Most of us have at least one purchase sitting around the house that seemed like a great idea at the time. Maybe it’s an outfit with the tags still on, a kitchen gadget you thought you’d use often, or a hobby supply that quietly became permanent closet decor. A new analysis reveals the everyday purchases people seem to regret most.
Custom packaging company Arka analyzed public Reddit discussions about 20 popular consumer products, sorting comments based on whether people said they barely used the item, used it sometimes, or used it regularly.
- Unworn clothes came out on top, with 85.7% of the comments analyzed indicating little or no use. Impulse purchases and buying clothes for a hoped-for future size were common.
- Slow juicers ranked second, with about 86% of buyers reportedly abandoning them, often because cleaning all the parts was more trouble than the juice was worth.
- Shoes and high heels came in third, with around 80% saying some pairs barely get worn, often because they were bought for one occasion or turned out to be uncomfortable.
- Handbags are fourth, with many buyers saying flashy or expensive bags ended up being too heavy or impractical compared with the one everyday bag they actually use.
- Beauty and skincare products rounded out the top five, with more than 75% of regretful buyers saying products were opened once and then abandoned, often after a viral trend or sale convinced them to buy.
- The analysis also estimates that the average American spends about $150 a month on unplanned purchases, adding up to around $1,800 a year.
These are the 10 most regretted purchases:
- Unworn clothes
- Slow juicers
- Shoes and high heels
- Handbags
- Beauty and skincare products
- Craft supplies and yarn
- Singer home sewing machines
- Cameras
- Notebooks and journals
- Camping and backpacking gear
Apparently, the real impulse-buying test isn’t whether something looks useful in the store. It’s whether you still think it was a good idea six months later when you find it untouched in the back of a closet.
Source: NY Post
photo: GETTY