SWNYSECRET By Tyler Schmall
New York office - 646-873-7565 / usnews@swns.com
NEWS COPY - WITH VIDEO & INFOGRAPHIC
Black Friday is right around the corner, and there’s a very strong chance your partner is planning on buying something without you knowing, according to new research.
A new study found that nearly one in three Americans say they plan on buying something this Black Friday and not telling their partner about it.
The statistic emerged in a new survey of 2,000 Americans examining shopping habits around the holidays, which also unveiled that the average American has hidden $353 in Black Friday purchases from their partner in the past.
The survey, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of BJ’s Wholesale Club, found that clothes were the biggest purchase people hide from their partner on Black Friday, with jewelry and a new phone rounding out the top three.
One in three risk-takers (34 percent) said they’ve bought something in secret on the joint-account they share with their partner and just hoped they wouldn’t notice.
So, it’s no surprise that sometimes secrets become... not so secret, and 36 percent of Americans have been caught red-handed hiding a purchase from their partner.
When it comes to “secret spending” men are the bigger offenders, it turns out, as men will spend $276 secretly every month. Women, on the other hand, only secretly spend $119.
So what are Americans hiding from each other exactly? The survey asked people the biggest purchases they’ve ever hidden from a partner and got some wild answers.
One respondent said they hid a 65” television from a partner, and one of the survey-takers said they once spent half a grand on video games in secret.
A new refrigerator, Bob Dylan tickets, and a time share also made the list.
“The holidays are the perfect time to give your partner that special something they’ve wanted all year,” said Chris Desantis, senior vice president, general merchandise, BJ’s Wholesale Club. “Wholesale clubs are the best place to find great values on holiday gifts, so that you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank with your secret presents. Your biggest challenge is where to hide the large-screen TV.”
Black Friday is, unsurprisingly, a big deal when it comes to American shoppers. Such a big deal, actually, that there is actual prep time involved.
The average American who shops on Black Friday will spend four hours in advance, mapping routes and researching deals before hitting the stores, and 39 percent of Americans say they actually spend more time than that.
And even though Americans are willing to jump store-to-store on Black Friday, 69 percent of Americans find it to be a much more stressful event than just going to one store.
“For a stress-free Black Friday experience, it’s best to find a convenient one-stop shop to check off everything on your list, so you can save time and money,” continued Desantis. “BJ’s Wholesale Club has thousands of Black Friday steals so that you can find gifts for the whole family – including yourself.”
TOP 10 MOST POPULAR BLACK FRIDAY PURCHASES TO HIDE FROM PARTNER
Clothes 59%
Jewelry 48%
Phone 41%
Camera 37%
Other gadget/tech device 35%
Appliances 32%Homeware 29%
Food 26%
TV 22%
Travel 18%
5 OF THE BIGGEST PURCHASES AMERICANS SAY THEY’VE HIDDEN FROM THEIR PARTNER
● 65” television
● $500 worth video games
● A Chihuahua
● $1000 worth of jewelry
● Bob Dylan tickets
