Technology at the heart of their desires, 71% choose it as a “self-gift”, 44% give it to their loved ones
In collaboration with Samsung
Christmas is upon us and the holidays could not be defined as such without a gift under the tree for close people or, why not, even for themselves. In a scenario full of options and attractive offers, Samsung Electronics Italia has investigated the behaviors, desires and purchase intentions of Italian consumers with a new Trend Radar on the occasion of the end-of-year holidays, in collaboration with Gwi, a market research institute specializing in “digital consumer behavior”.
To avoid disappointment under the tree and to reward yourself after a tiring year, there are many Italians who make a well-deserved self-gift for Christmas. The ideas are very clear: technological articles stand out among the preferred options, with more than 71% of preferences, especially as regards the younger age groups, such as Gen Z (over 82%), in particular for the male sample (approximately 82% of preferences); they position themselves further down in the ranking are jewels (36%) and special experiences, such as events, food and wine tastings or recreational courses, chosen by 46.9% of the sample, and which in the common imagination are in fact much more suitable if given as a gift by someone else, for a real surprise effect.
Among the most popular options for a gift to loved ones, the food and wine products stand out, with 63.4% of preferences and always great protagonists of the classic Christmas baskets, together, once again, with technological devices, chosen by approximately 44% of respondents. In particular, this type of gift is the most chosen by the 25-34 year old segment, with over 39% of preferences. Thanks to the still uncertain period from the point of view of health and restrictions, it is the travel category that is the least chosen as a gift for oneself or for others, according to 35.5% of the analyzed sample. The recipients of the gifts and the products purchased for them by Italian consumers are equally diverse. For their partner, 34% of the sample chooses jewels or perfumery items; among young Millennials, almost 46% choose this option. If, on the other hand, family affections are considered, the preferred gifts are traditional ones, such as books and editorial products (15.9% in the case of a gift to parents, 17% for siblings). preferred above all for their children, with 19% of preferences, a choice probably influenced by the high demand for consoles, video games and tech devices related to entertainment. And for friends? Especially for them books (about 20%) and food and wine products (16.4%), timeless ideas that are always appreciated and fully exploited by those who receive them.
Self for food and wine gifts (86%) and more precious ones such as jewels (79.7% of the sample), Italian consumers prefer to shop in physical stores, for the travel category, and for tech gifts, on the other hand, prefer to buy online, respectively in 68% and 57.5% of cases. What drives the consumer to buy directly in-store is almost always the possibility of being able to see the products firsthand, a preference shared by approximately 63% of respondents and which is particularly relevant in the 55-64 age group, who prefer this option in 76.5% of cases; even the youngest Gen Z consumers appreciate this method of purchase, especially for the possibility of trying the product before buying it and of being able to choose and compare different objects. To support the decision to buy online, however, is undoubtedly the convenience, important for 55% of the sample, followed by the possibility of avoiding crowded places, especially in the case of last-minute purchases (47.8% ): also emerges, especially for Millennials in the 35-44 range, the ease of navigation and the ability to view many products at the same time, as stated by about 54%.
Technology is therefore one of the preferred choices by Italian consumers when it comes to Christmas gifts: there are many devices among which it is possible to choose for a welcome gift to oneself or to others, but among these the absolute favorite is always the smartphone, which collects over 52% of preferences. Starting the new year with a technological ally always in your pocket certainly represents a strong motivation, but also the smart TV (about 41%) has a strong appeal, especially for the 35-44 year old target, with 49.3% of preferences. Among the devices for home care, however, the robot vacuum cleaner wins over all (26.9%), especially for the 45-54 age group, who declared to plan the purchase in over 30.5% of cases: also followed by the smart washer / dryer, sought after by 18.9% of the sample analyzed and in particular, surprisingly, by Generation Z, with 25.5% of preferences. When it comes to tech gifts, if your wish list is substantial, even the budget deserves a special attention: 34% of Italians are quite comfortable with this type of expense, declaring that they can invest between 200 and 400 euros to satisfy their technology-based desires; only 7.7%, on the other hand, spends between 600 and 1000 euros and just 5.9% commits themselves with amounts exceeding 1000 euros. This last trend is particularly relevant in the 35-44 year-old target, who are in agreement in 11% of cases.
And are the surprises under the tree still worth it? Yes, especially when it comes to receiving them: 64.8% of the analyzed sample in fact declared that they preferred to unwrap a surprise gift, especially as regards the older target, 55-64 years (more than 71%). Gen Z, on the other hand, loves making surprises for loved ones, as evidenced by the preference in 51% of cases. Furthermore, the majority of Italian users choose to plan the purchase of gifts in advance (35.2%), especially by taking advantage of offers and discounts (40.5%): a trend for which mainly men express agreement (beyond 37%), especially in the age group of young Millennials (25-34 years), in 43.5% of cases.
Source-www.adnkronos.com