LOS ANGELES – In advance of Black Friday, Incogni, a leading personal data removal and privacy protection company, has released a new survey analyzing the online shopping habits of Americans, revealing how little they value their personal data over discounts. The study shows that, while the vast majority of Americans (95%) are concerned their data could end up in a breach, nearly eight in ten (78%) are still willing to share personal information for discounts, perks, or free shipping.
Shoppers are often asked to volunteer personal information for discounts or access to content and rewards. It has become so routine that few likely consider the implications before doing so. Incogni’s 2025 Online Shopping and Data Privacy Survey aims to elevate the issue and explore U.S. consumer perceptions about online shopping, data sharing, and retailer trust ahead of the busiest shopping weekend of the year. The company surveyed over 1,000 U.S. adults across age, income, and location demographics to understand their online behaviors, data awareness, and privacy attitudes.
Key findings
● 51% of Americans shop online at least once a week, with millennials (64%) being the most frequent shoppers.
● 78% are willing to trade personal data, such as names, addresses, and phone numbers, for shopping perks, with millennials (82%) being the most likely and baby boomers (72%) the least likely.
● Nearly 1 in 5 (19%) would share their data for just a 10% discount.
● 95% worry about retailer data breaches, yet 60% of Americans consider it at least somewhat acceptable to have their personal data shared with a third party by the retailer.
● Only 20% of shoppers understand how retailers use their data, with most unaware of cross-platform tracking or data broker sharing.
● Trust varies widely by retailer type: Grocery chains are the most trusted (83% moderate or high trust), while foreign marketplaces are the least (44%).
Even though U.S. consumers have strong concerns about data misuse and privacy, the survey shows that they overwhelmingly agree to trade their data for financial incentives. However, shoppers are often unaware of how their personal information is stored, sold, or repurposed for targeted marketing.
“U.S. shoppers seem to be at a crossroads, understanding in varying degrees the risk of data sharing and breaches, but continuing to hand over personal information for short-term benefits, especially during the holiday season,” said Darius Belejevas, Head of Incogni. “Education is crucial; consumers need to recognize that every discount carries a substantial data cost.”
