Kiwis are shopping earlier for Christmas presents

Kiwis are shopping earlier for Christmas presents but don’t bother with socks or expired confectionery, survey says

Kiwis are getting more organised when it comes to Christmas shopping, are big on self-gifting and Canterbury shoppers love Christmas the most, according to a recent Trade Me survey.

Head of Trade Me Marketplace Lisa Stewart said over 2,100 New Zealanders took part in the annual survey, which sought to find out more about Kiwi shopping behaviour during the festive season.

“As a country, we’re actually getting more organised every year when it comes to Christmas shopping. This year, 51 per cent of us already had our presents bought, wrapped, and under the tree before December even began – that compares to just 46 per cent last year.

“One in four of us are really organised this year and had all of our shopping wrapped up by the end of October. 27 per cent of us avoid the Christmas rush and have our shopping all finished in November.”

Ms Stewart said Christmas shopping doesn’t come cheap, and it’s an expensive time of year for most Kiwis. “We all feel the financial pinch around this time of year. It’s no surprise, given 38 per cent of us will spend $25-$50 on each gift, and one-third of us are set to drop $200-$500 on our total Christmas present spend.”

Canterbury shoppers love Christmas the most
Ms Stewart said the survey also identified who loves Christmas the most.

“When we asked New Zealanders how they felt about the festive season, those in Canterbury were the happiest about Christmas (with 33 per cent loving or liking this time of year), while those in Auckland are the least stoked about the festive season (26 per cent).”

Kiwis admit buying for themselves
“47 per cent of Kiwis admitted to getting distracted while Christmas shopping, buying things for themselves instead.”

Ms Stewart said females are more likely than men to buy for themselves when Christmas shopping, with 48 per cent of women saying they are likely to get a little something, compared to 45 per cent of men.

Wellingtonians are more likely to buy things for themselves than their Auckland and Canterbury counterparts. “52 per cent of Wellington shoppers will buy themselves a gift when Christmas shopping, compared to 50 per cent of Auckland shoppers and 44 per cent of Canterbury Christmas shoppers.”

Partners the hardest to buy for
Shoppers said their partners (24 per cent) were the trickiest to buy for. “Many of us stress about getting the perfect gift for those who are closest to us. There are any number of factors that can contribute to this, from partners who put a spanner in the Christmas shopping by just buying themselves what they want immediately, to those who can be fussy or just don’t seem to want anything.”

Ms Stewart said kids, on the other hand, were a walk in the park, with 36 per cent of Kiwis saying kids were the easiest to buy for at Christmas. Kids make it pretty clear what they want, and handily they often write a pretty comprehensive list for their parents and family to pick through.”

‘Tis the season for secondhand gifts
“One-third of Kiwis told us that they’ll buy at least one secondhand gift this Christmas. While some of us do it to save money, 31 per cent said they were buying secondhand gifts this year to help the environment.”

Ms Stewart said secondhand gift-giving was on the rise and it’s likely to continue. “We reckon this trend will grow in years to come as more Kiwis become environmentally conscious and try to do their bit to reduce waste.”

All I (don’t) want for Christmas
Miss Stewart said candles and socks were called out as the worst gifts to receive.

“From what Kiwis have told us, the low-imagination options of candles, socks or old chocolate probably won’t go down very well this Christmas – best to rethink your options if that was the plan!

“Electronics, on the other hand, are at the top of Christmas wish list this year, along with clothing and books.”

Kiwis give back at Christmas time
“We’re a generous bunch when it comes to giving-back at Christmas time, and many of us recognise that for some it can be a tough time of year.

“It’s heartwarming to see that 52 per cent of Kiwis give their time or money to charity during the festive season.”

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