Back when boomers were the center of media attention, everything that they did was popular. But many boomer trends that were at one time very popular are now on the brink of extinction. You’ll find 18 of these dying trends in this article.
Writing letters
Not too long ago, people used letter writing as their main form of communication. But things have changed, and people don’t write letters anymore; rather, they use digital methods to communicate with others. This boomer trend is slowly but surely disappearing in countries all over the world.
Well-made clothes
According to Fashion United, “The online clothing and apparel industry will reach a value of 1.2 trillion U.S. dollars by 2025.” The fashion industry is making more money than ever because of fast fashion. Boomers prefer well-made clothes over fast fashion because they last longer. They might be some of the only people who still buy well-made clothes.
In-store banking
In the days of our grandparents, everyone used to do all of their banking in-store. Nowadays, however, people tend to use banking apps or telephone banking rather than going in-store. It’s mainly boomers who still bank in person. Banking this way has become unpopular.
Visiting the library
Another thing that boomers love to do is visit the library. But visiting the library is not half as popular as it used to be since most people use the Internet to look for information. The ease of instant information is appealing to most people.
Reading newspapers
Most people find out about the latest news reports via news apps or by stumbling across information and headlines while on social media. Going to a kiosk and purchasing a physical newspaper is a trend that will die when the boomer generation fizzles out.
Knowing local information
Back in the days of our grandparents, the world was smaller and communities were smaller. People knew their neighbors and were aware of the things that they were going through. They used to talk to each other. Life isn’t the same now, and people don’t know their neighbors anymore.
Cash payments
YouGov Today says that 42% of transactions are made using debit and credit cards. People are using cards to pay for goods more often now than they ever did before. While cash payments may not ever disappear, they will become less frequent when the boomer generation disappears.
Having limited information
There was a time when the only information you knew was what you heard by word of mouth and what you read. Nowadays, however, it’s so easy to find out information about just about anything. Many boomers feel bombarded by all the information they come across each day.
Reading books
Paperless books have been around for a number of decades but they’ve only really become popular in the last decade. The act of going to a bookstore and purchasing a paper book is becoming very uncommon. This trend might die completely when boomers leave the scene.
Drive-in movie theaters
In the past, when a boomer wanted to watch a movie and make an exciting occasion of it, they would go to a drive-in movie theater. People don’t do that anymore, and thanks to streaming services, you can watch new movies in the comfort of your home.
In-store food shopping
Supermarkets will likely always exist, but more and more people are doing their grocery shopping online than ever before. The only people who are resisting this trend are boomers who insist on going to the grocery store and picking out their goods, no matter the cost.
Privacy
Social media has opened up the world for all of us, and most people have a profile that is open for people to look at their photos and find out their information. Boomers, on the other hand, like their privacy and worry about who has access to their information.
Good concentration
Figures from Leaders.com show that “the average adult has an attention span of about 10 minutes when listening to a lecture and 47 seconds when working on a screen.” Our concentration is challenged due to how many digital distractions we receive throughout the day, something boomers seldom have to deal with.
Identity scams
Boomers are the number one targets of identity theft. Why? They are the most likely to trust someone who calls on the telephone and give out their personal information. But the generations after boomers are more savvy and it will be harder to scam people in the future.
Long-form content
Not too long ago, everything we read would be in long-form content. This has changed, as people can’t concentrate for a long time anymore, and information has to be cut down into bite-size chunks. Long-form content will likely disappear when boomers are no longer around.
In-person customer service
When you call a customer service number, you’re more likely to get through to an automated service than you are to a real person. Most of us are used to this, but boomers still struggle with it. But getting through to a real person will likely be impossible by the time boomers are gone.
Calculated spending
“Almost 56% of U.S. consumers said they had a spending plan, but 49% said that impulse purchases had caused financial stress,” says Fox Business. Since boomers are used to paying for things in cash, writing checks, and making a budget, they are less likely to impulse buy.
In-store shopping
While in-store shopping will likely always exist, people are doing more of their shopping online than ever before. The trend for online shopping will keep increasing as people are becoming more and more keen on using it due to its convenience. Boomers are the only ones avoiding this trend.