Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Many consumers are selective about when they give gifts
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- Figure 1: Occasions for giving gifts, by select demographics, March 2017
- Combatting the stigma of impersonal gifts
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- Figure 2: Attitudes toward giving and receiving gifts, by gender and age, March 2017
- The opportunities
- Expanding self-gifting
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- Figure 3: Self-gifting, by age, March 2017
- Interest in experience-related gifting
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- Figure 4: Types of gifts/non-traditional gifts, by select demographics, March 2017
- Using tools to engage more consumers
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Lifestyle changes could impact gifting occasions
- Evolving households makes for new gift expectations
Market Factors
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- Increase in single adults could lead to fewer gifting occasions
- Delaying milestones influences the types of gifts consumers want
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- Figure 5: Median age at first marriage, by gender, 2006-16
- Higher household income could change gifting expectations
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- Figure 6: Median household income, in inflation-adjusted dollars, 2005-15
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Consumers prioritize certain occasions
- Engaging the non-gift givers
- Consumers willing to spend on themselves
What’s Working?
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- Birthdays and holidays are top priority
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- Figure 7: Occasions for giving gifts, by household income, March 2017
- Experience related gifts popular with younger consumers
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- Figure 8: Types of non-traditional gifts, by age and household income, March 2017
What’s Struggling?
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- The non-gift givers
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- Figure 9: Occasions for giving gifts, by gender, March 2017
- Gift cards still have a stigma among some consumers
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- Figure 10: Attitudes toward receiving gifts, by gender and age, March 2017
What’s Next?
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- Opportunity to expand self-gifting
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- Figure 11: Self-gifting, by race and Hispanic origin, March 2017
- Rethinking the registry
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- Figure 12: Attitudes toward gift registries, by age, March 2017
- The potential of AI
- Reinventing the return process
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Most consumers prioritize birthdays and holidays for gift giving
- Candy and flowers are go-to gifts, while experience-related gifts are on the rise
- Younger consumers have preference for registry alternatives
- Recipient and budget are top gift-giving factors
- Many consumers are uncomfortable receiving gifts
Occasions for Giving Gifts
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- Birthdays and holidays top gifting occasions
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- Figure 13: Occasions for gifting, March 2017
- Women are primary gift givers
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- Figure 14: Occasions for giving gifts, select occasions, by gender, March 2017
- Other occasions lag in gift giving
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- Figure 15: Occasions for giving gifts, by household income, March 2017
- Hispanics likely to gift for less traditional occasions
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- Figure 16: Occasions for gifting, by Hispanic origin, March 2017
Types of Gifts
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- Candy and flowers are top purchases
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- Figure 17: Types of gifts purchased, March 2017
- Experience gifts favored among higher income and younger consumers
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- Figure 18: Types of gifts, by household income, March 2017
- Dads likely to buy food and subscription services
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- Figure 19: Types of gifts, by parental status, March 2017
- Hispanics buying more types of gifts than non-Hispanics
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- Figure 20: Types of non-traditional gifts, by Hispanic origin and generation, March 2017
Attitudes Toward Gift Registries
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- Budget dictates registry choices
- Factors influencing purchase decisions when using a gift registry:
- Preferences for creating registries more pronounced among younger consumers
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- Figure 21: Attitudes toward gift registries, by age, March 2017
- Figure 22: Amazon gift registry email campaign, August 2016
- Hispanics prefer other registry options
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- Figure 23: Attitudes toward gift registries, by Hispanic origin and generation, March 2017
- In their own words
Attitudes toward Giving Gifts
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- Recipients and budget dictate gift choice
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- Figure 24: Attitudes toward giving gifts, March 2017
- Age and gender influence gifting attitudes
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- Figure 25: Attitudes toward giving gifts, by gender and age, March 2017
- Preferred ways of giving
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- Figure 26: Attitudes toward gift giving, by generation, March 2017
- Attitudes toward monetary gifts
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- Figure 27: Attitudes toward giving gifts, by gender and age, March 2017
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- Figure 28: Attitudes towards giving gifts, by Hispanic origin and generation, March 2017
- In their own words
Attitudes toward Receiving Gifts
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- Consumers have mixed feelings on the gifts they want
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- Figure 29: Attitudes toward receiving gifts, part 1, March 2017
- Figure 30: Attitudes toward receiving gifts, part 2, March 2017
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- Figure 31: Attitudes towards receiving gifts, by gender, March 2017
- Gender differences exist in gifting preferences
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- Figure 32: Attitudes toward receiving gifts, by gender and age, March 2017
- Parents seek options for unwanted gifts
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- Figure 33: Attitudes toward receiving gifts, by parental status by gender, March 2017
- Hispanics prefer buying for themselves or using wish lists
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- Figure 34: Attitudes toward receiving gifts, by Hispanic origin and generation, March 2017
Self-Gifting
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- Younger consumers are most likely to treat themselves
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- Figure 35: Self-gifting, by age, March 2017
- Self-gifts for rewards and holidays are most common
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- Figure 36: Self-gifting, by generation, March 2017
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- Figure 37: Clinique email campaign, June 2017
- Hispanics treat themselves during the holidays
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- Figure 38: Self-gifting, by Hispanic origin, March 2017
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- Figure 39: J. Crew email campaign, April 2017
- In their own words
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Direct marketing creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 40: Annual births and fertility rate, 2005-15
- Figure 41: Married share of population, 2006-16
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- Figure 42: Parents with children under age 18 in the household, by living arrangement, 2007-16
- Figure 43: Births, by age of mother, 2015
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- Figure 44: Average age of women giving birth in specified year, 1990-2014
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 45: Occasions for giving gifts, by gender, March 2017
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- Figure 46: Occasions for giving gifts, by types of gifts/non-traditional gifts, March 2017
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