Kiwi shoppers find their partners the most stressful to buy gifts for, survey shows

Left your shopping to the last minute? Surprisingly, you may be in the minority according to the results from a recent Trade Me survey. Photo / Dean Purcell

If you're finding yourself short on ideas for the perfect present for your partner this year you're not alone.

The typical Kiwi Christmas shopper finds their partner the hardest to buy for, a recent survey by Trade Me has revealed.

More than 600 people were surveyed, and most said they got their shopping done early and bought up to half their gifts online.

Perhaps surprisingly, despite agonising over gifts for their nearest and dearest half of respondents said they'd be perfectly happy to receive a gift voucher instead of a specially selected pressie.

Trade Me's Jeff Hunkin said the research uncovered "a treasure trove of insight" into the mentality of Kiwi shoppers in the lead-up to Christmas.

People's responses confirmed some of the company's assumptions about present-buying behaviour and changed others.

"Almost half of us beat the jostling mall crowds and get our shopping done early, while
34 per cent admitted to leaving things to the last minute," Hunkin said.

"Something that wasn't so surprising is that one in two people agree that gift-buying is a stressful experience."

Partners were named as the most difficult people to buy a gift for by 31 per cent.

Kids and parents followed, at 20 and 14 per cent respectively.

"Extended family, siblings and friends on the other hand are much easier to buy for - we suspect less effort is required to select novelty underwear or a desktop Foosball set for those further down the gift hierarchy."

Hatchimals, one of the year's biggest toy crazes , were popular online purchases and 62 per cent of people bought up to half their gifts online.

"We've seen searches for Hatchimals skyrocket on Trade Me in the lead-up to Christmas," Hunkin said.

The survey also asked shoppers which Christmas gifts had lived up to expectations and what had been wide of the mark.

Hunkin said jewellery, clothing, electronic items, handmade gifts from children and family
members coming home for the holidays were all cited as Christmas highlights.

"On the other hand, gifts that inspired awkward silence on Christmas morning included a self-help book, a horrendous Christmas cake, which ended up being buried by the family dog, and a G-string from Nana.

"No doubt we'll see some unusual items like these listed on Trade Me on Boxing Day."

By the numbers:

• 77 per cent of people think buying online is convenient
• 58 per cent of people think buying in-store is time consuming
• 80 per cent of people get a buzz out of finding "the perfect gift"
• 41 per cent of people receive between four and six Christmas gifts, 16 per cent receive 7+

Top 10 Trade Me Christmas searches

(November/December 2016)

1. Hatchimals
2. iPhones & iPads
3. Lego
4. Mountain bikes
5. Surfboards
6. Puppies
7. Pokemon
8. PlayStation 4
9. BBQ
10. Kayak