Social Media: The New Christmas Wish List? [Survey]

Christmas wish lists and letters to the North Pole may soon fall into obscurity.

After all, with so many social media options available, it’s never been easier to broadcast gift wishes to friends and family far and wide.

Would anyone happen to know Santa’s Twitter handle? Please.  

But just how many people actually use social media to express their gift wishes, whether through subtle “hints” or bold declarations? And how many turn to social media to learn about others’ gift wishes?

See also: Selling in the Age of Social Media: Survey of 250 Consumers

We recently surveyed 500 holiday shoppers about the role of social media in how they ask and shop for gifts (regardless of occasion), and here we present four highlights from this research:

1. 85% of our sample said their gift purchases have been influenced by social media

We asked respondents to tell us if they have ever, even once, been influenced by something they saw on social media to buy a gift for someone else. The vast majority, 85%, responded “yes.”

For many, it takes a village—a connected, social media village—to buy presents for others.

2. 66% said they often or sometimes search social media to collect gift ideas for others

Searching social media for gift ideas is a fairly regular occurrence for many people. 23% indicated they “often” turn to social media for gift suggestions, while 43% do it “sometimes.” Only 8% responded “never.”

3. 57% often or sometimes directly seek the advice of social media contacts about buying gifts for others

Of course, social media may also be used to directly ask others for gift suggestions. "Hey, Aunt Gertrude, what does Timmy want for Christmas this year?"

While 15% indicated they “never” do this, 16% “often” and 41% “sometimes” seek out the gift-buying advice of friends, family, or other social media contacts.

See also: Gift Cards at Christmas: Do They Bring Joy or Just Annoy? [Survey]

4. 75% have shared their own gift wishes on social media

And what about expressing our own gift wishes on social media? Is it common? 

75% have shared their gift wishes via social media at least once. Indeed, a combined 43% said they do it “often” or “sometimes.”

So, yes, social media has become a fairly common means by which people make their gift wishes known to the world. 

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