From Polaroids to Instant Pots: Every year’s must-have shopping fad since 1973

Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock Shopping has changed over the years–from small, local businesses to big-box stores with global supply chains and the ease of online shopping–but one thing has stayed the same: American consumers don’t want to miss out on the next big thing. In fact, Americans spend an average of nearly $1,500 per month on nonessential items and make an average of five monthly impulse buys, according to a 2019 survey by OnePoll for Ladder. Sociologist Juliet Schor says the impulse to spend comes from a need to feel valued within reference groups–people who matter to a specific consumer, like family and friends. When mass production began in the 1920s, American consumer culture started to blossom. When more products can be made, more can be purchased. According to Schor, this movement stalled in the wake of the Great Depression and World War II but jump-started in the 1950s. Since then, season after season, Americans have found themselves searching and, more recently, clicking “buy” on the hottest items on the list, which has included objects that offer simple entertainment like pet rocks or Pogs to items that showcase a consumer’s shifting priorities, such as the rise of the more ecologically friendly oat milk, for example. CouponBirds compiled a list of the most popular shopping trends over the past 50 years and discovered a purchasing history that speaks to a country’s state of mind. This list was developed using information and data from various sources, including Newspapers.com, Google Search Trends, and news sites like CNBC and the New York Times. Keep reading and take a walk down memory lane with must-have shopping fads for each year since 1973. 1973: Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle Mucky38 // Shutterstock Stores sold out of the Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle, a toy version of the stuntman with his famed motorcycle, during the 1973 holiday season for various reasons. Not only was it one of the most requested children’s gifts that year, but supplies were also limited due to a plastic shortage. Those who could get their hands on the product loved this reproduction of Knievel on his motorcycle, which shot out from the base, mimicking the daredevil’s tricks. The Stunt Cycle was so popular it was rereleased in 2020, made with the same steel molds used to create the original. 1974: Polaroid SX-70 SSPL/ // Getty Images Edwin Land was inspired to create the Polaroid SX-70 when his daughter wanted to see photos the moment they were taken. This one-step instant camera was widely released in the fall of 1973, and by mid-1974, its popularity had skyrocketed, with over 700,000 units sold. Even pop art icon Andy Warhol loved to use his Polaroid. 1975: Mood rings gd_project // Shutterstock The Rubik’s Cube was originally created in 1974 by Erno Rubik to demonstrate an algebraic theory. The puzzle comprises 26 smaller cubes, which rotate to make each face of the larger six-sided cube a solid, matching color. In 1980, the Rubik’s Cube was released as a toy in America. By June 1981, 30 million cubes had been sold worldwide. 1982: Diet Coke focal point // Shutterstock In 1982, an idea over 20 years in the making came to fruition as Coca-Cola introduced Diet Coke to the world. The company’s massive marketing campaign was highly successful, making Diet Coke the top diet soda in the U.S. by the end of the following year. 1983: Cabbage Patch Kids Manchester Daily Express // Getty Images Cabbage Patch Kids, a newly released line of baby dolls with stuffed bodies and hard plastic heads, were the most wanted–and arguably most difficult to find–holiday gift of 1983. Desperate parents paid as much as $2,000 for resale when the dolls were sold out in-store. 1984: Transformers Aisyaqilumaranas // Shutterstock Debuting in 1984, the children’s cartoon series “The Transformers” told of an epic battle of good versus evil among aliens that transform from robots into vehicles. A collection of 28 Transformer action figures was released by Hasbro the same year. Decades later, in 2010, the retailer Toys R Us revealed that the line was one of their bestselling toy products of all time. 1985: Microwave ovens Fairfax Media Archives // Getty Images Although these quick-cooking appliances had been around for 30 years at this point, the volume of microwave ovens shipped out nearly doubled between 1983 and 1985. The new compact models that debuted in 1985 were popular because they were smaller, lighter, and less expensive. With more than 40 brands available, consumers also enjoyed many choices in size, wattage, and features. 1986: Swatch watches pio3 // Shutterstock In 1986, all the cool kids wanted a bright, colorful Swatch watch on their wrist. Sales exploded from just $3 million in 1983 to $135 million in 1985, and by 1986 there were over 550 stores in the U.S. A diverse collection of 24 different watches–including staple pieces and more fashionable options that changed every few months–helped to drive these sales. 1987: Nintendo Entertainment System Matthieu Tuffet // Shutterstock Originally released in North America in 1985, the Nintendo Entertainment System quickly grew to become the top-selling toy of 1987. Classic Nintendo video games like “Super Mario Bros.” and “The Legend of Zelda” remain fan favorites decades later. Modern adaptations of the two games continue to provide players with hours of fun on the Nintendo Switch, the NES’ 21st-century cousin. 1988: A Brief History of Time DANIEL LEAL // Getty Images Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking’s seminal work “A Brief History of Time” was released to great acclaim in 1988. Its considerations include the creation of the universe, black holes, and the boundaries of time. The book spent 237 weeks on bestseller lists and has been translated into 40 different languages. 1989: Nintendo Game Boy Matthieu Tuffet // Shutterstock Taking advantage of the Nintendo Entertainment System’s success earlier in the decade, Nintendo released the Game Boy across the U.S. in July 1989. “Super Mario Land” was a hit, but bundling the hand-held gaming system with “Tetris” helped sales soar. This addictive puzzle game is the bestselling Game Boy video game of all time, with 35 million copies sold. 1990: Reebok Pumps andersphoto // Shutterstock With innovative technology in which wearers pumped the basketball-shaped button on the tongue of the shoe to inflate the air pockets inside, the Reebok Pump was one of the hottest basketball shoes in the early ’90s. Players were more eager to get their hands on this shoe than the popular Nike Air Jordan. Selling for $170 per pair, Reebok reported $500 million in 1990 owing to its Pump innovation. Reebok has since re-released and reintroduced new lines of shoes with its pump technology 1991: Hypercolor sportswear Andrey Burstein // Shutterstock Initially released in 1991, the public obsession with Generra Sportswear Co.’s Hypercolor gear burned brightly–and burned out fast. The heat-sensitive clothing line included shirts, shorts, and jeans that changed color with just a touch. This novelty made Generra more than $100 million in the first year. One year later, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. 1992: Starbucks coffee Nixx Photography // Shutterstock Starbucks Coffee Company launched in 1989 and went public in May 1992, offering 2.1 million shares at a price of $14 to $16 each. By the end of their fiscal year, 165 stores were open in five states and British Columbia, Canada, giving Starbucks lots of room to grow while still being a favorite choice for consumers to satisfy their caffeine cravings. 1993: Talkboy agung n. wibowo // Shutterstock The Talkboy, a hand-held recorder with voice modification, was originally developed in conjunction with John Hughes to fit the plot of his film “Home Alone 2.” Sales were moderate following the movie’s release in November 1992. However, when the film was released to home video in July 1993, the Deluxe Talkboy launched with new features more like those seen in the film. This upgraded version was nearly impossible to find in stores by the holidays. 1994: Pogs emre turkan // Shutterstock Pogs–an acronym for a drink made with passion fruit, orange, and guava–originated in Hawaii in 1989 when companies began printing their logos on milk caps. The game’s popularity grew exponentially in 1994, beginning with kids in California and spreading across the country. The objective was simple but fun: flip all your opponent’s cardboard discs face-up to win. 1995: Beanie Babies hairneena // Shutterstock Beanie Babies–adorable, floppy stuffed animals filled with beanlike plastic pellets–launched in late 1993 with just nine different creatures. The product line expanded throughout the decade, and by 1995, one of the company’s regular stuffed animals, Lovie, was discontinued due to supplier issues. After this, creator Ty Warner continued retiring Beanie Babies randomly, creating an urgency in the market to collect the toys before they were gone–even if that meant paying exorbitant amounts. 1996: Tickle Me Elmo James Keyser // Getty Images Buoyed by an October 1996 appearance on Rosie O’Donnell’s daytime show, the Tickle Me Elmo doll– which giggled every time his stomach was pressed–became the must-have toy of 1996. Sales went through the roof, causing havoc and injury in stores. One Florida buyer even went so far as to pay $3,500 at a live auction for the doll. It was a lucky turn of events for “Sesame Street.” The toy’s popularity came at a time of great uncertainty for the show in the wake of Jim Henson’s sudden death in 1990 and the rising popularity of a certain purple prehistoric character. 1997: Tamagotchi Gorlov Alexander // Shutterstock The small, egg-shaped electronic game known as Tamagotchi was released across the U.S. in May 1997, selling out quickly in many stores. For $15 to $17 each, consumers could buy a virtual pet to feed, play with, discipline, and more. By September of the same year, over 70 million units had been sold worldwide. 1998: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone