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Alcohol continues to fuel questionable online purchases

Tuesday, August 5, 2014 - 14:29 by Graham Miller

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British consumers regularly prove that shopping online while under the influence of alcohol is a potentially costly activity in various questionnaires. In the latest study, conducted by Give As You Live, they found that a fifth of respondents have made a questionable e-commerce purchase following a night of drinking, according to the Daily Mail.

An average person who has had an online shopping spree while a little over the limit will spend about £70 as a result of their inebriation. And the inhibition that comes with consuming alcohol can certainly make it easier to convince yourself that a particular product is worth snapping up, even if this is regrettable in the cold light of day.

Those living in London are likely to have spent more during a tipsy trip to sites offering safe shopping online, where the average spend is up to £134.

Men are more susceptible to the lure of late night, drunken shopping online than women, the study found. In fact, females on average spend £20 less than males, even if they do decide to shop while they are a little worse for wear.

Two thousand people were questioned as part of the survey, with people from across the country questioned. And although there are regional differences, it is apparent that a certain proportion of the population in any part of the UK will indulge in online shopping, even if they have just got back from the pub.

As you might expect, the kinds of items that people are likely to order while inebriated tend to be at the stranger, less practical end of the spectrum. This includes things like novelty mugs and action figures to bulk packs of beauty products, with many industries clearly benefitting from consumers who have dropped their guard.