Current:Home > NewsDo you regret that last purchase via social media? You're certainly not alone. -Prime Capital Blueprint
Do you regret that last purchase via social media? You're certainly not alone.
View
Date:2025-04-15 03:29:53
That love-hate relationship with social media extends to purchases, too.
In a new study by Wallethub, nearly 3 in 4 people have made an "unnecessary purchase" via social media. Two out of 3 Americans believe social media is encouraging overspending. And nearly 1 in 5 of those surveyed about their social media purchases categorized them as scams.
"Social media is such a key component to most people's lives nowadays and it's become such a powerhouse as far as online shopping and advertising goes," Cassandra Happe, a Wallethub analyst told USA TODAY.
"We wanted to get a sense of how consumers are handling social media shopping and what their views are as far as whether it's a worthwhile platform to use for shopping and if it's really beneficial as far as how it impacts their finances," she said, in explaining the study.
Here are some other findings from the survey:
◾ 46% of people said social media is a bad influence on their debt.
◾ Social media made 36% of the respondents say it made them feel frustrated about their own finances.
◾ Nearly 2 in 5 Americans are trying to falsely present a good financial image online when that's not real.
◾ 63% of people said they regretted a purchase they've made via social media.
◾ 36% of respondents said they'd spend less if they deleted their social media apps.
The survey did not specifically ask consumers whether they were influenced in their purchases by their friends or posts they've seen from influencers, but Happe said 43% of respondents said they viewed a celebrity recommendation via social media as bad.
Uncomfortable Conversations:What is financial infidelity and how can you come clean?
"People of any age and background are susceptible to getting caught up in social media consumerism, so it’s important to ask yourself whether you really need a given item you see on social media," Happe said in a press release. "Sleeping on a purchase before completing it is a wise move as well.”
Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on X, Facebook, or Instagram @blinfisher. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays, here.
veryGood! (1)
Related
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- How this Brazilian doc got nearly every person in her city to take a COVID vaccine
- Mystery client claims hiring detective to spy on Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve is part of American politics
- Botched Smart Meter Roll Outs Provoking Consumer Backlash
- North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick’s deal ahead of introductory news conference
- Jay Inslee on Climate Change: Where the Candidate Stands
- Ray Liotta's Cause of Death Revealed
- The hidden faces of hunger in America
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Kirsten Gillibrand on Climate Change: Where the Candidate Stands
Ranking
- Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
- Today’s Climate: July 8, 2010
- Beto O’Rourke on Climate Change: Where the Candidate Stands
- 8 Answers to the Judge’s Climate Change Questions in Cities vs. Fossil Fuels Case
- Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
- Inside the Love Lives of The Summer I Turned Pretty Stars
- Medical debt ruined her credit. 'It's like you're being punished for being sick'
- White woman who fatally shot Black neighbor through front door arrested on manslaughter and other charges
Recommendation
Former longtime South Carolina congressman John Spratt dies at 82
Omicron boosters for kids 5-12 are cleared by the CDC
J Balvin's Best Fashion Moments Prove He's Not Afraid to Be Bold
New Mexico’s Biggest Power Plant Sticks with Coal. Partly. For Now.
California DMV apologizes for license plate that some say mocks Oct. 7 attack on Israel
Mystery client claims hiring detective to spy on Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve is part of American politics
Matty Healy Spotted at Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Concert Amid Romance Rumors
'Where is humanity?' ask the helpless doctors of Ethiopia's embattled Tigray region