LOS ANGELES –– Incogni, a company specializing in removing personal data and protecting online privacy, released its 2025 Online Shopping and Data Privacy Survey, revealing how little Americans value privacy when faced with attractive deals. The report arrives as retailers gear up for what is expected to be the busiest shopping weekend of the year, pressing consumers to exchange personal information for sales and promotions.
“Shoppers are often asked to volunteer personal information for discounts or access to content and rewards,” the announcement says. The study “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 adds.
More than 1,000 adults across a variety of ages, income levels and regions responded with insights into their online purchasing habits, awareness of data practices and attitudes toward privacy. Respondents included men and women from urban, suburban and rural areas, capturing a wide spectrum of shopping behaviors.
The survey shows that almost all Americans (95%) fear their personal data could end up in a security breach, yet a majority (78%) still share details like names, addresses, phone numbers and other identifiers in return for perks such as discounts, loyalty points or free shipping. Nearly one in five participants (19%) said they would hand over data for as little as a 10% discount.
Key takeaways:
- 51% shop online at least once a week; millennials are most active at 64%, followed by lower rates among Gen X and baby boomers.
- 78% would trade personal information for shopping incentives, led by 82% of millennials and trailing at 72% among baby boomers.
- 95% express concern over retailer data breaches.
- 60% say it is acceptable for retailers to pass their data along to third-party vendors.
- Only 20% grasp how companies use customer data, including methods like cross-platform tracking or sales to data brokers.
- Trust levels differ widely: 83% place moderate to high confidence in grocery chains, whereas only 44% extend similar trust to overseas marketplaces.
These gaps call for greater consumer awareness.
These findings reveal a tension between privacy concerns and short-term benefits, with many U.S. shoppers unaware of how their information is stored, sold or directed into targeted marketing campaigns.
“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,” says Darius Belejevas, head of Incogni. “Education is crucial; consumers need to recognize that every discount carries a substantial data cost.”
