# Gen Z shops nothing like their parents

> A survey of 33,000 Americans shows Gen Z avoids department stores, skips ovens and rallies behind different brands than older generations.
- Title: Gen Z shops nothing like their parents · TIME | Shortify
- Summary: A survey of 33,000 Americans shows Gen Z avoids department stores, skips ovens and rallies behind different brands than older generations.
- Keywords: gen z, consumer behavior, shopping habits, brand preferences, department stores, millennials, baby boomers, gen x, time, statista
- Source: TIME — https://time.com/article/2026/10/28/americas-best-brands-by-generation
- Author: Olivia B. Waxman
- Published: 2026-10-28T12:04:47+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: gen z, consumer behavior, shopping habits, brand preferences, department stores, millennials, baby boomers, gen x, time, statista, news, world
## Survey tracks brand loyalty across generations
TIME and data partner Statista surveyed more than thirty-three thousand Americans of all ages about their shopping habits.
## Each generation picks different top brands
Baby Boomers ranked Brooks running sneakers number one. Gen X chose designer Kate Spade. Millennials topped their list with kitchen appliance brand Ninja. Gen Z selected bottled water Ice Mountain, popularized by TikTok.
## Gen Z abandons department stores entirely
Nordstrom ranked among top brands for Baby Boomers, Gen X and Millennials. No meaningful number of Gen Z participants listed a single department store, suggesting they may be less relevant to that generation.
## Why department stores are losing Gen Z
Over the last decade, luxury brands like Prada, Chanel and Louis Vuitton opened their own stores instead of selling only through department stores.

> Every year, the segment has seen its market share, share of retail sales, decline.
## Gen Z shops differently, values experiences
Gen Z hits up a mix of high-end and budget stores to buy different brands, shopping directly at Michael Kors, Coach or Zara.
## Gen Z skips ovens for takeout apps
Zero brands of ovens appear in the Gen Z section of the survey. Gen Z devours viral TikTok videos of recipes made in countertop appliances like air fryers and Instant Pot, but spends more time…
## Homeownership gap explains appliance gap
Only about twenty-five percent of Gen Z owns their own homes, so about seventy-five percent of the generation is not responsible for purchasing their own ovens and other large appliances.
## Key takeaway

A TIME and Statista survey of over thirty-three thousand Americans reveals Gen Z's shopping habits diverge sharply from Baby Boomers, Gen X and Millennials across multiple categories.