Welcome to the weirdly specific world of boomer shopping habits, where paper catalogs still matter, and plastic covers are a form of self-care. Meanwhile, millennials use five apps just to buy deodorant. Here are fifteen things boomers still buy that millennials wouldn’t touch for free. Would you get any of these, or do you already have them?
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Rain Bonnet Plastic Hair Covers
You’ll see foldable rain bonnets appearing every time it drizzles and a boomer doesn’t want their hair ruined. They’re cheap and easy to stash in a purse or glove box, which makes them oh-so-practical. But for millennials, it’s a hard pass. They’d rather brave the rain or throw on a hoodie before tying plastic under their chin.
Talking Alarm Clocks with Big Buttons
Lots of boomers will buy those talking alarm clocks with the huge buttons from mail-order catalogs and late-night TV ads. They love the loud voice and the fact that this thing will read out the time every hour, like it’s doing you a favor. But Millennials already have phones doing all of that, quietly. They don’t want to add a clunky robot-sounding alarm clock to their nightstand.
Slipper Socks with Non-Slip Grips
Boomers have drawers full of thick socks with rubbery dots on the soles, which they’ll wear all day around the house. After all, they’re soft and safe with no risk of sliding. Millennials would rather go barefoot or wear something more “intentional,” like slides or maybe Crocs. To them, slipper socks give hospital energy.
Tabletop Electric Can Openers
While many Millennials prefer to avoid cans entirely, boomers swear by tabletop can openers. Y’know, the kind that lives on your counter and makes a loud grinding noise while it does its one and only job. Millennials rarely bother opening cans anymore, and if they do, they’ll do it with a $12 manual one they found on Amazon with 30K reviews.
Lace Doilies for Furniture
There are people, lots of them, mostly boomers, who still buy lace doilies for their coffee tables and nightstands. Sometimes, they’ll even put a little figurine on top. Meanwhile, millennials tend to prefer minimalist decor and may just leave their surfaces bare. Any Millennials who do own a lace doily probably use it as a coaster instead of a decorative piece.
Velcro Dress Shoes
They might sound old-fashioned, but shoes with Velcro straps are still in stock at all the usual places, and boomers love them for how easy they are to get on and off. They’re comfortable and supportive, with no laces to mess with. Most Millennials steer way clear of them because they think that velcro on formalwear just looks orthopedic.
Floral-Print Comfort Clogs
Likewise, you’ve probably seen those foam clogs with flower prints and massage beads built into the sole. Boomers buy them for gardening or running errands because they look so darn cute. However, Millennials prefer sneakers and slides, or at least anything that doesn’t look like it came from a medical supply aisle. Clogs like these don’t fit their aesthetic or lifestyle.
Clapper Light Switches
Yes, clapper lights still exist, and yes, people still clap their lights on and off, usually Boomers. They like them because they’re simple and don’t require additional technology. Best of all, the setup is dead easy. However, Millennials already live in voice-controlled homes, and they’re not clapping in the dark when they can just yell at Alexa.
Electric Blanket Controllers with Dials
Boomers are still loyal to the classic electric blankets with plastic dials. You know, the kind where you slide the setting to “4” and it starts glowing red under the sheets, which you can still find on sale in drugstores every winter. Millennials will usually skip the wires and go for heated mattress pads, or simply layer up and call it a night.
Heated Seat Cushions for the Car
Speaking of staying warm, lots of boomers use portable seat warmers you plug into the car’s lighter socket year-round. It’s usually for back pain, but sometimes, it’s just to stay cozy. However, Millennials would rather have built-in seat warmers, and that’s only if they own a car. Most of the time, they’re using ride-share apps, so there’s no need for one.
TV Trays Sold in Matching Sets
You’ll see the four-piece tray-and-stand combo at Costco and QVC, which boomers keep for dinners in front of the TV or sorting mail. They’re practical, and they match, so what could be better than that? But Millennials don’t have space for that kind of furniture, and if they eat in front of the TV, it’s with a plate on their lap or on a coffee table.
Collector Plates
You might be surprised to learn that boomers sometimes still buy collector plates, complete with certificates and foam packaging. They’ll hang them on the wall or line their cabinets with them, and the subjects of these plates haven’t changed either. They’re either lighthouses or bald eagles. Even so, Millennials refuse to spend cash on plates that can’t be used.
Magnetic Drapery Tiebacks
Magnetic drapery tiebacks continue to be sold in bulk to this day, and boomers buy them because they’re decorative and functional. There’s no drilling and no fuss. But Millennials? They’ll either let the curtains hang or use built-in ties, as decorative magnets are one more thing to clean or lose.
Greeting Card Record Keepers
Greeting card record keepers are binders with tabs for every month, where boomers stash cards they’ll mail out throughout the year. They’ll usually have an entire system behind the whole thing. It makes sense that Millennials don’t have these, as they don’t tend to buy cards until the day of the event. And that’s if they even send them at all.
Holiday Decorative Throws
Boomers still load up on decorative throws around Christmas, and they love how massive these can be. These blankets show up every year in July pre-sales, covered in snowmen or Santa faces, and they double as décor. In contrast, Millennials want minimal, neutral-toned bedding, and that means seasonal throws just feel like something they’d inherit, not buy.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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