Americans Spend Over 80 Hours a Year Searching for the Best Deals Online

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Every year, the average American spends 83 hours online looking for the best sales, saving nearly $10,000 annually. In a new survey of 2,000 general population Americans, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Slickdeals, 65% of respondents said they believe that finding an online sale brings unmatched satisfaction, and 68% said they love to hunt for deals just for fun.

Respondents said that some of the best deals they’ve found include huge discounts on jewelry, designer clothing and exercise equipment. One respondent scored a $500 flight from Hong Kong to Chicago so they could be reunited with their spouse. 

How Americans React to Deals

Three in four Americans look for deals online primarily to save money, and, in fact, 45% only buy products if they are on sale. They said they will never pay full price for something they find online. Additionally, 75% said they care more about finding the best value, rather than simply buying during a sale because an item is discounted. 

Saving money is so satisfying that 52% of respondents said they sit back and reflect on what happened — sometimes for up to 30 minutes. 

More than half (56%) or respondents brag about deals they found to their family and friends, and 69% said they share their good deals so others can take advantage of them as well. When a stranger compliments a respondent on an outfit they bought on sale, 58% will tell them how much money they saved. 

“Many of us have had the experience of discovering a great deal and wanting to share it with our friends and family,” said Ryan Tronier, senior personal finance editor at Slickdeals. “The access we have online helps us to share information with a greater pool of people and crowd-led deal hunting is becoming increasingly popular.”

What Americans Do to Find Deals

To snag these deals, 44% of respondents have sale alerts set up, and 89% said that using those sale alerts makes finding deals online significantly easier for them. These alerts are especially helpful for 51% of shoppers who enjoy deal-hunting.

Respondents said they are currently looking for clothes (44%), shoes (33%) and groceries (31%). The most difficult items to find online include video game consoles (21%), computer parts (17%) and home appliances (15%). 

Among respondents, 51% will buy a hard-to-find product even if it’s not on sale, but half said they don’t like it when people resell and scalp hard-to-find products online. Interestingly, 39% said their feelings change if they are the one reselling the product.

How Far Americans Go to Find Deals

Along with setting up alerts and tracking prices on items they want, in order to get the best deals, Americans will take the following steps:

1. Take an online survey: 63%

2. Sign up for an email newsletter: 59%

3. Sign up for a rewards program: 51%

4. Sign up for text updates: 50%

5. Apply for a store’s credit card: 28%

Overall, the survey showed just how much Americans love a good deal and how far they are willing to go to find one.

“Whether deal-seeking for bragging rights, fun or to save money, this survey illustrates that consumers are actively looking to find the best value for their dollar,” said Tronier. “Our community of savvy shoppers is discovering, connecting and voting up the very best deals at any given time, so it’s like having 12 million friends help you understand whether you’re getting the best price.”