Why Saturday at 2:36 PM is “Social Spend O’Clock”

We all know that feeling—scrolling through social media, spotting something tempting, and thinking maybe later. New research has pinpointed the exact time many of us give in to that shopping urge.

And it happens at 2:36 p.m. on a Saturday!

According to a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults who shop through social media, Saturday afternoons are prime time for splurging. It seems that just before the weekend’s winding down is when we’re most likely to click “buy” on that item we’ve been eyeing. And if you’ve ever wondered, what’s my second most dangerous shopping day?—Friday comes pretty close!

How Each Generation Shops Away Their Blues

Turns out, different generations have their reasons for turning to retail therapy. Gen X is most likely to shop online to beat the "Sunday Scaries," while Gen Z hits the checkout button to shake off those dreaded Monday blues. But millennials? We’re notorious for adding items to our carts during the workday.

72% of us admit to social media shopping while at work!

Who can blame us? Buying stuff is easier than ever! Remember when we had to actually make time for shopping? Whether it was setting aside an hour to visit a store like Consumer Distributing or browsing through catalogues, it was a whole event. These days, it's all just a few taps away.

Related: ONLINE SHOPPING REGRETS

The Window Shopping Struggle

On average, we spend three hours a day window shopping online. We often leave carts full and forgotten across various retailers, usually because we’re waiting for a sale, can’t make up our minds, or simply forget about them.

We’ve also dropped about $168 on social media purchases, and that is in the last six months!

In the last month alone, nearly three-quarters of shoppers have bought something through social media, with the most popular items being clothing, fashion accessories, tech gadgets, and beauty products.

Millennials, though? We’re notorious for buying pretty much anything that crosses our feed—whether it’s the latest phone charger, a trendy hat, or even some skincare. No item is off-limits!

So, the next time Saturday rolls around, be careful with that scroll—you might just find yourself amid “Social Spend O’Clock”!