ONLINE SPENDING FLAT AS IN-STORE PURCHASES GROW

Online consumer spending in the United States was flat in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the previous year, according to a Cardlytics report in May.

Post-Covid, the shopping trend is decreasing online and slowly growing in physical stores. In-store spending growth was only 3% in Q1 compared to the previous year.

According to a report by Insider Intelligence/eMarketer, retail sales dropped last quarter while spending on restaurants, gas, and groceries rose. Travel and entertainment also are growing.

“With gas prices approaching or exceeding $5 per gallon in every state, travel and entertainment may be next on the chopping block,” said the report.

Insider Intelligence/eMarketer

Online spending spiked during the coronavirus pandemic, as seen in the graph, with US consumer spending growing by 44% in Q1 2019, dropping to 31% in 2020, and then falling flat in 2021.