Some purchases are destined to gather dust in the back of your closet, though you may not know it in the moment.
uncertain
you → destine → moment
An October 2026 study by custom packaging firm Arka evaluated 20 popular consumer products to pinpoint the items buyers hoard but almost never use.
asserted
buyers → evaluate → items
By analyzing public Reddit discussions surrounding buyer’s remorse, researchers classified feedback into little-to-no use, mixed use, or regular use.
asserted
researchers → analyze → use
The final rankings reveal the everyday buys most destined to sit forgotten in a dark closet or cluttered drawer.
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rankings → reveal → closet
A staggering 9 out of 10 respondents confessed to owning closets packed with garments still having their original store tags.
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respondents → confess → tags
“Impulse buying is behind most of these purchases, and it’s more widespread than we think,” said a packaging expert from Arka, who revealed the average American spends around $150 a month on unplanned purchases, which adds up to nearly $1.8K a year.
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which → ’ → K
Here are the top five items most shoppers regret buying later down the line.
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shoppers → regret → line
Unworn clothing reigns as America’s top retail regret.
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clothing → reign → regret
Nine in 10 shoppers admit a massive portion of their wardrobe remains untouched after purchase.
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portion → admit → purchase
Redditors blame impulse buys and “aspirational sizing” – purchasing outfits for a future physique they don’t yet have.
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they → blame → physique
Roughly 85.7% confirmed their closet is full of clothes that see little to no action.
asserted
that → confirm → action
2. Slow Juicer
Slow juicers snagged the runner-up spot, with 86% of buyers revealing they abandoned the appliance within days.
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they → snag → days
Across multiple Reddit threads, tedious cleanup was blamed for its nonuse – dismantling components and scrubbing sticky pulp quickly is a hassle not worth the beverage.
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dismantling → blame → pulp
Most slow juicers end up in a closet or second hand marke within the first month.
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juicers → end → month
Shoes and High Heels
Footwear and stilettos are another major source of buyer’s remorse, with 80% of buyers admitting some pairs never hit the pavement.
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pairs → admit → pavement
Most are snatched up for single, special occasions or bought in the wrong size on a whim—only to be permanently retired after one agonizing, blister-inducing wear.
asserted
Most → snatch → wear
Handbags
Handbags took fourth place, with 8 in 10 shoppers admitting their designer purchases rarely leave the closet.
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purchases → take → closet
Buyers report falling for flashy designs or brand prestige, only to find the bags awkwardly heavy or impractical for daily wear.
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bags → report → wear
Instead, most default to one trusty everyday tote.
asserted
most → default → tote
Beauty and Skincare Products
Beauty and skincare products complete the top five list of shopping fails.
asserted
products → complete → fails
Over 75% of remorseful buyers confessed to opening a product just once before abandoning it.
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% → confess → it
Blame viral social media trends and irresistible sales: multi-step routines quickly become exhausting, and hype-driven formulas often fail to match real-world skin types.
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formulas → blame → types
An expert at Arka said retail is designed to prompt impulse buys, with promoting sales, limited-time offers, and discounts push people to buy things they wouldn’t have considered at full price.
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they → say → price
“From an environmental standpoint, it’s a serious problem,” they added.
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they → ’ → standpoint
“Every unused item still went through the full production process, and most of it ends up in a landfill eventually.
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most → go → landfill
The Aporia
