Gift Giving – Facts & Figures

Compiled by DreamBank, The New Model For Gift Giving.

For more information visit www.dreambank.org
Give Dreams. Not Stuff.

The Basics of Gift Giving

□ 84 percent of U.S. adults receive unwanted items as gifts during the holidays
□ 42% of U.S. adults would like to be asked what they want for a gift
□ 51% of Americans spend more than $500 each year on gifts; 27% spend more than $1,000, 13% spend more than $1,500
□ 65% of those who buy gifts for friends or family purchase gifts online; 25% of these buy at least a quarter of all gifts online
Source: Harris Interactive Gift Giving Survey, sponsored by WebGiftr. Released November 27, 2008
□ Gift Cards were the top purchase last year, with 66% of Americans buying them for holiday gifting
□ However, one out of every 4 people who got a gift card last year didn’t spend it (either because it expired, the company went out of
business, they couldn’t find what they wanted or they lost it.)
Source: Deloitte’s 23rd Annual Holiday Survey of Retail Spending and Trends, 2008

Gift Giving During a Difficult Economy

□ When asked about their gift giving this year, U.S. women overwhelmingly signal a trend toward spending less and focusing on the
sentimental:
• Spend less money on individual gifts (75 percent)
• Focus on more sentimental or inspirational gifts (74 percent)
• Give more unique, one-of-a-kind gifts (72 percent)
• Not give as many gifts this year (56 percent)
• Give fewer gift cards and cash this year (55 percent)
□ Group gift giving is more preferred today than previously. The majority of U.S. women (52 percent) say they prefer group gifts, up from
only 42 percent in 2006. Roughly half of all U.S. women participated in group gifts during 2006 and 2009 (51 percent and 47 percent,
respectively). Source: 2009 National Trends In Gift Giving Study, sponsored by VoiceQuilt.

Re-Gifting is in
□ 46 percent of adults who receive unwanted gifts resell or re-gift
□ 64 percent of adults feel that re-gifting or reselling gifts is more socially acceptable now than it was several years ago
□ 73 percent of adults “view re-gifting or reselling as a form of recycling, up from 69 percent the year prior.
□ The most popular items adults would re-gift:

• Wine, champagne or spirits (21 percent) • DVDs, CDs or books (16 percent)
• Trinkets or collectibles (21 percent) • Electronics/appliances (14 percent)
• Beauty or bath products (21 percent) • Fruitcake (14 percent)
“We’re seeing the trend in re-gifting and reselling unwanted presents becoming more
commonplace in this economic climate” - Marsha Collier, author of “Santa Shops on eBay” and “eBay for Dummies. Source: 2008 eBay Survey, released December 15, 2008

Trend Alert Gift Giving Fun About DreamBank

From Trendwatching.com: “Generation G” (for Neck ties are the least popular DreamBank is the ultimate online gift
‘generosity’) registry that makes giving & receiving the
“The most important driver behind GENERATION G is a gift item overall among perfect gift easy, and helps create positive
wide variety of consumers and citizens being more consumers. – Consumer Watch change for the planet and important social
generous. We're talking [about] the collaborative / causes too.
free / creation / crowdsourced / gift / sharing “The worst gift is a fruitcake.
movement* that—especially online—..[exists] to To speak with us about gift giving,
There is only one fruitcake
basically find status and gratification in something meaningful/sustainable consumerism or
in the entire world, and people
other than consuming the most or the best.” socially responsible business please
keep sending it to each other.” contact:
“Giving is the new taking, and sharing is the (Johnny Carson) Victoria Ronco: 778.991.5842,
new giving.” Victoria@dreambank.org

Compiled November 2009 by DreamBank. www.dreambank.org