Carrots, beans, meat, milk …

More than three-quarters of Americans have placed an order with an on-demand delivery service in the last year, according to a recent LendingTree survey of more than 1,000 consumers.

Fueled by the pandemic, many shoppers have grown accustomed to getting all sorts of items — from food and groceries to medicine and household items — delivered to their door. Some, notably, are even spending more than they can afford, according to a news release.

Key findings

  • More than three-quarters (77%) of Americans — or more than 196 million — used an on-demand delivery service within the last year. Retail delivery such as Amazon is the most popular delivery type (used by 51%), followed by food delivery (45%).
  • Consumers spend nearly $2,000 on delivery services per year, on average. This figure was estimated based on Americans’ reported spending last month, which totaled $157.
  • Seven in 10 (70%) Americans are willing to spend extra money to save time and effort. While the majority (37%) would cap that extra spending at $50 per month, nearly 1 in 5 (19%) are willing to shell out $100 or more for convenience.
  • The cost of convenience: 29% of Americans admit to spending more than they can afford on delivery services. Overspending is most prevalent among younger consumers, with 48% of Gen Z and 39% of millennials owning up to splurging too much on delivery. The same is true for parents with kids under 18 (48% of whom say they overspend).
  • The delivery era is here to stay. In the survey, 45% of Americans said they intend to continue using delivery services just as often as they did during the pandemic.
  • Not having to leave the house is the primary reason for choosing on-demand delivery services for 51% of Americans, followed by saving time (30%) and saving money (16%).

“Having everything from personal care items and clothing to food and meal kits delivered right to your home is certainly convenient but can add up,” said Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree in the news release. “Avoid blowing your budget by comparing prices and finding the best deals. Even a little savings can go a long way.”

To view the full report, visit here.

Methodology
LendingTree commissioned Qualtrics to field an online survey of 1,004 U.S. consumers, conducted July 9 to July 15, 2021. The survey was administered using a nonprobability-based sample, and quotas were used to ensure the sample base represented the overall population. All responses were reviewed by researchers for quality control.

Source: LendingTree.com