Boomerang® Case Studies
Don't just believe us.
Boomerang® has produced some remarkable recovery stories. A few that we know about are below. But there's some great independent research too.
Will's AirPods
After leaving his AirPods behind at a hotel, Will could see them moving on the Apple Find My app.
He called the hotel, but staff weren’t able to help much because the AirPods had already been sent off with the laundry (they’d been caught up in the bedsheets).
Once they reached the laundry facility, a staff member scanned the QR code on the case and sent Will a message confirming they had found them.
After a brief exchange, the AirPods were sent back to the hotel, where Will was finally able to pick them up. Phew.
Katie's daughter's water bottle
On a family holiday in the Netherlands, a beach day ended with Katie’s daughter accidentally leaving behind her new water bottle.
Before anyone even realised it was missing, Katie received a Boomerang notification saying a finder had sent her a message.
She replied to the finder through Boomerang, and the next day they picked up the bottle. £30 saved, and a child's new favourite bottle saved.
The finder had never heard of Boomerang before and loved the idea. She was delighted to help out a stranger.
A grandmother's car keys
While the grandmother was away in Canada, her daughter had borrowed her car.
During her own daughter’s football practice, she sat down for a coffee and accidentally left the car keys on the table.
About 20 minutes later, she went back to the car and realised the keys were missing, just as a text from the grandmother came through. The lost-item notification had travelled all the way to Canada!
She hurried back to the cafe table, where the finder was still sitting, and quickly got the keys back.
This story is the reason we launched the features in Boomerang Family PLUS.
Teacher's water bottle
Water bottles are easily misplaced, and many of our case studies involve them. In this one, a teacher left theirs at school.
The finder, a receptionist who had never seen a smart nametag before, scanned the code, saw the owner’s name, and sent them a WhatsApp message directly. The teacher collected the bottle from reception shortly after.
The receptionist also said she thought the idea was genius, and said she would buy some (we don't know if she ever did!).
The story itself is not the most dramatic, but it’s a perfect example of Boomerang quietly doing its job. In this situation, a regular name label might have worked too, but this teacher is an active triathlete and often worries about losing gear at events, so the smart nametag gives them peace of mind in both settings.
A water bottle lost at a park
Another water bottle story, but this one is particularly interesting because it reveals something about how lost property really works.
During a family day out at a busy park with attractions like Go Ape, a water bottle was left behind somewhere along the way. The mum wasn’t sure exactly where it happened, there were several possible spots. She called the park the next day when she realised it was missing, but staff couldn’t find anything. She assumed it was gone for good.
Almost a month later, she received a Boomerang notification from a staff member at the park. She messaged the finder and arranged to have the bottle returned.
It makes you wonder: were they just about to clear out the lost property bin when the BoomerangTag caught their eye?
You choose what a finder sees
Every item can show just the right amount of information you want
You can choose to share your name, email, phone number, WhatsApp, and a custom message. This information will be shown to the finder so they can easily contact you to return your item.
You can select the specific information you want to show (and each item can be different).
If you decide not to add any details, finders will still be able to contact you through Boomerang.
Finders include a phone number with their message so you can reply through Boomerang. This number is never shown to you or shared anywhere.
When a finder sends a message, you’re notified by email. PLUS members can also receive WhatsApp alerts, and Family PLUS supports up to three extra recipients.
You’ll find the finder’s message in your account, and you can reply directly from there if you want.
The finder receives an SMS from Boomerang letting them know there’s a new message. For PLUS members, the text of your reply is included.
The finder can read your message and reply again if needed. You see the conversation in a similar view.
Get your item back, mark returned!
The amazing part to Boomerang is that neither the finder or the owner need to share personal details for the item to be returned.
Try the smart way to find things.
Every account comes with 30 days free of our family premium plan.
