Survey finds consumers ‘fretting too much over presents’

SHOPPERS could be stressing unnecessarily about buying gifts for friends and family at Christmas.

Just 7 per cent of people said they were disappointed with the presents they receive, a survey has found.

The results also revealed that 23 per cent of those asked said they planned to spend more on Christmas presents this year compared with the last three years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, it appears many shoppers have left it too late, as almost half said they have experienced a product being out of stock, with the majority saying this had happened online.

Gift ideas being unavailable in stores was voted the most frustrating thing about Christmas shopping, the study by retail technology firm NetSuite revealed.

General manager Andy Lloyd said: “The Christmas gamble is challenging for both retailers and consumers -–while retailers can’t afford to be left with too much stock after the Christmas period, being out of stock means they will miss out on critical revenue opportunities and disgruntled customers.

“Consumers stated that a lack of product availability is the most frustrating thing about Christmas shopping, and almost a quarter of consumers will go to a competing retailer to purchase an unavailable item.

“With people spending more on their Christmas shopping this year, it’s vital that retailers embrace this opportunity and find the right balance between gambling with the right stock and meeting consumer demand.”

The research, which was carried out at the end of November, also showed that only 3 per cent of Scottish shoppers said they would use their mobile phone as the main way to buy gifts.