A fan can spend weeks looking forward to a concert and lose interest in the time it takes to read the total at checkout. That last screen has some competition. There’s always another show, another seller or a good dinner out.
“The Experience Economy” is a PYMNTS Intelligence report produced in collaboration with Paysafe. It draws on a September 2026 survey of 2,146 U.S. consumers to examine experience spending, purchase decisions and the factors that influence where fans spend their money.
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The Experience Economy
In “The Experience Economy,” learn how:
- Experiences win a place in the budget. When given a choice, 53% of consumers would pick an experience over something they could own. Food and drink rank first among the activities fans spend the most on, ahead of travel and live music.
- A missed sale can affect how fans see their payment provider. Among fans who knew why a purchase fell through, 37% blamed a bank, card provider or payment service. The report looks at what happens when funds take too long to arrive or a seller doesn’t accept the way a fan wants to pay.
- Fans plan their next year of spending. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. consumers plan to spend on experiences over the next 12 months. These consumers expect to spend an average of $2,904 each. Live sports, video games and sports betting stand out as areas where fans plan to spend more.
What keeps a favorite activity on the calendar when money gets tight? For some fans, it’s a smaller night out. For others, it’s going less often or picking up extra hours to pay for a trip. These choices help explain why a concert ticket can survive a round of household budget cuts. They also show how much thought can go into a purchase before the seller ever sees the customer.
For merchants, the report offers a closer look at the sale from the fan’s side of the screen. For banks and payment providers, it shows why a customer who’s ready to pay can still leave empty-handed.
Download “The Experience Economy” to see which activities fans make room for, how they plan to pay and where sellers can keep experience spending from falling apart.
