For several years now, online shopping has been commonplace on social networks. Yet while this consumer habit persists, 63% of shoppers have come to regret their purchases, according to one recent survey.

Social networks have made it much easier to shop from the comfort of your own sofa. A situation that nevertheless leads many people to regret some of their purchases.

According to a recent online survey by the WalletHub platform, conducted among over 200 Americans in June 2024 and reported by Social Media Today, 74% of respondents said they had bought something from social media that they didn’t really need, and 63% regretted the purchase.

While shopping on TikTok is more common among Millennials than among Gen Z adults, this mode of consumption remains popular. For example, according to a separate GlobalData survey, more than four in 10 Gen Z and Millennial consumers buy something on Pinterest Shopping at least once a month.

While 20% of those surveyed considered the items they had purchased on social media to be "great,” 22% said they were "useless." And although 40% of shoppers reported no unpleasant surprises, 18% of them reported scams.

The majority of the consumers surveyed also recognise the downsides of shopping on social media. For 67% of them, social networks encourage people to spend beyond their means.

 - AFP Relaxnews