?

Bank of America relies on the merchant to report the purchase as online, so anything ordered online but paid for in store, bought by phone or mail, or tapped in store with a mobile wallet won’t earn the bonus rate. Some merchant types are excluded outright, including doctors and hospitals, government services and taxes, insurance, membership organizations, schools, and utilities. That last one matters for the 56% of shoppers in our survey who said they’ve bought something online while standing in the store.

Can you switch categories?

Yes, once per calendar month. You change it in Online Banking or the Mobile Banking app, and if you never pick one it stays on Gas and EV Charging Stations by default. That flexibility is the point. Keep online shopping set during heavy buying stretches like the holidays, then move to travel or gas when your habits shift.

How much can you actually earn with the Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card?

The bonus rates apply to the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter across your choice category plus grocery stores and wholesale clubs, then everything past that earns unlimited 1%. Put the full $2,500 toward eligible online shopping and you’d earn $150 back for the quarter in the first year. Worth noting the cap is combined, so grocery and wholesale club spending eats into the same $2,500.

Is there a welcome offer?

New cardholders can earn a $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Learn more about the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card.

Methodology

To compile the data shown above, our research team at FinanceBuzz, in partnership with Bank of America, surveyed 2,000 Americansnts were asked about their online shopping habits, including how, when, and why they shop online versus in-store

For this survey, online shopping was defined for respondents as any purchase made online, including groceries, Amazon orders, or any purchase made from a mobile device or computer. All responses were included regardless of whether they reported shopping online in the past week, so the sample reflects the full range of American shopping behavior rather than only active online shoppers.

Some questions used frequency scales (“Almost every time,” “Often,” “Sometimes,” “Rarely,” “Never”). Where this piece cites a combined percentage (e.g., “81% add items to their cart to hit a free-shipping threshold”), it reflects the sum of the relevant response options, not a single scale point. Dollar-figure averages (such as the minimum purchase amount before switching from mobile to desktop) exclude statistical outliers.

For all press inquiries or to speak with one of our experts, please contact the FinanceBuzz research team at press@financebuzz.com.

Chris Lewis has spent his career turning data into answers. As the Head of Research at FinanceBuzz and a Certified Educator in Personal Finance, he oversees the data journalism and media relations teams, digging into the personal finance topics that shape Americans’ lives at every stage, from Social Security and retirement income to 401(k) strategies, jobs, and real estate.