More than 11-million Canadians holding onto unwanted items

Many likely received a bad holiday gift that missed the mark or was just plain insulting

TORONTO , Dec. 26 /CNW/ - Whether it's an ugly holiday sweater, a useless frying pan or a talking globe, more than 40 per cent of Canadians are holding onto unwanted holiday gifts, according to research from Kijiji.ca, Canada's largest online classifieds website.

Based on the Leger Marketing survey commissioned by Kijiji Canada , 11-million Canadians (or 40 per cent of the adult population) will be reluctant to part ways with this year's dud holiday gifts. It's out-of-sight, out-of-mind for one-third of Canadians who have put bad gifts in storage. Some Canadians go even further in an attempt to hide the truth from the gift giver - an alarming 11 per cent of Canadians have gone so far as keeping the gift and putting it on display or wearing it when the gift giver is present.

Why are so many Canadians afraid to let go? We're hesitant to admit we've received a bad holiday gift, according to the research. In fact, when it comes to discussing bad holiday gifts, Canadians often dodge the truth.

Fewer than one in 10 Canadians tell the giver that they didn't like the gift, while more than three in 10 Canadians were less-than-honest and told the person that they liked the present, even though they didn't.

Is there a guilt-free solution? Canadians should consider discreetly selling the item for cold, hard cash. Posting the item for sale on an online classifieds website like Kijiji.ca is easy and free and practically ensures that the gift giver will never know. It's also a great way to make some extra cash to clear up any holiday debt.

"Our research reveals that practically no one has ended a friendship or relationship over a bad gift," said Eric Pierni, head of advertising at Kijiji Canada . "However, if you're not ready to tell the dud gift giver the truth, selling the item on Kijiji ensures it will end up with someone who truly wants or needs it."

With 99 regional sites across the country, it's easy to find someone in your own community who will appreciate the gift. To post an item for sale, Kijiji suggests the following tips:

    
    -   Snap. It's important to include pictures of the item. Don't use stock
        photography. Buyers will be interested in seeing the actual item.
        Think about good lighting, close-ups, and clarity.
    -   Title it. Make sure to include a title that includes important
        information such as brand name, product name, size, and price in your
        title in order to get people to read your full ad.
    -   Details, please. Provide as much detail as possible. Where
        applicable, include measurements of the item, history of the item,
        and the condition. Be honest; identify any flaws in the item's
        condition.
    -   Be clear. Is your item "first-come first-served"? Is cash or cheque
        the preferred payment? Is full payment expected upon pick up? Is the
        price negotiable?
    -   Quick response. Buyers lose interest quickly. Reply to every inquiry.
        If you are holding the item for someone, let others know that you
        will get back to them if the sale does not go through.
    

For more information and to start selling those unwanted holiday gifts, visit www.kijiji.ca.

Methodology

This national survey was conducted by Leger Marketing between November 9 and November 12, 2009 . The survey was conducted using a national random sample of 1529 respondents from Leger Marketing's Web panel. This method simulates a probability sample which would yield a maximum margin of error of +/-2.5%, 19 times out of 20.

About Kijiji

Kijiji, which means "village" in Swahili, is a group of classifieds-style web sites that offer a convenient, fun, and easy way for people in the same city to meet, trade, share ideas, and help each other out in areas such as housing, jobs, goods, services, cars, and personals. The entire Kijiji family includes the Kijiji, Gumtree, LoQUo, Intoko, and Marktplaats brands. Kijiji sites are currently available in over 1500 cities in more than 20 markets around the world; it is the most visited classified site in Canada with more than 7.7 million unique visitors per month.

For further information: media please contact: Nicole Tuschak, Environics Communications for Kijiji Canada, [phone], [email protected]