Do you smile and gasp with delight when you are given a gift? If you are the giver do you hope to hear squeals of delight and a positive reaction?
Of course, whether we are givers or receivers we want to see the recipient experience a happy response to our gift! Research shows that our anticipated reactions are a critical factor in what we choose for gift giving.^
Looking for a smile
Givers have a ‘smile-seeking’ motive for their choice of gift while receivers are hoping for something they want. The two experiences don’t always match!
Researchers found gift-givers choose gifts they expect to produce smiles or gasps of joy, but people receiving them prefer gifts which will make them happy over the long-term.
Books and money are most preferred
When 80 people were asked for their favourite gifts, they nominated books and money as first preference. Long-term gifts like money or a gift card are always well-received as they give the recipients the opportunity to choose their own gift – something they really want.
Findings from Blackhawk Network’s Online and Mobile Gifting survey of more than 1,100 U.S. consumers revealed that physical gift cards are the most popular choice for gift card giving.^^
Gift Card Registry makes gifting easy
To ensure your gift recipient can choose whatever they want for a big occasion gift, set up a Gift Card Registry for friends and family to contribute their gifts.
Once the gifting period is over, the recipient will receive a prepaid Mastercard loaded with the gifted funds, ready to use online or at any merchant that accepts Mastercard.
Gift cards make it easy to choose a gift
Give them the choice to use the funds for their own special gift or project which may be a wedding, travel, a house deposit, further education, honeymoon, baby equipment, home furnishings or appliances – the list is unlimited.
Gift Card Registry is easy to set up and makes gift giving easy and secure. You can use a registry for any occasion:
- Weddings
- Bridal showers
- Engagements
- Kitchen Teas
- Honeymoon fund
- Birthdays
- Baby showers
- House warming
- Bar/Bat Mitzvahs
- Crowdfunding
- Graduation
With the popular choice for gifting being the gift you choose yourself, promote a ‘smile-seeking’ reaction and choose a Gift Card registry for the special occasion.
To find out more and see a sample registry, go to giftcardregistry.com.au or phone 1300 354 632.
References:
^The Smile-Seeking Hypothesis: How Immediate Affective Reactions Motivate and Reward Gift Giving. Adelle X. Yang, Oleg Urminsky, 2018. Published in Psychological Science. Available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0956797618761373
^^Blackhawk Network 2018 Consumer Gift Card Preferences report. Available from: https://blackhawknetwork.com/consumer-gift-card-preferences/