By Gabrielle Olya, GOBankingRates, Shane Cummings, CFP®, AIF®, Wealth Advisor & Director of Technology/Cybersecurity
The latest Gen Z versus millennial debate isn’t about the height of their socks or their preferred social media platform — it’s about where they are making their major purchases.
“Apparently, Gen Z is making fun of older generations for never buying big ticket purchases on their phone and always using a desktop,” wrote Jessie Frazelle, CEO of the hardware design company Zoo, in a now-viral tweet. “I’ve never felt more attacked in my life by something I didn’t realize I was subconsciously doing.”
While making major purchases on a desktop might be deemed “uncool” by the younger generation, there are some key reasons why this is a better option than making them on your phone.
It’s Easier To Compare Prices
“Certainly, it may seem ‘easier’ to use your smartphone for shopping; however, the screen real estate is very limited compared to using a computer when making purchases,” said Shane Cummings, wealth advisor and director of technology and cybersecurity at Halbert Hargrove.
On a desktop, you can easily switch between tabs to compare prices on different sites; looking at multiple websites at once is more challenging on a smartphone.
“For example, I frequently open tabs on my PC when shopping, going to sites such as Google Shopping, which aggregates prices from all over the web for a product, so I can see multiple listings in one spot easily and spot if a different website may have it on offer for a more ideal price,” Cummings said.
“Similarly, when shopping for something like flights or hotels, there may be price variations between different search engines, like Kayak, Expedia, Priceline, etc.,” he continued. “Opening all the sites you’re comparing in different browser tabs on a computer makes comparison much easier. This can’t be done the same way on a smartphone.”
Being able to compare prices easily is particularly important when you are making a large purchase.
Computers Are Better for More Complicated Purchases
If you’re buying a single item, you can do it pretty seamlessly on a phone, but if you are making a more complicated purchase such as travel arrangements, it’s usually much easier to do on a larger screen.
“In my case, traveling with two small kids, we have to plug in a lot of variables when searching flights — non-stop flights, short layovers, desired departure times — and this is done with much less friction on a larger computer window than on a small smartphone screen,” Cummings said.
On a smaller screen, it can be harder to find what you want and easier to make booking errors.
You Can Save Money With Browser Extensions
You have more access to money-saving tools like browser extensions when you make purchases on a computer.
“On a computer, it is easier to use browser extensions like Rakuten or Capital One Shopping that may offer cash back on your purchases, which indirectly makes the cost of these large purchases lower,” Cummings said. “I always make sure to launch the travel sites through Rakuten so I might earn 1% to 3% cash back, depending on the current offer rates available. It may not seem like much, but it can add up over time.”
You’re More Likely To Make Impulse Purchases on a Phone
The ease at which you can make a major purchase on a phone can lead to impulsive spending.
“While shopping on your phone might be more convenient, sometimes it could be a little bit too convenient,” said Erika Kullberg, personal finance expert and founder of Erika.com. “Shopping on a computer often creates a bit more ‘friction’, and that could actually be a good thing — especially if it’s a big purchase or if you’re struggling to keep expenses down.”
