Written by Rhiannon Frater
Houstonians love online shopping, and for good reason. Sprawled across 665 square miles, the fourth most populous city in the US is not exactly easy to get around in. Houston is notorious for its urban sprawl and snarling traffic jams. According to Inrix’s latest Global Traffic Scorecard, the average Houston driver lost 62 hours to traffic delays in 2023. No wonder, then, that Houstonians are leaning into the speed and simplicity of online shopping.
To explore this shift in consumer behavior, a new survey commissioned by Nicokick.com, the leading US online retailer of nicotine pouches, reveals that nearly half of Houstonians now buy everything, yes, everything, online, including vice products like alcohol, vapes, and CBD.
The survey, which polled 500 Houston residents over the age of 21, uncovered the city’s top shopping trends: 34% of Houstonians say they now do most or all of their shopping online, and 58% regularly use same-day or next-day delivery. The respondents cited convenience as the biggest motivator, with 37% saying they prefer to skip a trip to the store and simply tap “add to cart” from the comfort of home. The highest percentage of online shoppers live in the Galleria/Uptown neighborhood (57%), followed by Memorial/Energy Corridor, Pearland, and West U/Bellaire (46%). Most in-store shoppers live in the Woodlands.
While traffic is cited as one of the reasons for shopping online, it’s not the only reason. 15% of Inner Loop residents and 18% of Spring Branch residents cite traffic as their main reason to shop online, while 23% of Inner Loop residents shop online to avoid in-store interactions.
Meanwhile, shopping online for groceries, fashion, and gadgets has become a growing trend, but increasingly, shoppers also feel comfortable buying vice products online:
- 28% of Houstonians have purchased alcohol online
- 18% have ordered vapes
- 16% have tried CBD delivery
- 10% say they’ve bought nicotine pouches
In particular, neighborhoods like Uptown, Montrose, and Pearland are hotspots for online vice purchases, with 25 to 44-year-old adults especially likely to explore smoke-free nicotine alternatives to traditional nicotine products. To meet this rising demand, online platforms like Nicokick.com have responded by offering a user-friendly, regulated, and discreet alternative to the corner convenience store.
“There’s a real digital migration happening—not just for essentials, but for products traditionally seen as ‘offline only,’” says Sarah Krysalka, Senior Director of Commercial Partnerships US at Nicokick.com. “The fact that nearly one in ten Houstonians buy nicotine pouches online shows that trust, access, and fast delivery are reshaping the market.”
According to the survey, 60% of Houstonians are not willing to wait longer than three to four days for delivery services; 11% want same-day delivery, and the same number are willing to wait for next-day delivery. Women are most likely to wait one to two days (23%), while men are most likely to give it three to four days (27%).
In response to these consumer trends, Nicokick recently launched next-day delivery in the Houston metro area to deliver quickly and responsibly to consumers shopping for nicotine alternatives online. Transactions on Nicokick’s platform include compliant age verification.
Daniel Blount, Director of Logistics at Nicokick.com, added, “As e-commerce demand continues to grow, local retailers have a clear directive to provide faster delivery services. Houston consumers expect speed, security, and seamless service. To compete in this growing and diverse market, businesses must do more than just stock products online. They’ll need to optimize delivery, provide frictionless user experiences, and foster trust with digital-native consumers, and with this launch, we are ready to do exactly that.”
Ultimately, as e-commerce continues to evolve, small to medium businesses that want to stay relevant in the Bayou City will need to do more than just show up online—they’ll need to deliver. Fast.
