“If you want to show that you care and avoid arguments this holiday season, then think a little more carefully before buying your gifts .” This is the result of a survey on consumer habits during the festive season , which revealed that a third of Europeans believe that cash is an offensive gift and shows a lack of interest. So much so that 1 in 10 say that it would cause a fight with a loved one.
They want personal gifts that have been chosen with thought and interest
MasterCard 's pan-European study was conducted on over 15,000 people in 17 countries to show us what we like and dislike when it comes to gifts – both when we receive them and when we give them.
The survey revealed that Europeans prefer to give and receive gifts from their loved ones that are chosen exclusively for them (46%) and have personal meaning (44%). At the top of the priorities when it comes to gifts are understanding what others really want (87%) and showing interest (86%).
When we don't put in the time and thought, guilt sets in: one in four have regretted a gift they gave because they didn't put enough thought into it. 45%, almost half, of those who say they've received an impersonal gift have also been disappointed. It seems that thought is the most important investment we make when buying a gift, with almost all of us (97%) believing that the cost of a gift we receive from a loved one doesn't matter.
The Greeks are last minute
The study also sheds light on how early we start holiday shopping. While a third of consumers (32%) start a month early, nearly half (45%) admit to starting their gift just a week in advance or at the last minute!
Greeks are last-minute shoppers (60%) waiting until the last week to start their holiday shopping. Men are more likely to leave shopping to the last minute (34%) than women (27%), starting as early as a week before.
Interestingly, of those who said they have received an impersonal gift (45%), almost one in three (28%) believe this is because their loved ones left the gift shopping to the last minute.
Source: onliner.gr
