The top impulse buys Americans regret most – study reveals

Some purchases are destined to gather dust in the back of your closet, though you may not know it in the moment.

An October 2026 study by custom packaging firm Arka evaluated 20 popular consumer products to pinpoint the items buyers hoard but almost never use.

By analyzing public Reddit discussions surrounding buyer’s remorse, researchers classified feedback into little-to-no use, mixed use, or regular use. The final rankings reveal the everyday buys most destined to sit forgotten in a dark closet or cluttered drawer.

Topping the list of wasted spending: unworn clothing. A staggering 9 out of 10 respondents confessed to owning closets packed with garments still having their original store tags.

“Impulse buying is behind most of these purchases, and it’s more widespread than we think,” said a packaging expert from Arka, who revealed the average American spends around $150 a month on unplanned purchases, which adds up to nearly $1.8K a year.

Here are the top five items most shoppers regret buying later down the line.

1. Unworn Clothes

Unworn clothing reigns as America’s top retail regret. Nine in 10 shoppers admit a massive portion of their wardrobe remains untouched after purchase. Redditors blame impulse buys and “aspirational sizing” – purchasing outfits for a future physique they don’t yet have. Roughly 85.7% confirmed their closet is full of clothes that see little to no action.

2. Slow Juicer

Slow juicers snagged the runner-up spot, with 86% of buyers revealing they abandoned the appliance within days. Across multiple Reddit threads, tedious cleanup was blamed for its nonuse – dismantling components and scrubbing sticky pulp quickly is a hassle not worth the beverage. Most slow juicers end up in a closet or second hand marke within the first month.

3. Shoes and High Heels

Footwear and stilettos are another major source of buyer’s remorse, with 80% of buyers admitting some pairs never hit the pavement. Most are snatched up for single, special occasions or bought in the wrong size on a whim—only to be permanently retired after one agonizing, blister-inducing wear.

4. Handbags

Handbags took fourth place, with 8 in 10 shoppers admitting their designer purchases rarely leave the closet. Buyers report falling for flashy designs or brand prestige, only to find the bags awkwardly heavy or impractical for daily wear. Instead, most default to one trusty everyday tote.

5. Beauty and Skincare Products

Beauty and skincare products complete the top five list of shopping fails. Over 75% of remorseful buyers confessed to opening a product just once before abandoning it. Blame viral social media trends and irresistible sales: multi-step routines quickly become exhausting, and hype-driven formulas often fail to match real-world skin types.

An expert at Arka said retail is designed to prompt impulse buys, with promoting sales, limited-time offers, and discounts push people to buy things they wouldn’t have considered at full price.

“From an environmental standpoint, it’s a serious problem,” they added. “Every unused item still went through the full production process, and most of it ends up in a landfill eventually.”

Here is the top 10 list of regrettable purchases: