Most Americans have used a coupon to buy something they didn’t need

Hoang NguyenData Journalist
October 10, 2017, 5:00 PM GMT+0

Two in three Americans look for coupons before heading to the store (66%)

It’s no surprise to anyone that a third of Americans will check reviews for an item or product before deciding to purchase it. Given the level of scrutiny that shoppers will devote to ensure they buy only the best reviewed products, are they also searching for coupon savings with the same favor? A look into today’s coupon culture reveals that over half of Americans will buy something they don’t need just because they had a coupon for it (53%).

A third of Americans look for online coupons (34%) and a greater number look for printed coupons (40%) at least once a week. YouGov Omnibus research reveals that millennials are leading the coupon craze, with 42% checking for online coupons at least once a week and one in five (20%) checking a few times a week. One in four Americans over the age of 55 check for online coupons at least once a week (24%) but 40% say they scan for printed coupons.


When they decide to go online to look for potential savings,

Americans will frequently visit

Coupons.com

(38%),

Groupon

(36%), and

Retailmenot

(20%). The first two websites are viewed equally favorably among millennials (42%) and while a third of young men will use Groupon to look for deals (33%), over half of young women polled say that it’s their go-to site (51%).



What are Americans using these coupons for? Two of three respondents say they they’ll look for a coupon before heading to the grocery or clothing store (66%) – a statement that more women than men agree with (73% to 57%). Four in ten also say that they scan coupons to see if there are products they want (40%) and nearly a third of Americans admit they’re likely to just be browsing (31%). Some Americans will actively look for coupons when they’re looking for gifts (24%) and one in five millennials say that before a vacation, they’ll check for coupon deals (21%).


With a plethora of coupon websites and deals out there, YouGov asked if

people ever bought something they didn’t need but did so because they had a coupon. While half of Americans have done so, those between the ages of 35 and 54 are the most likely to agree with this (62%) and the most likely to do so more than once (51%).

YouGov Profiles

reveals that over half of Americans in that age group are likely to have children under the age of 18 (54%) and starting a new family could be why they’re buying and storing supplies they don’t immediately need.



Read more results from this poll here



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Image: Getty

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