Stop Procrastinating Study: Black Friday Shoppers Use Work Time For Internet Shopping

By  //  November 27, 2015

A study of 2,000 people in the USA has found that people aiming for the best Black Friday deals intend to shop online during work time. (Shutterstock image)
A study of 2,000 people in the USA has found that people aiming for the best Black Friday deals intend to shop online during work time. (Shutterstock image)

A study of 2,000 people in the USA has found that people aiming for the best Black Friday deals intend to shop online during work time.

The survey undertaken by Stop Procrastinating, the productivity website, found that 64% of respondents admitted that they intend to use work time to browse the Internet for the best Black Friday deals instead of working.

Stop Procrastinating is not-for-profit an evidence-based productivity website and blog providing advice on how to improve productivity.

“The pressure to buy online on Black Friday has clearly had an impact on concentration levels at work,” said Tim Rollins, director at Stop Procrastinating.

“With big deals, the pressure to browse the Internet than work is overwhelming for some.”

Black Friday online shoppers have developed a range of techniques to appear to be undertaking work when they are not:

• 35% of respondents admitted to spending at least four hours of work time browsing for deals during Black Friday last year and they intend to spend the same or more this year.

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• 44% believed that they wouldn’t do that much work on black Friday as they’d be too distracted by shopping to get the best deals.

• 32% said they intended to have a number of Internet browser windows open on their computer screen so they could flip between work and shopping websites.

• 27% said that they would use their smart phone in the office toilet to make a black Friday online purchase.

• 6% admitted they would take a sick day in order to shop during black Friday.

• 12% said they would stay up until the earlier hours to shop online during Black Friday and were prepared to be late or tried at work the next day due to lack of sleep.