2/3 Women Unhappy with Gifts (and selling them on!)
Already wondering whether ornamental frogs fetch much on eBay? You’re not alone. Almost two thirds of women are unhappy with gifts they receive from family and loved ones, research has revealed.
While we’re still living on turkey leftovers and alka-seltzer we’re also working out how to palm off unwanted pressies and make a bit of cash while we’re at it.
In a survey of more than 2,000 UK consumers it was found that 59% of women have received unwanted presents within the past 12 months. As a result, 51% of women admitted to regifting or selling their unwanted presents, while over a fifth of women said they threw their gift away without using it. What’s more, nearly a third of women returned the doomed gift in exchange for money or store credit.
That’s one way to get yourself through until January payday!
While men are not immune to the curse of the unwanted gift, they seem to have better luck, with less than half being left unhappy with a gift they received in the last 12 months. Men are also less inclined to get rid of an unwanted gift.
Despite women being worse off when receiving presents, over half (56%) are not shy about dropping hints to partners, friends and family about their perfect gift. In contrast, less than half of men drop hints about what they want.
Yet the gift giving process is marginally more pleasant for women than men. Almost half (49%) of men find the process stressful, compared to 45% of women. Meanwhile, men and women are equally partial to the purchasing panic; 34% of men and women overcompensate by overspending when they don’t have a good idea for a present.
Yiannis Faf, Co-Founder of WhatWeWant, who conducted the survey, said: “There is no worse a feeling than thinking you’ve nailed that perfect gift for someone close to you, only to find out you’re well off the mark. Our research shows that despite family and friends attempting to drop hints, the message might not be as clear as they think. As a result, well-meaning gift-givers experience high levels of stress and can make panic purchases.
“Let’s face it – we are not psychics. That’s why consumers should not be afraid to be upfront about the present they want. It will likely come as a great relief to gift-givers, as they won’t have to partake in the stressful practice of guesswork. Gift-giving should never have to be a stressful experience for either party; it’s meant to be fun!”
