Message #7 From:
NewsBot Date: December 21, 2005 02:00:00 AM
SSP News Online Shoppers Share Cheapskate Gifting Practices, Mindful That ``It's the Thought That Counts''; Shopzilla Survey Reveals That 56% of Online Shoppers Re-Gift and 78% Suspect They Have Received a Recycled Present
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 21, 2005--According to a recent BizRate Research survey of 1,047 online buyers conducted for leading comparison shopping search site Shopzilla (www.shopzilla.com), consumers will again be engaging in cheapskate gifting strategies this holiday season as a way to give low-cost or recycled gifts to bosses, co-workers, friends, relatives and neighbors without busting the budget.
While 78% of online shoppers revealed that they have received a recycled item as a gift, most Americans (97%) are too polite to confront a gift recycler. A majority of recipients (63%) of cheapskate gifts take the high road and say thank you out of politeness. Another 35% relay their thanks for the gift because they know the giver is on a limited budget. Only 2% fail to acknowledge or thank a cheapskate gifter, and luckily 95% of respondents say they have never received back any gift they gave to another person.
Why Consumers Engage in Cheapskate Giving Practices
The motivations for cheapskate gift giving, including purchasing items at $1 and bargain stores, giving cheap, holiday-themed items, and re-gifting, include the desire to recycle items rather than throwing them away (62%), having the ability to give an inexpensive token gift that is "just for fun" (42%) vs. being "really cheap," or being able to give holiday gifts while sticking to a tight budget (34%).
Be Wary -- Your Friends Are Most Likely to Practice Re-Gifting
Consumers are most likely to give a recycled gift to a friend (40%), a relative (24%) or a co-worker (23%). Beware Scrooge-like individuals (3%) who say they give cheapskate gifts because they "do not like to waste money on items for other people." Once a cheapskate gift giver engages in the act of re-gifting, they are inclined to do so again, with 34% of respondents doing so twice, another 20% re-gifting three times, and 14% admitting to recycling gifts on more than five occasions.
In the workplace, 19% of employees say they give cheapskate gifts to co-workers and bosses, and 21% say they have received cheapskate or recycled holiday gifts from colleagues and bosses.
"For consumers searching for unique, as well as good value, holiday gifts to give to others, or who want to buy something they really wanted but didn't receive as a gift, Shopzilla.com helps holiday shoppers find the perfect item at the best price," commented Helen Malani, chief shopping expert, Shopzilla, Inc.
About the Study
The study, conducted by BizRate Research, a division of Shopzilla, Inc., was based on a point-of-sale survey with a sample of 1,047 (total -- 979 US and 68 UK) online buyers from October 27 through November 1, 2005. The margin of error is 1%.
About Shopzilla, Inc.
Shopzilla, formerly BizRate.com, is the most powerful and easiest-to-use shopping search site on the Web. With an index of more than 30 million products from more than 67,000 stores, Shopzilla uses ShopRank, a proprietary, patent-pending algorithm, to help shoppers instantly find virtually anything on sale from anyone, anywhere on the Web at the best price. Shopzilla also features powerful comparison tools and BizRate consumer reviews of stores and products, the Web's largest and most trusted consumer feedback network. Every week Shopzilla prepares millions of shoppers to make smarter, more confident purchases and sends them directly to the checkout page of thousands of online merchants. Shopzilla also operates the BizRate consumer feedback network, which collects approximately 1 million fresh reviews per month. Shopzilla powers shopping search for many of the Web's largest consumer sites, including AOL, Lycos, Time Warner's RoadRunner and many others.
Founded in 1996, the Los Angeles-based company also operates sites in the United Kingdom, France and Germany. Shopzilla is owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP), a diverse media concern with interests in national television networks, newspaper publishing, broadcast television stations, TV retailing and licensing, and syndication.
For more information, visit www.shopzilla.com, the smarter way to shop.
