One 4 all, the leading gift card from The Post Office found that 82% of newlyweds return their unwanted or duplicated wedding gifts on EBay.
Weddings on Female First
Large department stores thought they came up with a solution to having three toasters and five irons by allowing the couples to pick a list of things they need from the store, for the guests to buy depending on their budget. The issue of unwanted gifts is still a problem for couples post their wedding.
Times have changed; years ago it was tradition to receive household items as they were needed for the big move from the couple’s parents to their home with their new spouse. However with a lot of couples choosing to live together before marriage, they already have everything they need for their house.
Some guests still try to be original and buy things that are not in the list, with couples in the study who received stranger gifts such as a tarantula and a wrapped up banana!
12% of guests revealed that their gifts were an embarrassment and that they would not be offended or surprised if they were sold on.
A lot of couples opt for a post box where guests can give presents of money towards the couple’s life together. This seems the more practical solution to this problem, as couples generally have large expenses after getting married, such as honeymoons or saving up for pricy items for their house, such as furniture.
Declan Byrne, managing director of One4all says; “It seems that many of us struggle with what to buy newlyweds, resulting in lots of unwanted gifts that end up getting sold on the internet.
“The average spend on gifts for weddings is high, just under £38, so it would be much better if that money was spent on something that couples really want. We see a large number of wedding gift cards being used as a practical alternative to more traditional presents. These allow the happy couple to spend it in over 17,000 stores nationwide, providing plenty of choice and allowing couples to use the money as they see fit. Such a solution would also help eliminate a major cause of stress. 42% of guests admit that they find buying a wedding gift ‘stressful’.
One in ten Brits have declined the offer of attending a wedding because they are unsure of what to get the couple as a present. Many think that if they made the wrong decision on a gift that it could cause arguments with 6% believing that it could end their friendship altogether.
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