Making A Big Purchase? You'll Need A Big Screen

As a millennial, I’ve always been at the forefront of technology. At 15, I was casually coding my MySpace page. At 21, I was showing my college professors how to rotate a PDF. But when it comes to making a big purchase? All that savviness goes out the window.

When it’s time to drop some serious cash on a new couch, vacation, or concert ticket, my iPhone ceases to exist. Like a cartoon character disappearing in a puff of smoke, I race to my desk so I can bask in the glow of my laptop screen. Only in that formal setting do I feel comfortable enough to shop in the major leagues.

Turns out, I’m not alone: On TikTok, people are talking about the millennial urge to make big purchases on big screens. While plenty of us are happy to do some light research on our phones, the joke is that 30-somethings can’t click “buy now” until we’ve fully reviewed our order on a real computer.

The moment we hit “add to cart,” we become distrustful, unsure, overwhelmed. The phone, something we use all day for literally everything else, suddenly feels like a hunk of plastic — not something you can trust to hold your sacred credit card info. On the flip side, it seems like Gen Z can plan a 10-day getaway without switching devices, and it makes me so jealous. If only I didn’t have to wait until I got home...

“This is how I know I’m getting older,” said @keriscreations on the app — a sentiment I could feel in my bones. “To me, big purchases equal big screen,” she went on to say. “Anything over $100 requires a big screen. I saw somebody book a flight on their phone. Like, you can’t do that. That’s illegal!”

Creator @itssophieblank also called herself out for the habit, saying, “My toxic millennial trait: BIG purchases require a laptop screen for FULL visibility. What if I book the wrong flight? What if I book the wrong date!?” In her comments, someone said, “THIS! I'm NOT filling out important things on my phone.”

On TikTok, some Gen Z commenters have made fair points: Under @itsophieblank’s video, one person said, “I’m 27, I’ve only ever made large purchases on my phone. I promise nothing bad will happen.” Another wrote, “Y’all can increase the font size on phones.”

Here’s the thing: This isn’t about logic or reason. I know I can zoom in, that my phone is safe, etc. But I still feel more confident in what I’m buying when there’s a swath of pixels before my eyes. It’s a way to avoid feeling like I’ll accidentally navigate to the wrong website, or somehow type private info into a fake app. As creator @jilliangerhardt joked, “Anything over $70 and all of a sudden my phone feels like a sketchy back alley transaction.”

Some other big screen perks? It makes it easier to focus as you select the ideal plane seat or read the fine print on product details. It allows you to see all the specs and sale options for an item on a single screen, versus potentially missing them on a tiny phone. Then there’s the tabs — it’s a joy to fill your browser as far as the eye can see.

It also adds a dose of ceremony that feels essential when you’re dropping serious bucks. Under @t1dlise’s video on the matter, someone said, “I bought a bottle of Baccarat recently, and I couldn’t even do it on my personal laptop. I had to sit down at my MONITOR.”

While I think Gen Z and millennials have more in common than we’d like to think, this is one of those things that shows my years as a millennial — at least for now. As the folly of youth fades, I imagine Gen Z will join me in squinting at a computer whenever they need to price compare microwaves or splurge on a new mattress. Jump in. It feels great.