Santa has not quite hit the mark for many Kiwis this Christmas with thousands of unwanted presents turning up on Trade Me.
Trade Me said at 9am on Boxing Day, 4300 presents that didn't do the trick had been listed on the online marketplace including an empty Roses chocolate wrapper of 'disappointment', a sterling silver bracelet given to someone who is allergic to sterling silver and a 3D llama mug.
Trade Me spokesperson Millie Silvester said the number of unwanted presents has skyrocketed following New Zealand's biggest gift-giving day of the year.
"It's become a bit of a Kiwi tradition to jump on Trade Me on Boxing Day and check out, or list, the gifts that didn't make the cut," Silvester said.
"In 2021 we saw 70,000 searches for unwanted gifts on Boxing Day, and it's no surprise that this year isn't any different."
Since the start of Christmas Day, Trade Me had already been flooded with over 8000 searches for unwanted presents.
According to a recent Trade Me Christmas survey with 2500 participants, most Kiwis said they unwrap a dud every Christmas.
The survey found just over half (51 percent) of Kiwis typically receive at least one unwanted gift at Christmas, with five percent of these receiving four or more presents they're not keen on.
Some people might think re-selling a present someone has got you could be considered rude, but the survey found almost half of the respondents feel pretty good about offloading unwanted gifts for cash.
The results showed 40 percent of Aotearoa said they would feel okay if they found out an item they gifted to someone was onsold, and seven percent would actually be happy about it.
"We reckon this comes down to our loved ones wanting us to get the most use out of the gifts they give us, even if that means trading it in for something that might be a better fit," Silvester said.
One result that might not surprise too many people is most Kiwis won't tell gift-givers how they really feel.
The survey found 69 percent of respondents said they would turn their frown upside down and pretend to like a gift they aren't too stoked about.
On top of that, 16 percent of New Zealanders would put on a brave face and find a use for an unwanted gift, while 15 percent would donate them to charity and another 15 percent would re-gift it.
"If you're thinking about listing an unwanted Christmas gift on Trade Me, make sure to tick the 'unwanted gift' box when you're listing your item onsite," Silvester said.
"A good backstory always goes down well, but if you're trying to keep your reselling on the down-low, avoid making your listing identifiable in case the giver is hunting for a bargain on Trade Me too!"
Five odd unwanted gifts on Trade Me so far today:
- One empty Roses chocolate wrapper of ‘disappointment’
- Sterling silver bracelet given to someone who is allergic to sterling silver
- A diamond ring from an ex
- 3D Llama mug
- Bright yellow Dolce and Gabbana sneakers
