20 Goods And Services That Could Be Lost Forever If Millennials Don’t Change Their Spending Habits

In the days of yore – by which we mean, before online shopping – a visit to the supermarket was often a challenge. As a result, warehouse stores such as Costco and Sam’s Club became worthwhile alternatives. Packed with different products, these shops allowed consumers to buy whatever they needed in bulk. But, perhaps unsurprisingly, it seems that the internet has had a negative impact on business.

You see, instead of traveling to these warehouses, millennials are more inclined to shop remotely. University of Virginia-based Kim Whitler, who works at the Darden School of Business, told the Showbiz Cheat Sheet website, “Today’s adults are not spending a lot of time shopping like my parents’ generation did. Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z, they’re all time-starved and want to order groceries while they’re riding a bus to work.”

Yes, you read that correctly. For many people, using the doorbell is the most obvious way to signal their arrival at someone’s house. But that’s not the case with millennials. Thanks to smartphones and instant messaging, they can just fire their host a quick text to let them know that they’re outside.

To further prove that point, then, an individual on social media tweeted about the doorbell’s downfall in June 2019. The message quickly generated a lot of attention, too, with thousands of Twitter users similarly admitting that they don’t make use of the tool anymore. For them, “ding-dong” is seemingly now a sound from years gone by. Let us spare a thought for the knuckles of the unfortunate delivery drivers out there.

After a long week at work, the thought of spending your Friday night doing the laundry can be downright depressing – especially if there’s a huge pile that needs your attention. Regardless of those feelings, though, it’s a job that needs to be done. But you shouldn’t have to add to your woes by agonizing over the fragrance or formula of your detergent. Perhaps that’s why it seems millennials would rather skip using fabric softener altogether.

Yes, the sale of fabric softener has suffered a downward turn in recent times. Statistically, the industry lost 15 percent of its custom from 2007 to 2015, according to Fortune magazine. And it’s believed that refined washing powder played a significant role in that drop, as some of those products have seemed to make softeners obsolete in the minds of millennials.

Years ago, when millennials were but a twinkle in the eye, a visit from the mailman was highly anticipated. Writing letters was the main method of communication, after all, and so you may have been eagerly awaiting a special update from a friend or family member. But with the rise of the internet, the younger generations are more likely to scroll through their inbox than rifle through a postbox.

Why would a millennial waste time and paper on a letter when loved ones can be reached by email or instant message? Even those pesky financial statements and utility bills can now be accessed on the web. And online wedding invites have also gained in popularity – hey, gotta save money somehow. Perhaps “snail mail” could well and truly be crawling away for good?

As most of us know, planning for the future can be incredibly daunting. That’s especially true if you’re looking ahead to a time when you’ll no longer be around to support your family. And although that’s the period when life insurance policies can become incredibly useful, millennials have been somewhat reluctant to sign themselves up.

According to Insider, the reasons for this are time and money. Apparently, you see, millennials claim that they just don’t have enough hours in the day to research their options – and many of them are put off by the financial costs, too. You could be forgiven for a slight sigh and a muttered “Ah, youth!”, but when you consider how many insurance providers there are these days, the time it takes does add up.

Unless you had your own set-up at home, the gym used to be the go-to place to build up your fitness. And if you were a regular, there’s a good chance that you would have had some form of membership. Strangely enough, though, millennials have been less inclined to follow that path.

Younger people, it seems, have shown an interest in various alternatives to the gym – either for financial reasons or flexibility. And the boss of FitReserve, Megan Smyth, seemed to provide an explanation for this. In her interview with the New York Post in October 2016 she said, “Millennials don’t want to be tied down. It’s a spontaneous demographic.”

If you want to win big money, the lottery is the perfect game for you. Unlike other forms of gambling, you just need to buy a ticket and hope that your numbers come up in the draw. There’s no skill involved and it hardly takes any time at all. Yet even though the rewards on offer in lottery draws can be life-changing, millennials have shown little interest in playing along.

Indeed, a Gallup poll from 2016 found that at that time, only 30 percent of millennials in the U.S. participated in the lottery. This cohort was therefore significantly lower than the late-middle-aged group, as more than 60 percent of them take part in the game. So, the odds aren’t looking good for the future.

Buying a house, for many of us, is one of the biggest moments of our entire lives. And such a significant purchase not only signals the next stage of adulthood, but it also presents us with a new set of challenges. Why, then, are millennials showing a reluctance to snap up property for themselves?

Unsurprisingly, the cost is a major issue. Real estate figures have only gone up in the last few years, leaving millennials in a tough place. So until they can afford deposits, the opportunity to purchase pads may seem more like a pipedream. And the older generations aren’t helping matters – with many refusing to downsize, the market stagnates, making it even harder for youngsters to get on the ladder. This one, then, is more likely a case of “can’t” than “won’t” for millennials.

If you’re a fan of film, then the movie theater is probably a sacred place. Unfortunately, though, it seems they don’t mean all that much to millennials. Back in 2012, 8.7 million people in that age bracket visited theaters; by 2015, conversely, that figure had dipped by about three million, according to the New York Post.

And the head of the AMC theater chain, Adam Aron, spoke about the problem with Variety magazine. He said, “There are pockets of consumers who do not see as many movies as other segments. We can be doing more to attract those people. Millennials come to mind. We need to reshape our product in some concrete ways so that millennials go to movie theaters through their lives.”

When you think about fast food, a couple of golden arches will inevitably pop into your head. Yes, McDonald’s has been delighting customers ever since it first opened in 1940. In 2014, though, experts noted that the famous brand was struggling to connect with younger consumers. That year, The Wall Street Journal actually dedicated an entire article to arguing that millennials had lost interest in McDonald’s.

You see, it’s believed that the younger generations are more inclined to eat “healthier” items at other restaurants. And the lack of customization is said to be a problem as well. With the likes of Five Guys giving customers more control over their orders, why wouldn’t you choose the place that will make a burger just the way you like it?

For older folks, cruise ship vacations are often a big draw. These luxurious boats give them a taste of the high seas, after all, as well as an opportunity to meet like-minded people on board. Millennials, though, haven’t shown the same levels of enthusiasm for cruises.

One of the biggest hurdles is the general perception that this particular generation has about this type of vacation. In fact, it’s the idea that cruises are loved so much by seniors that seems to put millennials off. Youngsters have therefore been reluctant to embrace the activity in the same way, causing the industry to suffer as a result.

After using the bathroom, we’re encouraged to wash our hands with soap in order to eliminate any residing germs. And whether they come from a bottle or a bar, the suds get the job done and leave us feeling fresh. But it seems that millennials are becoming less inclined to opt for a trusty slab of hand cleanser.

Younger people are said to have a negative perception of soap bars, according to the Cheat Sheet website. Apparently, they think the products retain bacteria. And it’s not just hands that don’t get to go to the bar. According to a study by Mintel, only 33 percent of women in the millennial age bracket claimed to clean their faces with solidified soap.

Napkins have long been life-savers for messy eaters or clumsy cooks. They’re also an easy way to add some decor to a dinner table. But it looks as though times are changing, as millennials apparently aren’t so keen on the aforementioned paper protectors. The statistics appear to support that noticeable trend, too.

Indeed, the website Cheat Sheet has claimed that 60 percent of homeowners bought napkins from stores in 2003. By 2018, however, that figure had dropped to 40 percent. The reason for this? Well, millennials are said to view paper towels as a better alternative, as they tend to be more absorbent – and therefore more multi-purpose – than the humble napkin.

For those of us who can’t wake up of our own accord, some sort of alarm is the perfect tool to keep around the bedroom. And once upon a time, the loud chimes of clocks kept us from oversleeping when we were meant to be getting ready for school or work. But if you haven’t already guessed, the arrival of newer technology may make these products obsolete going forward.

Yes, the cell phone looks set to take the place of the alarm clock. Your device is loaded with extra features to make your life a lot easier, with both timers and alarms typically among those additions. Plus there are snooze buttons, sleep trackers, noise recorders, soundscapes, and possibly best of all, no ticking hands to keep you awake. It is for these reasons, then, that millennials have bumped traditional timepieces from their bedside tables in lieu of their trusty phones.

When it comes to choosing a mode of transport, we all have our own preferences. But both the motorbike and car industries have taken a hit in recent times – and the finger of blame has landed on young people. In a report for Harley-Davidson, an analyst at a New York investment firm wrote, “Younger millennials, thus far, have shown dramatically lower interest in riding motorcycles than prior generations.”

Yes, it’s widely believed that millennials are reluctant to splash the cash on lavish motorbikes. They have a similar mindset regarding cars, too. And there’s a good reason for this. You see, with the number of transport options available right now, many youngsters don’t see the need to drive or attain their licenses straight away. Plus, you know, there are the environmental implications, too.

As we’re frequently told, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It gives us the fuel we need for the hours ahead, whether it’s in the form of a slice of toast or a bowl of cereal. But it seems that the latter option isn’t a popular choice for millennials – they’d rather go for something else.

According to the market research business Mintel, younger people believe that cereal is a time-consuming meal, as they’d have to dedicate precious minutes to cleaning the bowl and utensils before leaving the house. Instead, millennials prefer to start their day with something that they can eat – or drink – on the go.

In years gone by, religion and more traditional values meant that young adults often had a drive to get married as soon as possible. And if you found your soulmate, why should you wait? In March 2020 website MoneyTalksNews revealed that in America alone, 58 percent of residents older than 18 were already hitched by 1990. But just over a quarter of a century later, that number had decreased.

In fact, the proportion of married adults in the U.S. stood at just 50 percent in 2017. And it appears that millennials in America seem to be biding their time before tying the knot. The U.S. Census Bureau has claimed that in 2018 the average age for married men was 30, while women typically put off the big day until they were 28.

In the past, cable television was a dream for small-screen fans across the country. With such a service, you see, people had access to a huge number of channels that catered to practically everyone’s interests. But as with many other products on this list, advancements in technology could signal cable’s end.

While previous generations wouldn’t dream of cutting the cord, millennials are doing it in their droves, according to the Cheat Sheet website. Instead, they’re opting for streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime and Netflix. And having an entire series available at the touch of a button has left cable companies in a difficult position.

When it comes to alcoholic beverages, there will be a large number of people who continue to champion beer. And regardless of the brand, this tasty drink has remained hugely popular over the years. Thanks to millennials, however, beer’s place as top dog is coming under severe threat.

Based on the stats, the younger generation are finding alternatives to beer, preferring instead to sip spirits and wine. While beer made up on average 65 percent of a millennial’s alcohol consumption in 2006, ten years later that number had dropped significantly to 43 percent. Joao Castro Neves, CEO at Anheuser-Busch InBev, shared his concerns with Ad Age in October 2017. He said, “If this trend continues at the pace it is today, by 2030 beer will no longer have the largest share in the alcohol category.”

Unlike the blood and thunder of football, golf is – and has always been – a much more reserved sport. But professional players are still under pressure to pull off victories on the grand stage. And away from the major tournaments, there are plenty of opportunities for amateur golfers to test their skills on local courses.

But according to Golf Operator Magazine, millennials have put the sport in a precarious position. Although they certainly shouldn’t take all of the flack, the younger generation has been accused of shunning golf in significant numbers. This means it could very well fade away in the years to come. Bye-bye, birdie.