Survey: Consumers looking for more discounts, buying fewer non-essentials to save money
Looming tariffs that are expected to impact the prices of daily essentials have consumers less confident in their finances than they were at the start of the year.
According to a new survey from performance marketing firm Wunderkind, only 23% of respondents feel more secure than they did in January, while a much larger share describe themselves as cautious, pessimistic or even panicked (62% combined). Only 14% say they feel unchanged from the start of the year.
The majority of consumers have made noticeable changes to their purchasing habits, with the largest share of respondents (32%) saying they are more aggressively looking for discounts. A similar number (31%) report they are buying fewer non-essential items. Wunderkind’s survey found that only a small fraction (12%) have yet to adjust their behavior.
When asked about their biggest shopping worries, almost two-thirds (64%) of those surveyed cited “higher prices” as their top issue, with women (70%) and Gen X (68%) especially saying so. Unpredictable price increases follow closely, with nearly half (47%) of respondents listing this as a major challenge. Out-of-stock products (21%) are also a key concern for the future.
[READ MORE: Survey: Consumers eye buy now, pay later options in face of tariffs]
Consumer attitudes toward tariffs as a means to protect American jobs and industries remain sharply divided, according to the survey. Only 19% fully support tariffs despite higher prices, with support highest among men (26%) and baby boomers (23%). Gen X shows the most skepticism, with 46% saying they donʼt believe tariffs protect jobs or industries or are worth it at all.
Over half (54%) of those surveyed said they personally pay the largest share of tariff-related costs, with the perception even stronger among baby boomers (64%) and Gen X (61%). Gen Z, in contrast, are less likely to feel personally impacted, with only 39% believing consumers will foot the bill for tariffs.
Additional insights from the Wunderkind survey include the following:
- Nearly half (48%) of shoppers say they are more likely to stay loyal to brands that provide clear updates on pricing, product availability, and exclusive offers. This sentiment is especially high among millennials (54%) and Gen Z (55%).
- Nearly four-in-10 (39%) consumers say they spent less during Amazon’s Prime Day event than in previous years, with only 28% reporting they spent more.
- Only 11% plan to begin holiday shopping before September, while 15% will start in September and 23% will start in October. A quarter of consumers (24%) are waiting for Black Friday or Cyber Monday.
- Among those actively seeking better deals, adding items to online carts and leaving them there is the top strategy (24%), particularly for millennials (30%) and Gen Z (31%).
- Subscribing to email or text alerts in exchange for a discount is growing too, with Gen X (22%) and Gen Z (31%) leading the way. More than half (56%) of consumers prefer to receive personalized offers from brands via email.
Wunderkind’s "U.S. Tariffs: Consumer Impact Survey Series" report is based on survey data collected between July 11-14, 2025 from 303 U.S. consumers evenly-split across genders and adult age groups.
