West Midlands Shoppers: Depressed And Sitting On The Toilet

New research suggests that compared to other regions, West Midlands shoppers are more likely than average to buy cheap sale items on their phone to make themselves feel happier after a relationship breakup, and very much more likely to do it whilst sitting on the toilet.

Unlike other regions, they will probably do all this stone-cold sober.

This is the familiar — or unfamiliar — pattern that emerges from research on U.K. online shopping habits, Retail Gazette reports.

Around 22% of West Midlands buyers rated sitting on the toilet as a top location — significantly above the national trend of 8%. Shopping on the toilet was third in the West Midlands, but seventh in the U.K. overall.

Only the North East and Yorkshire showed a similar preference for lavatory-based retail experiences.

The region is depressingly addicted to shopping on their phone after a relationship breakup (more than twice as likely as Londoners or Mancunians), and only the Scots do more buying to cheer themselves up.

However, West Midlands residents tend to go phone shopping when sober — unlike East Midlands residents, a fifth of whom are drunk when they buy.

They may be sober, but perhaps they are workshy: West Midlands online shoppers like to do it in their bosses' time (33%, the highest-ranked region). They also show a preference for phone shopping whilst driving, where the West Midlands was placed second at 6%. Top of the driving-whilst-buying list — and therefore a place to avoid if you value your safety — was the North East at 10%.

Nationally shopping whilst watching TV came out top of the list of preferences at 53% with shopping in bed a close second at 43% (although West Midlanders were distinctly more fond of shopping in bed than the national average, coming second to London at 56%).

West Midlands buyers are disproportionately likely to buy sale items (50% — second ranked among the regions).