An estimated two million people in the UK admit to online shopping after drinking, with drunken purchases ranging from new cars and expensive holidays to exotic animals, a new study reveals.
The study by online marketplace Flubit.com, finds that one in 20 people have bought goods online after consuming alcohol. The revealing figures follow recent data from ONS showing that the amount of money consumers spend online has risen by almost 20 per cent in just a year.
The UK’s growing love of online shopping is supported by Flubit’s study, which finds that the average adult now spends more than two hours a week browsing for goods online.
Among the most bizarre drunken purchases revealed in the study were a didgeridoo, a plastic croaking frog, two turtles and a snake.
The most expensive drunken purchase was a £6,500 Volvo, with other costly transactions including a £1,700 return flight to the USA and a £300 personalised number-plate.
Many of the online shopping purchases in the study were music-themed and included a VHS of Take That’s Greatest Hits, a cardboard cut-out of Britney Spears and a VIP ticket to see American artist Jason Derulo.
According to Flubit.com’s data, the most popular time for late night purchases is the early hours of Sunday morning, with the total number of demands between 3am and 4am trebling most other days of the week.
Tia Saunders, spokesperson for Flubit.com, thinks that the convenience of online shopping and vast amount of choice available has seen a huge shift in consumer behaviour, with time traditionally spent in stores now being spent online. Shoppers can purchase almost anything from the comfort of their own home, day or night.
She adds, ‘While this makes life easier, our study shows that it can occasionally lead to regrettable purchases. We would advise people to avoid ‘drinking and online shopping’ where possible, but if you’re going to do it, make sure you’re using websites which offer you the best deals.’
Further reading on online purchases
