UNDER EMBARGO until Friday, 13 November at 00:01am
Shoppers beware: buying gifts late at Christmas could
bust the holiday budget by nearly $250
13 November, 2009 – Shopping late and “self-gifting” are the main budget busting culprits for
nearly three quarters (72%) of Australians who exceed their annual Christmas shopping budget
by an average of $248, according to new research¹ released today from eBay.com.au.
The average Christmas spending budget this year is down from last year ($662 compared with
$681.47). Getting shopping done early and cutting out hidden expenses is the key to sticking to
your budget – particularly with 90 per cent of Aussie shoppers not including incidental expenses
such as petrol, parking, lunch or snacks in their Christmas present spending budget.
Self-gifting or purchasing a gift for oneself on impulse is another Christmas budget buster. More
than half of the respondents (57%) are confessed self-gifters; 18-24 year olds (67%) and singles
(65%) are the most likely to pick up items for themselves while Christmas shopping.
The nationwide survey also found that nearly all (96%) Aussies find Christmas shopping
stressful. The most common stresses associated with Christmas shopping are crowds (63%),
difficulty parking (53%), the long queues (52%) and worry over finding a thoughtful present
(54%).
83% of respondents wish they had done more of their shopping earlier and 68% believe they will
get better value if they get their Christmas shopping done early. However, many don’t follow their
own advice, with more than one third (35%) saving their Christmas shopping for the last few days
before Christmas.
eBay spokesperson Sian Gipslis says with nearly three quarters (72%) of Australians admitting to
going over their Christmas spending budget, and a whopping 75 per cent admitting that the last
few days before Christmas is the most difficult time to shop for Christmas presents, shopping
online for gifts earlier in the season is the best way to nab bargains and avoid blowing your
Christmas spending budget.
“Shopping on eBay takes the stress out of Christmas shopping because you can do it from the
comfort of your own home. With prices averaging 25% less than retail² and no parking fees, food
court snacks or meals to pay for, eBay can help you stick to your Christmas spending budget.
You might even have a bit of money left over to splurge on yourself!” says Gipslis.
More and more savvy Aussies are opting out of the shopping crowds this Christmas, with nearly
half (49%) of respondents claiming they will buy presents online this year. Better value, avoiding
crowds and queues, and taking advantage of better range are the main reasons that drive people
to shop online.
Justine Davies, financial planner, author and mother of three, says that by adopting a few key
strategies Australians can save money and get back to the true meaning of Christmas.
“For a lot of people the holidays can be stress-inducing, but Christmas shouldn’t be a stressful
time – it’s about spending quality time with loved ones,” says Davies.
“A common holiday stress point is shopping for Christmas presents, but to avoid the anxiety of
the holidays, the trick is to get all your shopping done early. Sites like eBay are great, not only
1
Research was conducted by Galaxy on behalf of eBay between 23-25 September 2009.
2
Research conducted by the Allen Consulting Group, February 2008. The research, analysis and findings were from a study into the
contribution of eBay to the Australian economy.
because you can nab some fantastic bargains, but you can also save time and money by
shopping in the comfort of your own home. If you get started in November, by December you’ll
have ticked everyone off your list, your gifts will arrive in plenty of time and you can sit back and
enjoy the holidays!” says Davies.
“With more than 50,000 product categories on eBay, you’ll be sure to find that unique or special
gift for everyone on your list,” says Gipslis. “eBay is open 24/7, there are no crowds, and there
are great bargains to be found. The great range of products on eBay combined with the
convenience of shopping at your leisure puts the fun and excitement back into Christmas
shopping,” says Gipslis.
eBay’s research also revealed the most common Aussie Christmas shopper personality
types, including:
Last Minute Larry: Larry (35% of shoppers) does Christmas shopping in the last few
days and wishes he had done it earlier; a higher proportion of men (39%) than women
(32%) are ‘Larrys’;
Supermum: (15% of shoppers) is well organised and gets all her Christmas shopping
done by mid December; women are twice as likely as men to be ‘Supermums’ (20% of
women compared to just 10% of men);
Early Bird: (24% of shoppers) always buys early in order to avoid the Christmas rush
(13%) and to get the best bargains (11%);
Thoughtful Ted: (11% of shoppers) likes to spend time and effort throughout the year
getting the best Christmas presents; is likely to be older and married (16% of those aged
50-64 years and 13% who are married are Thoughtful Teds);
Santa’s Elf: (5% of shoppers) likes the hustle and bustle of offline Christmas shopping;
twice as likely to be young (11% of 18-24 years olds are elves) compared to older groups
(5%); and
Penny Pinching Pixie: (7% of shoppers) doesn’t usually buy Christmas presents; tends
to be younger (higher than average at 11% of 18-24 year olds).
-ENDS-
Note to Editors:
Research was conducted by Galaxy on behalf of eBay between 23-25 September 2009.
For more information, interview or case studies please contact: mediaaustralia@eBay.com.au, or
Marie-Claire Ducharme Sayers – Haystac
Sian Gipslis – eBay Australia & New Zealand
P: (02) 9513 8566
P: (02) 8288 0057
M: 0449 889 099
M: 0401 227 385
E: m.sayers@haystac.com.au
E: sian.gipslis@ebay.com
About eBay
Founded in 1995, eBay Inc. connects hundreds of millions of people around the world every day,
empowering them to explore new opportunities and innovate together. eBay Inc. does this by
providing the Internet platforms of choice for global commerce, payments and communications.
Since its inception, eBay Inc. has expanded to include some of the strongest brands in the world,
including eBay, PayPal, Skype, StubHub, Shopping.com, and others. eBay Inc. is headquartered
in San Jose, California.
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