What type of Christmas Shopper are you?

ARE YOU A DODGER, PINCHER, PLANNER OR SURPRISE SHOPPER?  

52% of people in the UK plan their gifts before hitting the shops
A third go all out to impress loved ones by splashing the cash
Teenagers hate shopping the most and go for the easy option
People in sales and marketing are the most thoughtful shoppers
And teachers are the biggest penny-pinchers!

December 2010 - When it comes to Christmas shopping, who would have thought teachers are the biggest penny-pinchers, that teenagers hate the whole experience or that people in sales and marketing are the most thoughtful and generous, that’s according to Viking Direct.

But predictably, the armed forces and scientists are the biggest planners, along with pensioners who have lots of time on their hands! However, if you want a gift with some real thought, then get to know someone in their late 20s.

Viking Direct gathered the views of people in the UK and Ireland to find out what type of shopper we all are – we are either Dodgers (who dodge buying presents and go for vouchers), Pinchers (penny-pinchers), Planners (never go shopping without a list) or Surprise Shoppers who go that extra mile with gifts.

The online shopping websiteViking Direct developed a shopper personality test – with the help of their celebrity shopping psychologist, Emma Kenny who is well-known for her appearances on GMTV, Big Brother and The One Show.

Emma said; “Viking Direct was keen to find out how people buy and the thought process people go through to make that buying decision – especially with Christmas around the corner. We worked together to come up with ten fun, short questions which people could answer and immediately find out what type of shopper they are. We all love to delve into our characters and our buying habits show a great deal about our personalities. Disposable income does play a part in our gift choices, but what this survey ultimately shows is that some people are just tight and don’t like splashing the cash – no matter how much they earn!”

John O’Keeffe, Commercial Director for Viking Direct and Office Depot UK and Ireland, said; “Viking Direct is the market leader in direct-mail office supplies and we understand what people want when they shop online. With Christmas around the corner and the launch of our premier online Christmas gift shop, we wanted to create an engaging and fun test people would enjoy doing and where they could learn something about themselves.”

Emma again; “Whatever shopper type you are, we should take heart from the fact that most of us are either Planners or Surprise Shoppers and these are two positive personality types. The Pinchers and Dodgers need not despair – there are things you can do to improve your gift-buying.”

Emma’s top tips on how to be a more thoughtful shopper:-

Research on-line - Take a few hours to go on line and check out what is actually available for your nearest and dearest; this may seem like a time consuming endeavour but it will save you precious hours and energy in the long run

Match your mood! If you feel stressed and/or unhappy, don’t go shopping for gifts, you will end up feeling worse and will most likely have wasted a day. Make sure you feel positive and optimistic and these will reflect in the excellent choices you make.

Remember, a gift should feel like a gift, don’t impulse buy something simply because it appears to be a bargain, your present reflects the worth you put on the relationship

Less can be more! It’s not how much you spend, it’s the thought you spend on the present you are providing that really counts.

If you don’t want to buy, then don’t!!! If you have a limited budget, why not buy presents for those who truly matter to you, instead of stretching yourself

Keep a sense of humour! Buying and giving presents should make you feel great!

Tags: christmas shopping, Shopper

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