It seems that us millennials have a peculiar habit when it comes to online shopping. Jennie Longdon, a radio presenter from the UK, has brought to light our unique approach to purchasing items. Born between 1981 and 1996, we seem to be unable to buy things “like normal people”.
Gone are the days when we used to step outside for our shopping needs. Now, everything from food to clothes is purchased online.
However, even in the realm of online shopping, there are certain rules we follow as 29-year-olds. Jennie took to social media to shed light on the differences between “small purchases” and “big purchases”. She explained that for small purchases like takeaways, clothes, or shoes, we rely on our smartphones.
It’s become second nature to us, as smartphones have essentially replaced laptops for most things we do.
But when it comes to “big purchases” like plane tickets or house deposits, we have a different approach. We need a larger screen and a proper keyboard to complete these transactions. That’s when we bring out our laptops or even desktop computers. Somehow, we find it challenging, if not impossible, to make significant purchases on our phones.
Jennie shared in her video, “For big purchases, we have to get the laptop out. Why are we like this? I don’t know. We cannot make a big or significant purchase on the phone. You can’t browse properly.” Interestingly, many millennials could relate to this in the comments. One person humorously remarked that “big purchase requires the big internet.” Another shared, “I will literally look at the information on my phone, then go get my laptop to go to the same site to book it.” A third person even had to buy a new laptop just to browse for new cars online!
In contrast, some members of Gen-Z (born between 1997 – 2012) were amazed by our behavior. They shared their own experiences of making significant purchases on their phones, such as buying a house or booking flights and accommodation for multiple people. However, for us millennials, it seems that when it comes to big-ticket items, the laptop or desktop computer is our go-to choice.
In the end, whether it’s a quirk or a matter of personal preference, our shopping habits differ from those of Gen-Zers. It just goes to show how different generations can have contrasting approaches even to something as simple as online shopping.
