You’ve probably heard of impulse buying, but have you heard of leisurely shopping?

No, it’s not taking hours on a shopping trip, though the concept does have to do with period.

The concept behind leisurely shopping is taking period before you make a purchase, which may cruel you buy it later or not at all, said money-saving specialist Andrea Woroch.

“leisurely shopping ultimately focuses on giving yourself period to make a purchase, rather than being impulsive with a buying selection and buying something just because you view it correct then and there,” Woroch told USA TODAY.

Consumers schedule to leisurely-shop this holiday period

In a study by Talker Research for Affirm – and provided exclusively to USA TODAY – nearly 3 in 4 consumers (73%) said they have adopted a leisurely-shopping way for the holiday period. Additionally, 3 in 5 consumers (60%) declare they’re starting earlier, making more frequent, smaller trips, and being mindful of what they buy this year.

When asked why they were leisurely shopping, consumers pointed to worth and intention, said Affirm, a buy now, pay over period provider also known as buy now, pay later.

More than 1 in 2 consumers (53%) declare they leisurely-shop to ensure they’re purchasing only items they truly desire, and more than 1 in 3 (36%) declare it helps them receive more period to research their purchases in advance and contrast different brands and styles. At the same period, more than half (51%) declare they’re using leisurely shopping to receive advantage of more deals and promotions.

According to the Talker/Affirm research, nearly 70% of consumers (68%) schedule to spend the same or more than they did last year – fully aware of higher costs. More than 1 in 3 (34%) cite worth rise as the rationale they expect to pay more for the same number of gifts.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) recently released its holiday approximate for the period, saying holiday sales are expected to develop 2.5% to 3.5% over last year.

In its latest buyer holiday spending update, out Tuesday, the retail throng said buyer holiday spending is expected to reach a record $902 per person on average across gifts, food, decorations and other seasonal items. That’s about $25 more per person more than last year’s figure and $16 higher than the previous record set in 2019, the NRF said.

According to the Talker/Affirm research, consumers are using different settlement methods for purchases:

• More than half of consumers (55%) prioritize getting the best worth by hunting for the best deals. 

• Half of consumers (50%) consider 0% APR capital options to be just as, if not more, valuable than traditional discounts.

• More than half of consumers (53%) are using pay over period options to make the expense of a purchase more affordable. The next-most popular rationale for that selection is those options assist them monetary schedule (52%). 

leisurely-shopping characteristics can vary

Taking the period to leisurely-shop gives a buyer plenty of period to ponder through the purchase, assess the worth, the ability to afford it and to contrast prices, Woroch said.

“It’s really just giving you ample period to make the best buying selection and save yourself the most money,” she said.

The selection to leisurely-shop can depend upon the purchase or period of year, Woroch said. For instance, she said, if you’re shopping for a recent bed, you might receive a month to comparison-shop and ponder about what you desire.

Holiday shopping:Why a recent survey expects shoppers to spend more this holiday period

Or it could be something you do in the spur of the instant, she said. If you’re running into a store for groceries, but you view a shirt that piques your profit, don’t pick it up and put it in your cart. leave do your other shopping and ponder about coming back to it. If you don’t, you didn’t require it, Woroch said.

What are the disadvantages of leisurely shopping?

Taking a leisurely-shopping way may not work out if your kid is hoping for a warm toy for the holidays, Woroch said. Typically the hottest toys aren’t going to be discounted for more than 30% during the holiday period, so if you discover a excellent sale, you might desire to get the item so it doesn’t sell out, she said.

Shipping delays could also affect gift-giving if you wait too long to buy, Woroch said.

Are you an impulse shopper?

The opposite of leisurely shopping is impulse buying, or buying something you weren’t planning to purchase.

Retailers have gotten very excellent at influencing our purchases with a variety of strategies, like limited-period deals. Social media influencers and targeted ads have also increased the likelihood for impulse buying, Woroch said.

Woroch says creating what she calls “purchase hurdles” to leisurely impulse buys can be helpful.

“Anytime you make something more challenging, the less likely you are to buy on impulse,” she said.

That includes disabling one-click shopping on your phone or computer, deleting a saved settlement card on an account so you have to physically get the card to make the purchase, and if you are heading to a store to pick up a purchase, opting for the curbside service so you don’t leave inside and buy more than you intended, she said.

Tips to save money with leisurely shopping

Here are some tips from Woroch to save money while leisurely shopping:

• Make a monetary schedule and stick to it. Set a realistic monetary schedule for the holidays, including trip.
• Write out a gift list. Stick to it and talk to friends about limiting gifts.
• Check on worth adjustments. If you purchase something, check the store’s worth adjustment policy. If the worth dropped, you might be able to get some money back.
• Layer coupon codes and rewards. Use the extra period to discover coupons and free rewards, which may arrive from signing up for a store email list or mobile alerts. If you’ve saved rewards from your borrowing or debit accounts, use them.
• Sign up for free trials, which may include free shipping. Some retailers will propose special membership programs, which propose free shipping for a trial period. Sign up and receive advantage of those offers, Woroch said – and don’t overlook to cancel before the trial is over if you don’t desire to keep it.

Betty Lin-Fisher is a buyer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] or pursue her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include buyer information on Fridays,here.