Like every year, for some time now, the crisis is also felt on the Christmas of the Italians, who from year to year tighten the belt more and more on the gifts to put under the tree. According to a study by Cermes, the marketing and services research center of Bocconi University, between November and December Italians spent, on average, 589 euros in gifts, with a reduction of 8,1% compared to the 641 euros of Christmas 2010. The expenditure is divided into 425 euros for gifts to other people and 164 euros for gifts to oneself, with a more substantial drop for gifts to others (-9,4% compared to 2010) than for those given to oneself (- 4,9%).
But above all another fact is symptomatic: in general, 44% of Italians have reduced spending on gifts to others and 54% reduced those for gifts to themselves.
Women, according to the survey conducted on 800 consumers representative of the Italian reality, tend to spend more on gifts for others than men (73% of Christmas budgets, compared to 69% of men), but they are also the ones who cut back on gifts for both others more often (49 % of women and 38% of men) and for themselves (60% against 49%).
"This year the functional gift largely dominates the scene”, claims Andrea Ordanini, who coordinated the research for Cermes, “and it is preferred to the fun one in 83% of cases for gifts to oneself and in 75% of cases for gifts to others, but above all it is those who prefer the functional gift to have reduced spending compared to last year”.
Among the gifts, next to the products (62%), money (donated by 27% of those interviewed) and prepaid cards of all kinds make their way, used by 11% of consumers.
The traditional store still dominates over the online, which in any case conquers a good 27% of the market, with greater use by males, young people, those who spend more on themselves and those who spend less than the average overall.
The use of new technologies is related to higher spending. Those who use smartphones the most to check prices are the ones who spend the most and are among the few who have increased spending compared to last year, especially when it comes to gifts to themselves. Those who seek information on social networks before buying and those who surf the internet a lot are characterized by spending more on gifts for others.
In 12% of cases, gifts are luxury goods. Men spend more than women on luxury gifts (13% against 10%) and the age groups most interested in this type of expense are those under 30 and over 50. Those who devote much more space to luxury gifts they have increased (and not reduced) spending on gifts for others and, above all, for themselves.
Bancomat (28%) and credit card (24%) are widely used means of payment and, overall, they exceeded cash (48%).
