10 Surprising Facts About America's Drunken Shopping Habit

If you’ve ever gulped down a few glasses of wine before logging onto Amazon, you might know that loosened inhibitions and the ease of one-click shopping can sometimes lead to some odd items turning up at your door. However bizarre the purchase, or steep the monetary damage, buzzed shopping happens. According to the results of the 2019 Drunk Shopping Census (yes, it’s a real thing), Americans spend an estimated $45 billion per year while under the influence of alcohol. These findings come from The Hustle, which surveyed more than 2000 adult Americans who drink alcohol.

The average survey respondent was 36 years old and earned $92,000 a year. Because of these skewed demographics, “The data presented here is by no means definitive or conclusive,” The Hustle notes. “Nonetheless, it still provides an interesting snapshot of the drunk shopping market.”

Here are a few of their findings:

1. Kentuckians spend the most while drunk shopping, dropping an estimated $742 per year.

1. The majority of respondents (79 percent) had made an alcohol-fueled purchase at some point in their lives.

1. Amazon is by far the preferred retail outlet among drunk shoppers.

1. The most common drunk purchases are clothing and shoes, followed by movies, games, tech, and food.

1. Seven percent of survey respondents have gotten buzzed and bought software.

1. Women are slightly more likely to drink and shop than men, but not by much (80 percent of women compared to 78 percent of men).

1. Millennials are the generation most guilty of shopping while tipsy, followed by Generation X, then Baby Boomers.

1. Of survey respondents who listed their profession, writers are among the people who are least likely to "drink and Prime."

1. People who work in sports are the most likely to splurge while intoxicated.

1. Some of the weirder purchases listed by respondents include: A full-sized inflatable bouncy castle, 200 pounds of fresh bamboo, the same vest that Michael J. Fox wore in Back to the Future, and a splinter that had been removed from former NBA player Olden Polynice's foot.

For more insight into the strange spending habits of inebriated Americans, check out The Hustle’s website.