Inflation has driven 43% of online shoppers in the U.S. to make fewer purchases, all while they've prioritized the flexibility to shop how, when and where they want.

In a survey from logistics and transportation provider Ryder, conducted in March, of more than 1,000 e-commerce consumers spread across the U.S., nearly half said that they're doing more comparison shopping before making purchases as a result of inflation. Another 29% said that they're now only making purchases when free delivery is an option, while 25% are opting to wait longer rather than pay for shipping, and 8% are using "buy now, pay later" payment options more often.

Read More: U.S. Consumers Cut Spending as Brands Hike Prices

Roughly 48% of shoppers said that inflation has caused them to scale back new clothing purchases, followed by home goods at 34%, electronics at 30% and accessories like jewelry and watches at 29%. Younger shoppers appear to be impacted by inflation far more than any other demographic, with half of all respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 reporting fewer overall purchases, compared to just 29% for those over the age of 60.

When it comes to what drives buying decisions, more than two-thirds of shoppers said that having the option for free shipping plays the biggest role. That marked a 5% increase over the 2024 Ryder online shopping survey, and a 12% bump from 2023. At least 70% of consumers also reported adding items to their shopping carts to qualify for free shipping, while more than half said that they'd be willing to spend up to $50 to ensure that an order qualifies. 

While fast shipping has also been top-of-mind for shoppers in past years of Ryder's survey, nearly a third of respondents said that scheduled delivery options are now more important to them. That's up from 17% in 2023, and 31% in 2024, as consumers have started to prioritize reliability and predictability over uncertain shipping windows. Sustainability factors into that equation as well, with 74% of shoppers saying that they're willing to wait longer for an online order to arrive if it means reducing the environmental impact.