Customers reluctant to create gift wishlists for themselves, but will buy from them for others

Sept. 29, 2010 - PRLog -- People are more likely to buy from a gift wishlist sent by loved ones, than to create a gift wishlist for themselves, according to a Christmas gifts survey.

The survey by online retailer It’s In The Stars at http://www.itsinthestarsonline.com found that people are generally reluctant to request what they would really like for Christmas.

According to It’s In The Stars director, Elizabeth Ball, this reluctance to clarify gift wishes wastes time, money and effort, and even ruins relationships.

“People really do want to know what their loved ones want for Christmas. There’s nothing worse than seeing their disappointed face on Christmas Day, or having to return a gift – for the recipient or for the retailer who has to give a refund,” Elizabeth Ball said.

“Unfortunately, we face a bit of an uphill battle getting them to fill out gift wishlists for themselves,” she said.

While 33.3% of customers would buy something from a loved one’s gift wishlist to ensure they received exactly what they wanted, only 21.8% were willing to create their own gift wishlist to indicate what they wanted.

“Online retailers need to address customers’ fears that others might see them as greedy or selfish if they send out a gift wishlist: in fact, people prefer to know what their loved ones want to receive,” Elizabeth Ball said. “No-one wants to get it wrong and give gifts that have to be returned.”

This unwillingness to use gift wishlists may explain why 49.7% would use online gift suggestions by hobbies, gender and so on.

Tangibility and being perceived as making an effort is another issue.

Almost twice as many customers would purchase gift cards instead of electronic gift certificates (46.3% vs 27.2%) from an online retailer, with many citing that e-gift certificates are a lazy gift option.

Only one in five (20.4%) would pay extra for gift wrapping while 19.0% would pay a fee to have a personalised message printed within their greeting card.

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Elizabeth Ball writes the gift news blog, Gifts By The Stars at http://gifts-by-the-stars-online.com and is the director of online retailer, It’s In The Stars at http://www.itsinthestarsonline.com whose luxury hardcover astrology reports have been delighting couples and parents as thoughtful keepsake gifts for anniversaries, birthdays, christenings, Christmas, engagements, Mother’s Day, new babies, Valentine’s Day and weddings since 2005.