A growing number of shoppers are spending money without leaving the house, joining what Visa is calling the "couch economy."
Visa Business and Economic Insights analyzed Visa data across its network, which shows a growing number of U.S. consumers are increasingly spending from their phones, laptops and tablets rather than going to a physical store. The share of domestic spending online has increased from 48% in 2019 to 58% in 2026.
More shoppers are using their mobile devices to order groceries, binge TV with their streaming services or have dinner delivered, Visa said in a recent analysis.
The percentage of shoppers who are frequent online or in-app buyers, which accounts for 10 or more transactions a month as a percentage of total active cards,
is also growing among U.S. consumers, rising from 13.1% in 2018 to 25.4% in 2026.
Consumers' spending online has been increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic, said Wayne Best, Visa's chief economist. But "digital behaviors are now starting to become habits, with consumers increasingly engaging through a lot of their applications that they have available to them," Best told USA TODAY. AI is also taking a bigger role in helping consumers find the best prices and deals as they're buying things online, he said.
What are people buying?
Entertainment at home has increased as streaming platforms and streaming services have become more affordable and accessible – making it a cheap night in instead of going out, Visa said.
In the U.S., subscription and pay TV purchases rose from 10% of card spending in 2019 to nearly 17.5% in 2026, while spending on cinema and concerts went from approximately less than 5% in 2019 to a little more than 6% in 2026.
Food-delivery services are also increasingly being used by consumers, with about 10% of card users in 2026 using food delivery apps.
In a separate analysis, Bank of America Institute found that subscription spending, including streaming services, have increased 7.7% in July compared to the year before – even as consumers are more cost-conscious.
Pets play a role, too
Pet ownership and spending at home on pets is also on the rise, as consumers stay at home and spend around activities there with their pets, the report said. In the U.S., 8% of credit cards showed regular pet-related spending, Visa said.
"The couch economy is not simply about consumers staying home; it is about how rising expectations for convenience are reshaping how they spend," the report said.
Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@USATODAY.com or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher and @blinfisher.bsky.social on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which breaks down complex consumer and financial news. Subscribe here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How the 'couch economy' is changing your spending
