Revealed: What We Actually Do with Our Unwanted Gifts

Regifting and Selling on Ebay: What We ACTUALLY Do With our Unwanted Gifts

1 in 5 cheeky Brits sticks their unwanted gifts on Ebay without the giver ever knowing.

That’s according to a new study from Thatsweetgift.com (https://thatsweetgift.com/christmas-shopping-statistics/), which surveyed 2,005 over 16s in the UK.

The same study reveals that many of us will pretend to like the gifts we’re given no matter how disappointed we may be. Just 8% of us have ever told someone we’re disappointed with a gift, while over a third of us have lied and the told the giver we like it when we really don’t.

But what are we actually doing with those unwanted presents?

- 1 in 5 Brits (rising to 1 in 4 if we look just at answers from female respondents) Ebays their gifts without the seller ever knowing.

- 1 in 3 of us simply keeps the gift and leaves it sitting in a cupboard unused/unworn

- Just short of 1 in 4 (23%) has rewrapped a gift and given it to someone else!

- 1 in 5 has returned or exchanged a gift without the giver ever knowing

And there’s a special mention to the (entrepreneurial?) 7% of the population that admits to having sold an unwanted gift on for more than it was worth.

Daniel Chabert Pfefferkorn, founder of Thatsweetgift.com, comments:

“The fact 1 in 5 Brits sells unwanted gifts on Ebay without the giver knowing is brilliant. And the fact that some even sell on for more than it’s worth is even better. Where are those people? I want to hire them!”

Avoiding Disappointment in the First Place - What Men and Women Really Want for Christmas

Of course, if you don’t want your gifts ending up on Ebay, then a bit of insight about what men and women really want for Christmas could be useful.

Thatsweetgift.com’s survey identified that the most popular gifts amongst women (when asked, from a multiple choice list, which they would be happy to receive from their partner or spouse at Christmas) are the traditional ones:

- Jewellery tops the list (55% of women saying they’d be happy to receive it)

- Clothing is second with 48% approval

- A weekend break or holiday was a close third with 41%

- Chocolate got 42% of the vote


Men answered slightly differently:

- Clothing topped the list for men (40%)

- Footwear polled second (32%)

- Chocolate came in third (27%)

- Books came in 4th (23.70%)


For both men and women, traditional gifts trumped technology.

- Fewer than 9% of both men and women said they’d be happy to receive an ebook, a movie or TV download or a music download

- 28% of women and 24% of men would like to receive physical books

- 20% of adults in the UK would like to receive CDs

- 21% of women and 22% of men would like to receive DVDs

What We’re Spending
The survey also identified that Brits will give an average of 11 gifts each Christmas and will receive 7 in return.

And we’re spending varied amounts of different members of our family:

- We spend an average of £96.64 on gifts for our spouse or partner

- £24.56 on our best friend

- £49.30 on our Mum

- £40.65 on Dad

- £64.21 on an adult son

- £64.27 on an adult daughter

- £23.60 on Grandparents

About the Data
The data was acquired through Censuswide. We polled 2,005 people in the UK aged 16 and over between 1st and 4th October 2018.

You can find more detail at https://thatsweetgift.com/christmas-shopping-statistics/

A data spreadsheet is available at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1McWDycCzmOgEcNjnrFWX... and the raw data from Censuswide is available on request. Age, regional and gender breakdown for all questions available.

If you have any further requirements for comment, imagery or data, please contact stacey@macnaughtdigital.co.uk or call 01457 873 426.