Online Shopping Increases With Unwanted Gifts – TheLiberal.ie – Our News, Your Views

Online Shopping Increases With Unwanted Gifts




how-to-sell-unwanted-gifts-on-ebay-415x260

No one is overcome with joy on Christmas morning as they tear off the wrapping of their well anticipated gifts to find Boots latest bath set or a novelty Simpsons tie that says doh when you press it.  As relaxing as a bath with Lily of the Valley may be, there is just no surprise, excitement or thought related to opening a bath set on Christmas day. And yet on any average December day in Boots, you will be greeted by bath sets of every colour, shape and size, bulking out and somewhat decorating the 3 for 2 gift aisle. 

This year even saw some new popular and somewhat unorthodox additions to the section such as Gok Wan and Fearne cotton soap sets. Despite undesirability why are these sets such a hit? They are the haven for unorganised last minute shoppers, the saviour for the forgotten kris kingles and a redeemer for those presents you really didn’t expect to receive. So unfortunately when you buy a soap set for someone, not only will they know how little though you put in, but it may also end up at the back of their wardrobe for 11 months until it is kris kingle time in the office again. 

However people may be up to a lot more than merely recycling neck ties and disastrous Christmas jumpers.  

Online second hand websites such as gum tree are at a peak this time of year. According to a report in the Irish independent the listings for computers and tablets on these sites increased by 25 per cent on Christmas day while it also reported a 25,000 increase of craft items for sale on the site. People may have been disappointed with some gifts when there was also an increase on the search navigations, IPhones and PlayStations being the most searched items on Christmas day. 

Some advertisements on the Gumtree website included unwanted Chanel perfume while an advertisement was listed as unwanted gift sets for sale. Another suspicious advertisement included a ‘Beleek wedding picture frame’. With the rapid advancement of the internet and online shopping over the past decade, it appears that a new trend has surfaced in disposing of unwanted gifts. 

Ebay has also recently released an advertisement on Irish televisions thats states, if you don’t appreciate your christmas present then they can find some one who will. 

This comes at a time however when charities in Dublin have earlier this week appealed for people not to exchange their unwanted gifts. St Mary’s cathedral has urged people to donate their gifts to Crosscare where the gifts will be given to people and youths in need who otherwise will not receive any gifts this year.  

Other charities, such as Barnados and Age Action have also recently  made an appeal for unwanted gifts. 

As useful as sites like Gum Tree/eBay can be, it may be a good idea to leave down our new Christmas laptops/tablets and donate our unwanted gifts to those in need of them this year. 

 

Share this story

Tell us what you think on our Facebook page