With the rise of online shopping, it’s no surprise that people are turning to their computers and smartphones to make purchases at all hours of the day and night. In fact, studies have shown that people are more likely to shop online at night than during the day.
There is an article about people shopping at night before going to bed：“Sleepy Shoppers: What 1,000 People Reveal About Their Late-Night Purchase Habits” by Andrea Strand. https://eachnight.com/sleep/sleepy-shoppers-what-1000-people-reveal-about-their-late-night-purchase-habits/
That is pretty interesting and mentioned that what is the effect and result when online shopping before bedtime.
One reason for this is that many people have busy schedules during the day, and may not have time to browse online stores until they are at home and have some free time in the evening. Additionally, online shopping allows people to shop from the comfort of their own homes, without the stress of crowds and long lines.
Another factor is that many online retailers offer promotions and discounts that are only available during certain hours, such as late-night flash sales or early morning deals. This can be a way for shoppers to score some great deals while also enjoying the convenience of online shopping.
However, there are also some potential downsides to shopping online at night. One of the biggest concerns is that people may be more likely to make impulse purchases late at night when they are tired or not thinking clearly. Additionally, some retailers may have reduced customer service or technical support during off-peak hours, which can be frustrating for shoppers who run into issues with their purchases.
Overall, whether you prefer to shop online during the day or at night, it’s important to be mindful of your spending habits and to only make purchases that you truly need or want. By taking advantage of the convenience and flexibility of online shopping, you can save time and money while also enjoying a more stress-free shopping experience.
Now, it your time to answer these questions:
1. Do you have a stronger desire to shop than usual when you swipe your phone at night? Have you ever made an impulse purchase something that isn’t practical?
2. What do you think are the advantages of online shopping compared to physical store shopping? What are the disadvantages?
3. Do you think shopping in physical stores will be completely replaced by online shopping in the future?
46 replies on “People are more likely to shop on line at night”
Hi Meiting, thank you for sharing this article as this week’s discussion board. This is a very interesting topic because I never notice that most of the time people are more likely to shop online at night than during the day. I do have a stronger desire to shop than usual when I swipe my phone at night and I think I qualify for both reasons that the author gave us because night time is my free time and also sometimes the thing that I want to buy is only available during late-night. I have purchased something that isn’t practical like my idol’s merchandise, which is a limited edition big pillow. This is really useless and I don’t like pillows actually but when I bought it I thought I would regret not buying it now. I did regret buying it. For the people like me who are afraid of the clerk talking to you, would like online shopping. You can spend a lot of time online shopping and nobody will annoy you. However, I don’t think shopping in physical stores will be completely replaced by online shopping in the future because there are still many things that are better to try in store, such as mattresses.
Hi Daisy, I feel the same way as you. I know they are trying to help, but I’m not so uncomfortable when someone keeps asking you what you need or even just looking at you when you shop in the store. And YES, especially when it comes to idol merch, I bought them not because I need them physically, but more mentally. If the merch becomes a normal item without the label of the idol, it’s garbage for me. However, the impulsion always helps my desire succeed my rationality😂
Fans really like to spend a lot of money on something that they don’t need:) I just bought a jersey which is expensive and I think I will never wear it again(?), but I just want to buy it:))) Idol merch is an easy way for their company to make money. They have album, concert, light stick, banner, fan meeting… There are a hundred reasons to spend money for my idol:))))
I agree this topic was interesting and informational. I also have a strong desire to shop online because at night, when I see late-night offers and have free time. However, I do not make any purchases because I don’t need them and could use my money on something else I need. I am also afraid or get nervous when the store employees talk to me or start looking at me when I go into the store and look at things. In online shopping, no one is looking at you, and you can spend time looking at things. Sometimes even people at stores judge what you buy like they might think the clothing one has picked is not pretty. In addition, I agree physical shopping will be gone in the future because some merchandise can not be bought because people need to see the conditions physically.
I agree with you that physical stores are also very important for people to use. Physical stores are really helpful when you want to relax and walk to different places and look at stuff. In general, I think online shopping and physical shopping can’t count as one thing. It is really different. When you shop in stores, you are not always looking to buy something but share your time with friends and get some exercise. But when I shop online, it’s mostly I know what I want to buy and I’m looking for it. This creates different feelings during the two type of feeling and you feel different when you buy the thing. I think both are unreplaceable and it should be kept.
Hi AI CHIA HO, I agree with you that we never really notice that most of the time people are more likely to shop online at night than during the day. How the explanation given the reason why online shopping at night sounds very logical and realistic, for instance, free time at night and at home being more comfortable.
I also prefer online shopping, which is more convenient and saves time. I don’t like communicating with shop assistants too much. We choose online shopping as a shopping method, which may be more in line with our lifestyle. Online shopping can save time and let us Spend that time on other things.
Hi Meiting, I definitely have a stronger desire to shop online at night. Last night, I didn’t put down my phone until 4 am, and I spent the most time browsing between TikTok and different shopping websites. I know I would buy something impractical impulsively, so I only add items to the cart and wait until the next day to see if I still want them.
I prefer online shopping because it’s more convenient and sometimes there are more items or discounts than in stores. One disadvantage is I tend to spend more. Personally, I feel nothing about digital payment (Apple Pay, PayPal, etc.) that probably takes only two seconds. I always assume the money is still in my pocket unless I pay in cash(when it’s gone, it’s gone) or pay in-store (the checkout process takes more time).
Hi Jiaqi, I totally understand that shopping online by digital payment is like nothing. It makes me spend more money unconsciously. I also like to watch some fashion bloggers on tiktok. Every time I see them earing clothes, I just want to buy them, but when I calm down, I fell that they are not suitable for me:)
I also unknowingly spend a lot of money by shopping online because I don’t check my bank account constantly. Now many companies use bloggers to promote and advertise their products, this affects my deposit because the advertisement makes me want to shop more and more. :/
I agree with what you said, “I prefer online shopping because it’s more convenient and sometimes there are more items or discounts than in stores.” After all, people who shop online do not go out because it is convenient, and there are often discounts. That’s why so many customers choose to shop online. But there are indeed some people who will buy impulsively because of the discount and buy some things that are not very practical.
Hi Jiaqi, I think the same as you. I prefer online shopping because it is convenient on the one hand, and I don’t want to go out on the other. I also agree with you that online shopping always has no feeling of spending money, because digital payment is so convenient and fast, it always can ‘t makes me feel I’m spending money.
Hello Jiaqi Liu, I agree it is very tempting to buy things online, especially on Titok, because of the offers or just how nice things look. I also look at Titok’s websites or lives about many different things and deals I have seen, especially at night. Sometimes I would award myself with buying something I don’t need. However, I try not to buy anything even if I want it because I know I need that money for something else or to save it up. I also prefer online shopping because it is more suitable than physical shopping.
Hi JIAQI LIU, I agree with you that shopping online seems more convenient and time-saving compared to physical shopping. But I just knew from reading the article Meiting that online are more likely to offer discounts at night and morning, whereas business owners use our mental weakness during the night to let us have a higher chance of impulsive purchases.
This is a very interesting topic. Although I may not have a strong desire to make purchases at night, I have tried things I regret after impulsive purchases. For me, watching something like a promotional video advertisement will stimulate my desire to purchase. When I see the advantages and characteristics of the item, I will want to place an order to make a purchase. I have seen videos of some people raising hamsters before, and seeing their liveliness and eating habits has sparked my desire to buy one. So I bought a hamster. At first, I was looking forward to raising it, but gradually, I began to regret it. It wasn’t as simple as I imagined. The tedious feeding and sawdust exchange have made me increasingly regret my impulses. In the end, I didn’t persist and gave it to a friend for adoption. In my opinion, the advantage of online shopping is that when you purchase goods, you don’t need to expend your energy to go to the mall to make purchases. But the downside is that you cannot feel the real object of the product and can only compare it through photos or videos of the product. I think online shopping in the future cannot replace physical store shopping, because there are too many things that cannot be bought by just looking at photos and videos. You need to go to physical stores to compare and find what you want. And when you go shopping in person, you can come into contact with the material and quality of the product, whether it is what you want, which cannot be compared to online shopping.
Right, so when I shop online it’s usually something I’ve already bought before or when I don’t need to worry about its size or quality. Most of the time I will learn about the product online(maybe buy advertising) and then go to the physical store to choose its size. In this way, I will also avoid many unwise choices.
I agree with you that “in the future, online shopping cannot replace physical store shopping”. After all, sometimes you still have to personally get in touch with the material and quality of the product. Is it what you want? Is it right for you? This kind of experience is incomparable to online shopping.
I can understand your regretful decision to have a pet. When my cousin and I first got a dog, I often regretted it because it took us so much time and energy to take care of him. Although we persevered and got another dog, I totally understand your concern. In terms of raising pets, people really need to think carefully and consider all aspects because many of them will regret it.
Damn, I can’t agree more on advertisements making me want to buy an object!! Every time I see a celebrity that I like advertise for an object, even if I don’t really like the thing, I would want to buy it. After a period of time, I would start to regret. I would feel I wasted my money on not useful things and it would already past the time to return already. As technology gets more advanced, the things you can do online increases and there are starting to be more events and discounts online shopping than in stores. This is also a reason why people would like online shopping more.
Thank you for sharing this article! I didn’t realize the difference between night and day online shopping before reading this article. Thinking from my memory, I do tend to be more susceptible to commercials and promotions when using my phone at night. In my opinion, it’s because my brain feels more tired at night than in the morning and makes impulsive choices when I’m not feeling well enough. I usually try to think calmly and avoid making unwise decisions before purchasing any item or service. The advantages of online shopping are convenience and time saving. Also, sometimes items that are not available in physical stores may be available online. The disadvantage, I think is that I can’t choose the size of the item correctly or know its quality correctly. Therefore, the return rate from online is usually much higher than physical stores.
Taking me personally as an example, I generally only shop online when necessary. For example, I think the clothes in the physical store are very comfortable to wear, so I will check the website for discounts and then buy them; some stores are too far away from home or there are no other ways to buy them, so I can only buy them online.
1. So I seldom buy impulsively, unless the subsequent product is not satisfactory.
2. I think the advantage of online shopping compared with physical store shopping is that it is very convenient, and sometimes there are discounts. The disadvantage is that there is no way to experience it in reality, such as clothes and shoes, so you can’t first experience whether it suits you or not.
3. I don’t think that shopping in physical stores will be completely replaced by online shopping in the future. After all this kind of thing depends on the customer and how they want to choose to shop, some people like to shop online, and some people like brick-and-mortar stores.
I agree with you that online shopping is convenient and fast, but you can’t know its quality and whether it is suitable for you. This is not as good as physical stores, so online shopping cannot completely replace physical stores.
I think what you are doing is a good habit, so that you can make good use of the physical and online stores to determine what you want to buy. This approach also saves a lot of money on living expenses and makes the purchases to be of substantial use and not wasted.
Hi Shi Ya, I agree with your choice, and I am also surprised that you are not a person who completely prefers online shopping or physical shopping. You will decide whether to buy a product based on their discount and the selling price in different places. This is a way to maximize your own economic interests, and I like your method very much. For me, I do not like the delivery of online shopping and the waste of plastic, because there will be a lot of accidents during the delivery, which will cause product shortage or damage, which will make things more troublesome.
Discounts are often more likely to appear online than in brick-and-mortar stores, so online shopping offers more discounts while being more convenient. But quality is really a difficult standard to judge, sometimes it is impossible to really judge by photos and comments feedback, after all, these can be faked, once you receive the quality of the actual product does not match the picture, you can only choose to return it or barely keep it.
For me, I have a stronger desire to shop at night, because I always play on my mobile phone before going to bed at night, but my thinking at that time is always not as rational as in the morning, but this is not completely irrational, so I did not appear Buying something impractical on impulse. I think that for physical stores, online shopping can be more convenient and fast to place orders and purchase items without leaving home, but in online shopping, you can’t confirm the quality of the items and whether they are suitable for you. This is where online shopping is inferior to physical stores. From this point of view, online shopping may not be able to completely replace brick-and-mortar stores
Hello Meiting, I sometimes have a strong desire to shop when I swipe my phone at night, but I don’t need it, so I look at it but never shop. I have never made an impulse purchase of something that I don’t need. The advantage of online shopping is that it enables people to shop independently and in their homes. It helps when they have a busy schedule with work or other personal situations. Physical shopping sometimes does not go how we want it to because sometimes you can’t find what you are looking for, there are long lines to pay for, and sometimes having to walk a lot to find things. Online can allow shoppers to do it in the comfort of their beds or sofa. The disadvantage of shopping online is that people’s personal information is exposed to scammers. In addition, there is the part that makes people lazy because it gives them what they need or wants by just clicking a button. Shopping in physical stores will not be entirely replaced by online shopping because there will still be people who enjoy shopping physically in stores. In addition, there will be owners of stores who will see that in case of the internet crashing or issues occurring with online shopping, people will instead shop in-store.
Hi Fabiola, I agree with you that our personal information may be exposed during online shopping. The website asks me whether I accept the cookie or decline all almost every time I visit it, and I always randomly click one. I don’t really worry about this because I feel my information is not so attractive or profitable for them, but I would clear all cookies in my google chrome a few times per month.
The advantages of online shopping are you have more time to think about the items compared to being in store. I often can’t decide whether I should buy a cloth in store for the price but when it’s online, I can have plenty of time to think and decide. Furthermore, it is hard to see all the items in the store when you are inside the store but you can clearly see all the items categorized on the website. It is a lot more convenient for the customers when they shop. However, there is also a downside to online shopping. It is often hard to have a clear idea of the size because some brands run big while some run small. In store, you are able to actually try on the cloth before you buy it which is very helpful to people not sure about their size. It is true that I have stronger desires at night because that is my free time all to my self where I would look at things all depending on my feeling. I don’t think online shopping will completely replace in store shopping in the future because online shopping is still a thing popular in between teenagers and young adults. older people that are not used to using electronics would still need to go to store and shop. I think people should have their own choice to pick since people have different opinions.
Every time I go online to buy clothes, I am torn about the sizes available online. Because it’s hard for me to determine if the dress fits me, I’m afraid that if I buy a big one or a small one, I’ll have to return it again, which will make me feel troublesome. And I am a person who hates trouble, so this leads to the fact that I may like the dress, but I will think about it for a long time before I make up my mind to buy it, or I may end up just putting it in my cart and do not bother to buy it.
For me, the desire to shop on my phone at night is the same as it is to shop physically during the day. I enjoy both shopping on my phone and in the physical store. I used my phone to make impulse purchases of impractical things. Because I like clothes designed in China so much, I often buy clothes from China. This leads me to sometimes overbuying clothes, some of which are not even the right size. The advantage is that there is no need to spend time waiting to try on or buy things, and online shopping makes people with social phobia more comfortable. The downside is that sometimes you might buy the wrong size, and the website might experience some issues. I don’t think physical store shopping will be completely replaced by online shopping in the future because some people may prefer the process of shopping in a physical store and choosing what they want by hand instead of just looking online.
I agree that online stores are not always able to guarantee quality, if you want to buy something of good quality, you can still judge the quality by your own assessment if you go to a physical store. For example, if you buy clothes, it is difficult to determine the right size in the online store, but the physical store can try on, which is better than the online store. And the physical store is also the entertainment of most girls consumers.
Yes, if you have enough time, shopping in physical stores is indeed a good choice. Because you can see and feel it, for example, when you buy clothes, you can buy the right size for you. Online shopping may buy clothes bigger or smaller. This is also an advantage of a physical store.
To be honest I don’t have the urge to buy something in the evening, it’s usually the sight of some sale that attracts me to want to buy something. For example, Temu, a popular online shopping app in recent years, has great deals on things. I usually see similar ads on ins, which are basically big sales, so it’s hard for me not to buy. I think the advantage of online shopping is efficiency, I can quickly get a clear idea of where there are deals, and I can also quickly check the average of that product to determine if I can buy it.
I have a similar experience as you. Temu also often appeals to me, especially when I’m using my phone in bed. Temu likes to pop up activities that give out free things, which attracts me to click on it. But I also know that this is Temu’s routine, so most of the time I will not buy impulsively.
Hi zhen Ni, even though I haven’t use temu before but I can understand how you feel. no matter what website I am browsing, when I see the “sale” sign, it’s like a magnet that “absorb” me to click it and make my wallet become empty (lol) but sometimes the on sale product is not as cost-effective as I have thought but not buying it are making me feel “guilty” because not buying a good deal is worst than buying it and realize it’s not as good as you think.
I don’t go shopping at night on my phone, so I haven’t ever bought something impulsive that wasn’t practical. My usual shopping habits are more focused on brick-and-mortar stores. I think online shopping is more convenient compared to physical shopping. Just searching for a name online and then we can see many different styles of items, which does not require us to look for items in real stores, which greatly reduces the time we spend. But compared to this, the drawbacks of online shopping are also very obvious, online shopping we can not visualize the quality, size and effectiveness of the items. I don’t think brick-and-mortar shopping will be replaced by online shopping. Sometimes we shop in reality, not really to buy any goods, we may be more to enjoy the atmosphere of shopping with friends or family. After all, chatting online is certainly not as enjoyable as meeting and chatting in reality.
Hi ZhiLing, like you, I prefer physical shopping. I think it is also because physical things can be seen and touched. We can personally confirm the quality of the goods and compare the cost performance with the price. Moreover, you mentioned that physical shopping can interact and communicate with people very well, which is also important for us to increase our social ability. Based on your selection and analysis I believe physical shopping will continue to exist even in the future.
I agree with you because I don’t like going out very often. So online shopping is just very convenient because you can get it delivered to your door. However, one thing that I find very annoying is that the package will get stolen and you lose your goods. Sometimes, the shop won’t take liability for the stolen goods. So you’ll just take the loss. I think shopping in-store is definitely an experience that you can replace because you are spending time with friends and laughing at their fits.
To be honest, I don’t really ever shop online that often. It seems like only once a year or none. So it doesn’t matter to me to shop either at night or day, not to say have a stronger desire to shop than usual when I swipe my phone at night. Moreover, I never made an impulse purchase something that isn’t practical, since I don’t shop often, and when I do shop it is usually something that I need. However, I have to admit that online shopping has a considerable advantage over physical store shopping not only because it is convenient, but also because it is more efficient in saving time wasted on traveling or actually shopping.
Hi Meiting thank you for creating this discussion topic about shopping. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve always been a pragmatist. I don’t care about some fancy product or something that doesn’t work in the long run. Because I’ve had the experience of buying something that wasn’t practical and then not using it, only to find out later that it expired or deteriorated. Plus I’m not a regular shopper so I don’t have the impulse to shop at many times. I think shopping online allows me to have more choices and styles. I don’t need to go to different physical stores to find a few styles and choices. However, many goods in online shopping are very different from the actual expectation, such as size and function. The advantage of physical shopping is to cultivate affection with family and friends and kill free time. Sometimes going shopping is also good for our body and mind. In my opinion, it is possible for online shopping to completely replace physical shopping in the future, considering the profit and customer flow. But in some areas people prefer physical shopping so we don’t have to worry:)
Hi, Jeff. I agree with you on the advantage and disadvantage of shopping online since there are way too many product that have go below my expectation when I make my purchase and those product end up in the garbage can even thought online shopping can provide us with many different styles and choice but if has a bad condition it’s of a waste of time and money too.
Yes, that’s right, it’s easier for me to buy things at night, I usually watch a small video before going to bed at night, the people in it are wearing beautiful clothes and shoes always make my heart beat, and I don’t know Unknowingly bought these things. Sometimes I make impulsive purchases of things I don’t normally use, for example, I buy a pair of expensive shoes and don’t wear them for a long time. Regarding the advantages of online shopping compared with physical stores, my opinion is that online shopping is more convenient, we can buy what we want without going out, but there are also disadvantages, such as it takes a long time to receive. In the future, online shopping is unlikely to replace physical stores. The advantage of physical stores is that they can get close to the products we want, which is impossible for online shopping.
In contrast, I don’t usually buy things online unless I suddenly think of something that I needed to buy and then end up buying a lot of other things that I don’t really need. Shopping online will usually give you a better discount, but going to the store will help get you a better fit that’s better for your body type. Or see the style that you’ll like. I do think that the mirror in the stores is rigged because I always look better in it than in the mirror at home. SO beware.
For me, I don’t think there is a specific time to increase my desire to shop because when I browse on my phone and sees some product that caught my eyes, I will buy it immediately. Therefore, there are so many thing I bought end up to be useless or not practical. Like some cute plush and ornament, they will eventually end up with dust on it somewhere in my room. One advantage of shopping online is it’s so convenient because I don’t have to spend a whole afternoon on deciding which outfit or product I need; I could just look at the online comment and post on certain product. Shopping online can only be more visualize because there are models picture on the clothes and you can actually see how it looks when wearing it, otherwise we can only imagine it. But there are always some disadvantage on shopping online because there are always some difference between the reality and on the website, advertisement is just to catch the audience’s eyes. So it must be perfect and attractive. Therefore, sometimes it’s necessary to go to the physical store. I don’t think online shopping will replace physical store shopping in the futures because people will want hang out sometimes and physical store can make people more clear about a certain product. So physical stores will not be replaced, although the Internet is developed and online shopping is convenient
Honestly, I think I am addicted to shopping. When it comes to online shopping, I think I am more able to gain self-control over what I should buy or shouldn’t buy because, at the moment, I can see the cost adding up. When it comes to buying things for other people like friends, I tend to overbuy sometimes. When it comes to shopping in-store, I get pressured into buying things that I might not need or regret but I am too afraid to return. Hopefully, online shopping doesn’t take over because going to the store and trying things out is still an experience in itself.