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People Reveal Which Innovative Products They Absolutely Refuse To Buy

Reddit user WaterWalsh asked: 'What product no matter how innovative it is do you refuse to buy?'

Amazon Echo device
Nicolas J Leclercq/Unsplash

With the latest advancements in technology, consumers are faced with the challenge of narrowing their list of products to buy.

The anxiety is only fueled by FOMO–fear of missing out–when they see their friends on social media bragging about the latest gadget that supposedly makes life easier.

But some people can't be bothered with all the fancy gadgets that are at the top of consumer reports as the best product so far in whatever year we're in.

They just prefer sticking to the basics and doing things the old-school way–like clicking on the TV with a remote instead of dictating to it what you want it to do after fumbling around for that elusive mic button to activate the function.

Curious to hear from consumers, Redditor WaterWalsh asked:

"What product no matter how innovative it is do you refuse to buy?"

Some people could do without all the bells and whistles of tried and true basic appliances.

Chilly Reception

"Smart' Refrigerator. I just need something that keeps my food cold. I don't need it to show me advertisements or what foods I might be out of. I can look for myself."

– SomeSamples

"Unless it can remind me of the box of fresh spinach that I stacked the yogurt in front of and, therefore, forgot existed, I wouldn't even consider it."

– FallenEquinox

Things Get Heated

"A stove also shouldn’t be connected to the internet and should just be a normal stove."

– Illustrious_Risk3732

"My stove has an app so you can set the oven temperature from your phone, when I got it I thought 'ok this might be useful if I want to preheat the oven on my way home or something,' but alas, it proved itself useless, you have to touch your phone to the oven to give it the command, like wft?? I'm already here I might as well just turn on the damn oven."

– I_dont_know_you_pick

Get The Picture?

"If I could, I wouldn’t even buy a smart tv. That’s what my Apple TV is for. I just need something to turn on and make a nice picture."

GlendoraBug

"I intentionally locked out my smart TV because I have a secondary device. It doesn't need to be connected to the mothership. My TCL television probably has zero security, and who knows how many backdoors to circumvent my router."

"All these IoT devices are just great "dumb" tools to use for DDOS attacks by unsavory nation states. Blackberry said this years ago."

– SkivvySkidmarks

Just because products are under a famous person's name doesn't necessarily make them top quality.

Clever Marketing, Poor Product

"I’m Irish and Conor McGregor’s whiskey isn’t really drank over here. It’s very average whiskey with a premium price tag. You could buy far superior whiskey for less. His branding is amazing though."

"It’s the same with his stout. No one in Ireland touches it... Again his branding is amazing and people all over the world are buying in to this sh*t."

– geoffraffe

Refusing The Socialite Family Brand

"Anything promoted by any kardashian… my curling iron broke so I stopped at target on the way home (This was years ago)… all they had were curling irons with Kardashians on the box - I refused."

– SammieCat50

These consumers just don't get the hype over these smart devices.

Bendy Phones

"Folding smartphones. They're expensive as all get out, and I've seen a lot of them develop weird screen issues just through normal use, that are prohibitively expensive to repair. I'll stick to my slab phone."

– EvilDarkCow

Personal Home Assistant

"Alexa."

– f'kswagga

"My roommate has one and I f'king hate it."

– VeterinarianFit1309

"My girlfriend has an Alexa in our bedroom and it's the most annoying thing in the world. She uses it to set a morning alarm and it always start spouting the weather and playing sh**ty music that we both hate. She refuses to get rid of it because she comes from a third world country and always dreamed of having 'American-life tech.' Of course, I overlook it because I don't want to be an a**hole, but nevertheless I dread waking up in the morning and hearing the Bezos bot."

– OldLavyGenes1998

Undesirable Communication Partner

"As a general rule, I don't like talking to inanimate objects."

– Interesting_Ad2464

"We got one as a gift, put it in the kitchen."

"1. The little kitchen TV was on and had an Alexa commercial and then our Alexa started talking to the commercial because the woman on TV said "Alexa" and it kinda went back and forth."

"I thought some people broke into the house. Our Alexa (don't ask me how) was playing our neighbors having a fight next door through their Alexa."

"The device lasted about a week before it was donated."

– Mackheath1

People were getting nowhere fast with these cars of the future.

Out Of Touch

"Cars with touch screens."

– Ruminations0

"I could stand a touch-screen, so long as it was supplemented with buttons. A car with only a touch screen? Terrible."

– SuperFLEB

"Have one of those at work. Just changing the heat while driving is a risk of traffic accident."

– Kaikeno

Some Drivers Musk Need This

"Tesla."

– brando9d7d

"I rented a Tesla on my last trip. I have the electric Volvo as a company car, so I was curious what Teslas were like. What a piece of sh*t. Materials are cheap, fit and finish was like my 95 Saturn, and it took forever to figure out how to control everything. Almost every damned thing has to be controlled by the software. Even the wipers, which is really distracting while you're driving. The key card recognizes when you walk up and unlocks the door, however in order to actually drive you have to tap the card on the arm rest. It's so stupid. Oh, and the 'shifter' is where the wipers should be, on the steering column. It's like they went out of their way to make the whole car as different as they could just to do it. I was happy to get back to the Volvo as it's a normal car that happens to have a battery, and a much better product."

– IcedT_NoLemon

Maybe it's because I'm not a gamer, but I personally don't see the need for an iPad.

I love using my iPhone and MacBook Pro to get all my business and social needs in order. Introducing a third option for going about my daily tasks and interacting with social media will only make my head spin.

I've also seen people walking around with their iPads and taking photos with them, which looks ridiculous in my opinion.

I remember thinking to myself after witnessing the bizarre practice, "I will not be that person."

But hey, that's just me.

Things Made For Kids That Got Hijacked By Adults

Reddit user opposeThem asked: 'What was meant for kids but adult consumers hijacked it and ruined it?'

Stack of lego building blocks
Photo by Xavi Cabrera on Unsplash

It's not uncommon for certain products to end up being used for purposes different than their initial intention.

Cotton swabs, or Q-tips, are the prime example, as nearly all who buy them use them to clean earwax from their ears despite the box expressly warning customers not to.

Then there are the products made for specific customers but whose clientele proves to be quite different from their initial target market.

Specifically, things or experiences intended for children but primarily enjoyed by adults, ruining any excitement the young folk may have had about them.

Redditor opposeThem was curious to hear about all the things magic grown-ups stole away from children, leading them to ask:

"What was meant for kids but adult consumers hijacked it and ruined it?"

Who Doesn't Need Something Soft And Cuddly Every Now And Then...

"Squishmallows."

"People trying to resell these literal stuffies 3x the price online."- sighcommagroan

Seems Like They Were Looking For The Wrong Kind Of Bears...

"Build A Bear."

"As a former employee I don't care if you came in and bought some stuff animals."

"Hell, there's some cool ones like Pokémon."

"HOWEVER, just cuz I worked there doesn't mean I have a whole collection myself and watch every show and movie that's partnered with the company."

"Yes I was an adult man working at a stuffed animal store."

"Yes I bought a couple Pokémon for myself."

"'No I don't wanna hear another grown man passionately talk to me about My Little Pony and PLEASE I DON'T WANT TO SEE A CUTIE MARK TATTOO YOU HAVE ON YOUR A** CHEEK EVEN IF THERE'S NO KIDS IN THE STORE CURRENTLY."- That_Guy_Pen

Fun Can't Be Forced

"After school hobbies!"

"Around the age of 47, I decided to pick up guitar again."

"So I went to a local school and enrolled as an adult."

"I would see parents harassing their kids and berating them for not being better."

"I think the majority of them have lost the idea that extracurricular activities are too help your child out of their shell and also to have fun."

"Not to make them a professional of any sort or the best of the best of the best."- BisquickNinja

I Mean, They Are Pretty Cute

"Minions."- aprairiehocompanion

"I remain baffled as to how and why minions, of all things, became the thing of choice for unfunny boomer memes."- moonbunnychan

Collect Them All... To Sell Them Later...

"Every card hobby."

"It’s literally just about prices now."- lol022

"Pokémon Cards."

"Scalpers were so down horrendous they were raiding McDonald's during the pandemic."- Sol-Blackguy

ash ketchum pokemon GIFGiphy

Silly Rabbit...

"Trix."- Dont-ask-me-ever

"When I was a kid I felt so bad for that rabbit."

"I still don’t understand the idea behind that marketing campaign."

"Was it- being greedy and mean is hilarious."

"Buy our cereal?

"Just give the bunny some cereal you sadistic little sh*ts."

"They ran an ad for a little while that was a campaign that allowed you to vote on whether or not the rabbit would get some Trix."

"I think you had to mail in a box top with your vote or something."

"I voted 'share' with all of my sensitive little heart."

“'Greed' won by a landslide."

"That’s when I first became disillusioned with voting and people in general."- Iamtevya

You Can Keep The House, But You Can't Take My Babies...

"Beanie Baby collectors."- bigredthesnorer

" [A] photo of a divorcing couple dividing their beanie baby collection in court always makes me laugh."

"So ridiculous that people thought they were like stocks."- Delores_Herbig

Beanie Babies GIF by HBO MaxGiphy

Influencer Culture...

"Childhood."

"Parents who film their kid’s lives for likes and subs are sh*tty."- da_predditor

The Edward Vs. Jacob Fued Will Never End...

"YA books."

"I'm an adult that reads them."

"But the characters are TEENAGERS."

"People get upset that teenagers act like teenagers, in books targeted at... you guessed it, teenagers."- PumpkinPieIsGreat

So Much For Love Of The Game...

"Youth sports."

"When I was a kid 30 years ago, you’d have a practice or 2 a week plus a game on Saturday."

"Then if you loved sports, you’d get together with buddies in your ample free time and mess around playing super fun pick up games."

"Now, many kids are having full weekend tournaments like every weekend."

"And tons of practices.'

"They rarely have the free time to just play with their friends for the fun of it."

'Sure they are better athletes than we were, but are they better off?"- omgphilgalfond

homer simpson pitcher GIFGiphy

Can You Say "Re-Sale?"...

"Pretty much any kids' toy."

"The scalpers are working harder than ever to f*ck it up."

"Video games?'

"Check."

"Pokémon/whatever is popular cards?"

"Check."

"Lego sets?"

"Check as f*ck."

"Fuzzy egg furby like critters?"

"Check check."

"If scalpers can leech money out of people with it, they'll do it."- chris14020

Car Salespeople Can Be Ruthless...

"Hot wheels."- Snow-Dog2121

"Worst memory I have of comic con."

"An exhibitor gave a kid what must’ve been an exclusive at their booth."

"Grown men rushing and crowding the kid pressuring him to sell his toy."

"His parents moved him away promptly but I imagine he was shaken up by the experience."

"Went from a cool moment of unexpectedly getting a toy to grown weirdos getting in his face."- Dwike2

Where To Even Begin?

"Harry Potter vibrating broomstick."- PursuitTravel

"I have one found at Goodwill about 11 years ago."

"I'm a big HP fan, and I was excited to buy it."

'I realized it turned on, and I was hoping for cool sound effects, I was disappointed it only vibrated."

"I remember looking it up online just to check out info on it and found out why it was discontinued shortly after its release, thought never occurred to me until then."- Necranissa

Harry Potter Halloween GIFGiphy

One has to wonder how the manufacturers or marketing departments feel about these alternative uses?

Sadly, one can only guess that as long as they are turning a profit, they couldn't care less...



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