Gifts are nice and all, but what do you think about secondhand gifts?
Last month, Carousell conducted an online survey called Carousell’s Power Of Secondhand Gifts where they asked netizens what they thought about secondhand presents. Christmas is approaching, after all, and there are many who decide to make full use of year-end sales to buy gifts.
A huge majority of Malaysians - as many as 9 out of 10 - said they are okay with it and that it could actually be a way towards affordable and eco-friendly gift-giving.
On the whole, 88.9% said they are happy to receive a secondhand gift while 84.8%% said they would rather have a secondhand item they had always wanted over a brand-new item they didn’t care for. Makes sense to us! The unwanted gift would just be collecting dust somewhere anyway, kan?
Two-thirds of the respondents said value-for-money is the top incentive. It’s like a great bargain, after all - good quality items at a low price! Meanwhile, over half of them cited it to be a good alternative to saving money and, even better, a brilliant way to find rare items. Definitely makes the gift extra special!
Another 33%, meanwhile, said it would be a sustainable and convenient way to shop, seeing as it helps to cut down on waste. Yay Mother Nature!
“The results of the Power Of Secondhand Gifts survey are very encouraging, as it indicates more people are appreciative of the value and sentiment behind gift-giving, which is independent of its material worth,” said Mr Tang Siew Wai, Country Head, Carousell Malaysia. “At Carousell, our purpose is to give unwanted items a second life, so that it’s a win for both sellers and buyers. In the same way, secondhand gifts are practical, cost-effective and sometimes more meaningful to the recipient; this positive response reinforces our vision to reimagine classifieds and make the selling and buying of second-hand a first choice.”
Speaking to the minority who insisted gifts should be new, one third said they just didn’t want to be seen as “cheap” while others said they were afraid the recipient would be offended.
On the other end of the spectrum, some maintain that gifts must be new; one third admitted their main reasons for buying new was out of concern they would be seen as ‘cheap’, while others feared the recipient might feel offended. (But actually, if you don’t tell them, how would they know?)
These are the top choices for secondhand gifts:
● antique and vintage items, 57.2%
● collectibles, 39.4%
● clothing, 33%
● mobile or electronic appliances, 27.8%
● books at 27.7%
In line with the festivities, Carousell will be having a “’Tis the Season to Carousell” campaign. Keep your eyes peeled for festive-themed items that include handmade products, fashion and beauty items, hard-to-find pieces like the vintage Christmas plate, HRH Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Mug, vintage musical book, the vinyl record card collectible and much more on https://my.carousell.com/ or download the Carousell app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store!
By: Celestine Foo
