Britons buying more retro tech as millennials catch nostalgia bug
eBay has noticed an increase in searches for everything from typewriters to the Sega Mega Drive.
Searches for old-school tech such as the original iPod and Nokia 3310 are on the up, according to eBay’s latest UK Retail Report.
The online retailer has noticed a rise in Gen Z collectors and millennials, aged 22 to 37, seeking products that take them back to their childhood.
Searches for the Sony Walkman have doubled on the website over the past two years, while the iPod was sought out twice every minute in November 2017.
“Our trends report shows that customers love retro tech and physical media,” said eBay UK vice president Rob Hattrell.
“Households with previously loved tech hidden away in attics and drawers could be sitting on a tidy sum, as we’re seeing the growth of nostalgic buyers seeking the tech products that defined their childhoods.”
The Sega Mega Drive also experienced a surge in popularity ahead of its 30th birthday in April 2018, with searches for “Sega” increasing 30%.
More general tech such as boomboxes, typewriters, MP3 players and even pagers have seen a spike in searches.
A number of big brands have jumped on increased interest in retro tech by bringing back some of their biggest products.
Nintendo rebooted its NES Classic console packed with 30 classic games late last year, before it sold out.
The Nokia 3310 also rose from the dead, with the much-loved Snake game, 17 years after it was first released.
