When are U.S. consumers most likely to splurge online? A new study from Adobe for Business, which investigated the habits of some one thousand shoppers, uncovers the habits driving clicks, and how timing can make or break a purchase.
The approach is based on modern e-commerce analytics. These combine behavioural signals, contextual triggers, and real-time data activation.
Typically, analytics platforms group users by age, geography, or channel. Yet real buying behaviour often depends on when people engage. This is what the revised approach to assessing consumer behaviour is seeking to pinpoint.
The findings offer a set of practical “shopping tips” for retailers – ones that reveal how timing, deals, and habits influence online behaviour in 2025:
- Sunday is deal day. Beauty purchases peak on Sundays, while electronics and gaming purchases are strongest on Saturdays.
- Payday splurges are real. Nearly 1 in 10 consumers go straight online to shop the day their paycheck clears.
- Evenings are peak shopping hours. Over half of consumers prefer browsing between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., when “wind-down shoppers” are most active.
- Impulse control is key. Fridays see the highest rate of impulse purchases, especially among Gen Z, who act on shopping urges 25% more often than older generations.
- Other generations: Millennials spend more online per month than any other age group ($282/month), while boomers spend $216.
- Personalization wins. Shoppers on Facebook and Twitter respond best to problem-solving messages, while Instagram users are driven by discovery and novelty.
These insights highlight the rhythms of online shopping and provide a unique window into the habits fueling today’s ecommerce economy.
Other findings of interest from the study are:
Late night shoppers
Night owls spend the most money: Just 9% of shoppers browse late at night (10pm–3:59am) — but they spend more per year than any other group, averaging $3,684 annually. Night owls are the most likely to respond to urgent, limited-time offers and to shop right after being paid.
At the same time, ‘early birds’ are 31% more likely to impulse buy than wind-down shoppers.
Weekends
Saturdays see the most browsing, but, as indicated above, Sundays drive the highest spending. As to timings, nearly 1 in 10 shoppers make purchases on payday.
New York
New Yorkers spend nearly 9% of their income online each month, more than any other state.
Apple or Android?
Apple users spend 87% more time shopping online than Android users. Whereas, PC users spend 23% more time shopping than Mac users.
- Night owls are the most likely to respond to urgent, limited-time offers and to shop right after being paid.
