“Online shoppers in the United States will spend $327 billion in 2016, up 45% from $226 billion this year and 62% from $202 billion in 2011, according to a projection released by Forrester Research Inc. (Rueter, 2012).” With sites such as Amazon, Ebay, and Overstock.com, many everyday items can now be brought over the internet including groceries, clothes, electronics, and household products. More conveniently, millions of shoppers have fast access to the web from their computers, tablets, and smart phones. Though many customers feel online shopping provides a wider selection and an easier retail experience, many may not know that shopping online can cause them to spend much more money. With more people accessing the internet, easier checkout, business targeting techniques, limitless shopping carts, and ship to store options, online retailers have found ways to get customers to spend more online then they would in in a traditional store. People spend more time online than ever before. In fact, “US adults spent on average 34 hours per month using the mobile internet on smartphones. By comparison, they spend 27 hours on the PC internet. (Sterling, 2014)”. With over 61 hours a month online, or an average 2 hours a day, American’s have numerous opportunities to click on advertisements or wander onto retail sites in between performing daily work, checking email, browsing social media, and other seemingly unrelated shopping activity. This massive increase in internet usage, has contributed to more spending. With excessive exposure to shopping opportunities and marketing, users can find themselves making impulse purchases while surfing the internet and spend money that may not have, while at home doing other activities.
One way retailers take advantage of users is by posting advertisements in emails, social media sites, and other highly trafficked areas of the web.