Do you use your laptop or phone for big purchases? Simple buying act that exposes your age

This common way of purchasing big-ticket items could give away your age. Photo / Getty Images

There’s a simple act that can give away your age, and Generation Z is making fun of you for doing it.

Think about this: If you’re purchasing a plane ticket, an item over $500, or perhaps a big white goods purchase like a fridge, do you do it on your phone or your computer?

If you reserve big-ticket purchasing for your laptop, you are a Millennial; Gen-Zers will happily buy anything on their iPhones.

Jessie Frazelle, CEO of software company Zoo, who has over 100,000 followers on X, formerly known as Twitter, recently went viral for bringing this phenomenon to everyone’s attention.

“Apparently, Gen Z is making fun of older generations for never buying big ticket purchases on their phone and always using a desktop,” she tweeted.

“I’ve never felt more attacked in my life by something I didn’t realise I was subconsciously doing.”

That single tweet amassed over five million views and the responses came rolling in - and millennials were feeling defensive about it.

“How are you going to open multiple tabs and carefully cross-compare offers?” one asked.

“Ever try to plan a vacation on your phone? It’s impossible,” another claimed.

“Checking out on a mobile just feels wrong. It feels clunky, and you can’t see everything you need to question your life choices. Desktop purchasing allows for the purest feelings of buyer’s remorse,” someone else shared.

“They wear grandpa socks and grew up on iPads. I don’t care what they have to say,” another joked.

Apparently, Gen Z is making fun of older generations for never buying big ticket purchases on their phone and always using a desktop. I’ve never felt more attacked in my life by something I didn’t realize I was subconsciously doing.

— Jessie Frazelle (@jessfraz) August 27, 2024

This debate is also raging in Australia.

The Bachelor Australia alums Laura Byrne and Brittany Hockley host the popular podcast Life Uncut.

Their producer, Keeshia Pettit, recently admitted on the podcast that there are so many things she deems a “laptop-only purchase”.

“I could only book accommodation on a laptop,” she said.

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Interestingly, Byrne, who is a Millennial, hit back and said, “I would literally book my own funeral on my phone. I’ll do anything.”

Pettit said she couldn’t understand that way of living, “I don’t know people like you exist,” she admitted.

Byrne explained that while she’d book almost anything on her phone, including holidays, there was still one thing she couldn’t do on an iPhone.

“I wouldn’t do my taxes,” she revealed.

Pettit then admitted that sometimes, even using her laptop doesn’t feel secure enough to make big purchases.

“I am thinking about getting a desktop because some things to me feel casual to me for a laptop. I think I need a stable environment to book risky things,” she claimed.

“I don’t think I would make a purchase of over $300 on a phone. It just seems too airy, fairy and casual too me.”

Byrne argued that Pettit’s Millennial habit was a “lack of trust” in herself to be able to execute big purchases on her phone.

The clip amassed over 100,000 views on TikTok.

Once again, the comment section was packed with Millennials justifying why they use their laptops when buying expensive things.

“There’s definitely laptop-only tasks, I agree,” one wrote.

Another shared, “I need tabs, I need options, and I need a big screen to read everything without the burden of scrolling around my tiny phone screen.”

“Agreed. Airline tickets, big financial decisions, job applications and taxes,” one wrote.

“Feels like a scam when I try to purchase things using my phone,” one shared.

“Some emails are too important for the phone. It has to be a laptop,” another noted.