The survey studied the intent behind giving and examined how attitudes and culture shape gifting decisions and shopping habits. The report says that, while 78% of adults give gifts during the holiday season because they want to and not out of a sense of obligation, 48% of adults will be purchasing fewer gifts this holiday season. Though Americans will be purchasing fewer gifts overall, the survey reveals that consumers are seeking more responsible ways to give, and 59% of Americans have plans to prepare alternative gifts, including homemade gifts and donations of time or money to charities.
Key findings include such things as:
30% of adults say they will donate money to charity rather than purchase some gifts this holiday season:
Three in five adults maintain that they have never re-gifted, though a similar number of adults say that re-gifting is socially acceptable:
48% of adults say they will be purchasing fewer gifts this holiday season, while just 10% say they will be purchasing more gifts.
Compared to the last few years, will you buy more, the same, or fewer gifts this year during the holiday season? | |
More, more money | 5% |
More, more people | 5 |
The same | 40 |
Fewer, less money | 35 |
Fewer, less people | 8 |
Fewer, other | 5 |
Don't know | 2 |
Source: Ketchum Global Research, December 2010 |
Half of adults agree that you should consider how much someone else can afford to spend in return when purchasing a gift for them. However, nearly as many disagree.And, the majority of adults agree that it's important to set an agreed-upon spending limit for gifts between family members or friends.
Two in five adults say they are more likely to try to reconnect with people online around the holidays.
Compared to other times of the year, are you more or less likely to try to reconnect with people online around the holidays? | |
Much more likely | 15% |
Somewhat more likely | 25 |
No difference | 33 |
Somewhat less likely | 13 |
Much less likely | 13 |
Source: Ketchum Global Research, December 2010 |
Less than a third of adults (30%) think someone is being irresponsible if they do not send you a note of thanks for a gift you have given. Older adults ages 50 and above are more likely than younger adults ages 18-29 to agree that someone is being irresponsible if they do not send a note of thanks for a gift (44% of older adults vs. 20% of younger adults). More than half (53%) of those ages 65 and above agree that this is irresponsible behavior.
And, too show appreciation for someone, adults say taking the person out to dinner is the most thoughtful gesture, followed by sending a note or card of thanks. Adults ages 50 and above are more likely than younger adults ages 18-49 to take someone out to dinner to show appreciation (33% of older adults vs. 17% of younger adults). Those ages 18-29 are more likely than others to cook someone a meal to show appreciation (27% vs. 18% overall).
Generally speaking, to show your appreciation for someone, what is the most thoughtful gesture? | |
Take them out to dinner | 24% |
Send a note or card of thanks | 21 |
Cook them a meal | 18 |
Offer to help with a task | 12 |
Purchase a gift for them | 10 |
Make a homemade gift | 8 |
Other | 3 |
Don't know | 4 |
Source: Ketchum Global Research, December 2010 |
The "2010 Responsible Giving Survey" was fielded for Liberty Mutual and The Responsibility Project by Ketchum Global Research Network between November 10-16, 2010, reaching 1,000 adults nationwide, including 25 percent of respondents from cell phones. The base sample has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.
For more information about the study, please visit Ketchum.com here.
There's research, and there's research designed to generate PR coverage. Other than to link Liberty Mutual to responsibility (which is a fine campaign, don't get me wrong), one has to wonder whether reported and actual behavior match when it comes to charitable giving.