COST OF LIVING CRISIS-MAS GIFT

Value for money key for shoppers

CASH-STRAPPED shoppers are planning more meaningful and thrifty gifts this Christmas as inflation soars, a survey by ebay has revealed.

The online auction site data shows half of shoppers said they plan to take advantage of offers and deals on Black Friday this year to save money when purchasing presents.

The survey of 2,010 consumers found that 32% are planning to start their festive shopping earlier than last year – 29% of them before the end of this month to spread the cost more.

One in three said their early Christmas start was because of the greater impact inflation was likely to have on shopping by the end of the year. Over half (56%) plan to buy thoughtful gifts for friends and family this year rather than spending lots of money on them. A third plan to buy functional gifts while a quarter say they will buy essential items that friends and family are struggling to purchase for themselves. As people tighten their purse strings, 60% of consumers report that good value for money is the most important factor when it comes to shopping this festive season. And 20% said they expect to feel stressed about the cost of Christmas, up from 14% last year.

However, hope is still high, as half (52%) of consumers are optimistic they’ll be able to celebrate Christmas, as usual, this year.

ebay spokesperson Upasana Gupta said: “Christmas is undeniably set to be a tricky time for many consumers and while traditional retail moments such as Black Friday remain important, businesses must be ready to reach people as they start to shop – with some starting as early as August.

“As well as appealing to their desire for good value, this means supporting shoppers in their quest to find the most special, meaningful or functional products that will help make this Christmas a merry one.”