How much do Americans value their personal data? An analysis of the online shopping habits of US consumers

Black Friday and the weeks surrounding it are perceived by many shoppers as a once-a-year opportunity to purchase products or services at deeply discounted prices. While this generally holds true, customers aren’t the only ones eager to fill their carts.

For retailers, the influx of bargain hunters creates an equally valuable opportunity to collect a different kind of good—personal data—because many of these deals are only accessible after customers provide some of their personal information.

Even though 95% of Americans are concerned that the personal data retailers collect could end up in a data breach, most still express willingness to exchange it for discounts or other perks.

With Black Friday on the horizon, Incogni’s research team set out to examine the online shopping habits of Americans, specifically regarding personal data. To accomplish this, they surveyed over 1,000 individuals from different social cohorts—like age or income groups—asking about their behaviors, decisions, and opinions surrounding online shopping.

Key insights

• Over half of Americans (51%) report shopping online weekly or daily.
• Daily online shopping gets less common with age: 18% of Gen Z report doing so versus only 3% of Baby Boomers. 
• Notably, despite shopping online the most frequently, Gen Z doesn’t seem to be affected by data breaches as often as other age groups (with 64% claiming to have not been affected), which might suggest low awareness regarding data privacy. 
• Nearly two-thirds of Americans (61%) say they opt in to marketing communications sometimes or always.
• A quarter of respondents (26%) report having been affected by a data breach.
• Almost eight in ten Americans (78%) are willing to trade some of their data for a shopping benefit.
• Americans trust grocery chains with their data the most—with 83% reporting moderate or high trust—and foreign marketplaces the least, with only 44% reporting the same levels of trust.
• 95% of respondents say they’re worried about their data ending up in a data breach.

Americans seem to really like shopping online

For this study, Incogni’s research team first attempted to get a better understanding of how popular online shopping is in the US.

With e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Temu reporting consistently growing net profits, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Americans seem to really like shopping online.

In fact, over half (51%) shop online at least once a week.

Moreover, an in-depth analysis of the results suggests that:

• The share of people shopping online daily declines with age—from 18% in the youngest age group to 3% in the oldest age group. (See the graph here)
• Around one-third of Baby Boomers (35%) say they shop online at least weekly. (See the graph here)
• Millennials are the most frequent online shoppers among the age groups, with 64% doing so at least weekly. (See the graph here)
• There appears to be a link between income and online shopping frequency: 67% of high-income* individuals shop online at least weekly, while 45% of average-income and 39% of low-income individuals do so. (See the graph here)
• As the residential setting becomes less urban, the frequency of online shopping also decreases—59% of big-city residents shop online weekly, compared to just 40% in rural areas. (See the graph here)

*To see how respondents were grouped by income levels, please refer to “Notes on data” at the end of the report.

Most Americans don’t mind opting in to marketing emails

Every online retailer aims to target their customers with effective email marketing, and Americans appear largely open to it.

In the survey, nearly 80% of respondents said they opt in to email marketing communications: 22% always, 39% sometimes, and 17% rarely.

Only about one in ten Americans (11%) declines marketing communications.

Furthermore:

• Among the studied age groups, Baby Boomers are the least likely to opt in to email marketing, with nearly 40% rarely or never doing so, followed by Gen X (27%), and Gen Z (24%). (See the graph here)
• Millennials are the most enthusiastic (or the least bothered) about email marketing, with 70% claiming to opt in always or sometimes. Gen Z comes second, with 66% respondents reporting the same. (See the graph here)

A quarter of Americans report being affected by a data breach at a retailer

Like many other online activities, online shopping carries a risk of data breaches.

In fact, a significant proportion of Americans have been affected: 26% report being impacted by a retailer data breach.

This means their data, including phone numbers, emails addresses, and more, may have been leaked and potentially sold on the dark web.

A further 16% of respondents are unsure if their data was compromised in such a breach.

Upon further analysis, the results indicate that:

• The frequency of online shopping is directly linked to the risk of being affected by a retailer data breach: 47% of daily online shoppers, 30% of weekly shoppers, and 21% of monthly shoppers report having their data compromised. (See the graph here)
• There’s a correlation between marketing opt-in rates and data breach risk: as the frequency of opt-ins increases, so does the rate of reported data breaches—32% of those who always opt in report a breach, compared to 19% of those who never opt in. (See the graph here)
• Gen Z respondents report the lowest breach rates, with 64% claiming to not have been affected, which might be surprising, taking into account the fact that this age group shops online and opts in to marketing emails most frequently. This may suggest low awareness regarding data privacy among the youngest online shoppers. (See the graph here)

Most Americans aren’t sure how retailers process their data

Retailers are trying to collect as much information about their customers as possible. 

However, many online shoppers are not aware of what happens to their data afterwards.

Notably, only one in five Americans (20%) claims to be familiar with the data-handling practices of retailers.

The most commonly recognized retailer behaviors are cross-platform tracking (22%) and data sharing with third parties or data brokers (22%).

It’s also worth noting that:

• High-income individuals tend to be more aware of retailer privacy practices, with an average of 31% claiming to be very familiar, compared to 15% of average-income and 16% of low-income individuals. (See the graph here)
• Education also plays a role, with college graduates being more likely to be aware of retailer privacy practices: on average, 24% of those with a higher education claim to be very familiar, compared to 18% of those without one. (See the graph here)

What types of data do Americans feel comfortable sharing while shopping online?

The majority of Americans believe retailers should be allowed to collect typical order-related data, such as phone numbers (60%), addresses (60%), and real names (53%).

A smaller, yet still significant, share of respondents indicate that credit card details (43%) and purchase histories (36%) are justifiably collectable by retailers.

However, only a small percentage of respondents consider collection justified for data points not essential for completing orders, namely:

• Search histories (16%)
• Social Security numbers (10%)
• Income levels (10%)
• Health information (9%).

The majority of Americans are willing to trade their personal data

Some data points are generally used only for processing the order, while others are necessary for activities beyond that purpose. 

In exchange for this data, retailers often present potential buyers with offers of various perks, like discounts or free delivery. 

The research examined how Americans feel about such transactions.

According to the survey, a majority (78%) of respondents say they would trade their personal data for shopping perks.

From a generational perspective, Millennials are the most willing to trade their data, with 82% saying yes, while Baby Boomers are the least likely, with 72% agreeing.

Data points Americans are willing to trade for shopping perks

In order to receive a shopping perk from a retailer, Americans are most willing to trade their phone numbers (42%), addresses (41%), and real names (38%).

It’s worth noting that the very same information is likely already available to retailers. However, when trading for perks, customers are often asked to consent to a much more intrusive set of data handling practices, potentially making that data viable for monetization.

Moreover:

• 20% of respondents are willing to share their search history in exchange for perks—a type of data considered highly private and one that’s not typically shared.
• While 43% of Americans are comfortable sharing their credit card details for a purchase, only 17% are willing to do so for a shopping perk.
• Some respondents are open to sharing traditionally sensitive information, like political views (15%) and sexual orientation (12%).
• A small but notable percentage of Americans are willing to share their health information (11%) and Social Security numbers (7%) in exchange for a shopping perk.

Nearly 20% are ready to trade their personal data for just a 10% discount

While people are generally hesitant to share their information, the majority (78%) are willing to change their minds if presented with a benefit. 

As a follow-up, the survey asked Americans what discount would be sufficient to persuade them to trade their personal data.

Nearly 1 in 5 respondents (19%) would trade their personal information for a discount as low as 10%.

What’s more:

• A little over a quarter of respondents (27%) have a higher threshold, requiring a minimum 25% discount before considering trading their data.
• For 22% of respondents, even a 25% discount wouldn’t be sufficient, suggesting they’d expect an even greater incentive to make such a trade.
• 6% of respondents report being willing to trade their personal information for as little as a 5% discount.
• The remaining 26% would never trade their data for a discount.

Are Americans comfortable with retailers sharing their personal data?

Americans are generally willing to trade their personal data for benefits, with 20% accepting even a 10% discount. 

However, giving away an email address to receive promotional materials, and letting retailers share it with third parties, might create completely different implications.

Despite that, over 60% of Americans consider it at least somewhat acceptable to have their personal data shared with a third party by the retailer. 

In other words, this 60% of respondents gave answers ranging from rarely to always acceptable.

Furthermore, the results suggest:

• Americans generally accept retailers processing their data internally, with an average of 88% of respondents finding it at least rarely acceptable.
• The most widely accepted use of data is preventing fraud and increasing security, with over 40% of respondents considering it always acceptable for retailers to process data for this purpose.
• However, sharing data with third parties is viewed more skeptically, with nearly 40% of respondents finding it never acceptable. 
• Nevertheless, for nearly two-thirds of respondents, even external data sharing is at least rarely acceptable.

Americans don’t trust foreign retailers with their personal data

When deciding whether to share personal data with a retailer, several factors come into play, including the size of the benefit, how data is processed, the types of data, and more. 

Another crucial consideration is who is processing the data.

Foreign online marketplaces inspire the least trust, with over 56% of respondents rating trust levels as low to none.

Grocery chains, on the other hand, enjoy high trust, with 83% of Americans expressing high to moderate trust in them.

In addition, these results indicate that:

• Apart from grocery chains, the majority of respondents express trust in large physical department stores (81%) and American online marketplaces (81%).
• Other retailers that inspire trust among a significant proportion of respondents include online pharmacies and health product shops (78%) and small local businesses (75%).
• Notably, larger brands, which are often targeted in data breaches (see recent incidents at Victoria’s Secret and Ahold Delhaize USA), seem to inspire more trust among consumers than smaller, local businesses.

Over 9 in 10 Americans are concerned about data breaches affecting retailers they shop with

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), identity thefts are among the most common types of fraud. But for such a crime to happen, there’s one element that’s absolutely critical—data. Names, addresses, Social Security numbers, family members—the more the better.

Data breaches provide a massive source of this information.

Americans are aware of this threat, with 95% of respondents expressing concerns about retailers experiencing data breaches.

Conclusion

Although this research suggests that Americans are somewhat aware of the potential risks associated with their online activity and how their personal data is handled—with 95% expressing worry about data breaches—caution still gives way to economic benefits.

This drive turns out to be powerful enough to override the concerns nearly all Americans share about data breaches—even among individuals who have experienced such incidents in the past.

While many factors may influence people’s decision-making processes, several seem to play a particularly important role in this phenomenon. To begin with, consumers may not fully grasp how serious a threat exposed personal data can pose. From spam and scams to identity theft or even physical harm, all these risks are exacerbated by access to personal information. 

In addition, people may have become so accustomed to sharing personal details online that the practice neither draws much attention nor raises alarm. As internet users, individuals are routinely asked to provide personal information—to create accounts, place orders, or access digital services. Over time, this might have come to feel normal and even expected. 

Finally, the tangible benefits of sharing personal data in exchange for discounts or other shopping perks are far more immediate and visible than the abstract risk of a data breach or identity theft. For many consumers, it may just be easier to overlook a potential threat than to pass up a concrete reward.

Methodology

The survey was commissioned by Incogni and conducted by Cint. A total of 1,006 nationally representative American residents (by age, gender, and place of residence) were surveyed about their experiences and opinions regarding online shopping and data privacy.

The survey took place between September 30 and October 3, 2025, and included individuals aged 18–74. Since Gen Z typically includes people born between 1997 and 2012, the pool of Gen Z respondents excludes members of that generation who were under 18 when the survey was conducted.

Appendix

The survey questions and possible responses were:

1. How often do you make purchases online?
   • Daily
   • Weekly
   • Monthly
   • Rarely
   • Never
2. When signing up for online retail accounts, I…
   •  “always opt in to marketing emails and promotions ”
   •  “sometimes opt in to marketing emails and promotions (depending on the retailer)
   • “rarely opt in to marketing communications ”
   • “never opt in to marketing communications ”
   • “don’t pay attention to marketing communication settings ”
3. Have you ever been involved in a data breach affecting a retailer?
   • Yes
   • No
   • Not sure
4. What types of personal data do you think retailers should be allowed to collect from you to fulfil your order?
   • Real name and surname
   • Phone number
   • Address
   • Credit card details
   • Social Security number
   • Income level
   • Purchase history
   • Search history
   • Health information
   • Sexual orientation
   • Sexual activity information
   • Political views
5. Which types of personal data would you be willing to trade for a holiday shopping perk (such as a gift card or free shipping)?
   • None of the above, I would not trade my data for a discount
   • I would trade my data for a discount
     1. Real name and surname
     2. Phone number
     3. Address
     4. Credit card details
     5. Social Security number
     6. Income level
     7. Purchase history
     8. Search history
     9. Health information
     10. Sexual orientation
     11. Sexual activity information
     12. Political views
6. What is the minimum discount that you would accept in exchange for sharing your personal data (like your email address, phone number, or location)?
   • 5%
   • 10%
   • 25%
   • Higher than 25%
   • I would never trade my data for a discount
7. How acceptable do you find the following potential uses of your personal data by retailers? 
   • Improving customer service or the online user experience, or providing a better checkout experience.
     1. Always acceptable
     2. Often acceptable
     3. Rarely acceptable
     4. Never acceptable
     5.  [Other uses of personal data had the same acceptability options]
   • Receiving online marketing communications like promotional emails about sales, deals, and new products.
   • Receiving physical marketing communications like promotional flyers, direct mail, or catalogs at your home.
   • Improving retailer operations (like charting shopping trends to improve inventory or developing new products).
   • Preventing fraud and increasing security to help prevent personal data from being used against you.
   • Sharing your personal data with other third parties like research organizations, data brokers, or marketing partners.
8. How important are the following data protection measures to you when you shop with a retailer?
   • A clear explanation of what data is collected and why
     1. Extremely important
     2. Very important
     3. Moderately important
     4. Slightly important
     5. Not important at all
     6.  [Other data protection measures had the same importance options]
   • The ability to opt out of data collection for non-essential purposes
   • The option to delete your personal data from their systems
   • Regular security updates and breach notifications
   • Limits on how long they keep your personal information
   • The ability to see exactly what data they have about you
   • A choice in how your data is used for marketing purposes
9. Please rate how much you trust the data privacy practices of the following retailer types
   • Large physical department stores (such as Target or Walmart)
     1. Complete trust
     2. High trust
     3. Moderate trust
     4. Low trust
     5. Zero trust
     6. [Other retailer types had the same level of trust options]
   • American online marketplaces (such as Amazon, eBay, or Etsy)
   • Foreign online marketplaces (such as Temu, AliExpress, or Rakuten)
   • Online pharmacies and health product shops
   • Grocery chains (such as Kroger or Safeway)
   • Small local businesses
   • Electronics retailers (such as Best Buy or the Apple Store)
   • Specialty clothing retailers (such as Gap or H&M)
10. Before taking this survey, how familiar were you with the following retailer practices involving your data?
    • Retailers sharing customer data with third-party advertising partners and data brokers (companies that collect and resell personal information)
      1. Very familiar
      2. Somewhat familiar
      3. Slightly familiar
      4. Not familiar at all
      5. [Other retailer practices had the same familiarity options]
    • Retailers selling customer information to third-party marketing companies
    • Retailers providing customer data to data brokers (companies that collect and resell personal information) for profit
    • Retailers combining your purchase data with information from other sources to create detailed profiles
    • Retailers tracking your online behavior across different websites and apps
11. What would worry you the most if a retailer suffered a data breach?
    • 1 – Financial theft (using your credit card or accessing your bank account)
    • 1 – Identity theft (using information like your SSN, driver’s license, or passport)
    • 1 – Location tracking
    • 1 – Account takeover (where hackers log in posing as you)
    • 1 – Password or login credentials being stolen, phishing scams
    • 1 – Exposure of personal details (such as your home address, phone, or family info)
    • 1 – Purchase history being resold or leaked
    • 1 – Becoming the target of spam or excessive marketing
    • 1 – I am not worried about any of these
    • 2 – I am worried

Notes on data

In order to group people by income levels, respondents were asked the following question:

“How would you define your household’s financial situation?”

There’s a lack of money for some necessities and a need to borrow money

“High income” respondents are those who selected:

There’s enough money to buy a house or a car, in addition to saving

There’s enough money to buy household appliances and go on vacation, in addition to saving

“Average income” respondents are those who selected:

There’s enough money for food and necessities, in addition to saving

There’s enough money for food and necessities, but no money for saving

“Low income” respondents are those who selected:

There’s a lack of money for some necessities but no need to borrow money