{
  "id": 19634561,
  "title": "From VHS to iPods, retro tech is driving this year’s holiday shopping season",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/from-vhs-to-ipods-retro-tech-is-driving-this-years-holiday-shopping",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-12T10:00:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Global News",
    "slug": "global-news",
    "url": "https://globalnews.ca/news/12146554/retro-nostalgia-tech-best-buy/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nostalgia is driving a holiday shopping spree among Canadians, with younger generations seeking retro technology as gifts. According to a new survey from Best Buy Canada, 40% of Canadians are likely to purchase a gift out of nostalgia, with 53% of millennials and 49% of Gen Z Canadians falling into this category. Kushal Samy, director of brand marketing at Best Buy Canada, explains that this trend is not just about nostalgia but also about rediscovering technology that felt personal and unlocked possibilities, whether that means old devices or rediscovering formats such as vinyl records and video game cartridges.\n\nThis trend of returning to physical media is being driven by younger Canadians, with nearly one in four Canadians purchasing music, movies or games in physical formats in the past year, with higher percentages among millennials (32%) and Gen Z (30%). The Apple iPod is the most popular retro product making a comeback, followed by the Blackberry phone with its physical keyboard. Millennials prefer old gaming consoles like the Nintendo 64 or Super Nintendo, while Boomers are nostalgic for VCRs and VHS tapes. Other popular categories this year include headphones, earbuds, video game consoles and turntables or vinyl records. Despite the rise of streaming services, nearly two-in-five Canadians have canceled at least one service in the past six months, according to an Angus Reid survey.",
  "summary": "In the age of endless online streaming, Canadians want to return to physical media and tech, a new survey from Best Buy Canada shows.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}