All I want for Christmas is to return my chavvy presents

As much as £78 million worth of Christmas presents could be unwanted, according to new research by online payment solution PayPal. Despite an average spend of £154 each on Christmas presents over the festive period, almost eight in ten people (79%) say they receive presents they do not want, 17% of those (or 2.7 million people) say they end up returning their gifts because they dislike them so much, with the average cost of presents that are returned being £28.26 – totaling more than £78 million in returned gifts throughout the UK. The research also highlighted that a quarter (24%) of those who return their gifts say they felt what they had been given by friends and family was just too “cheap and chavvy” for them.

Worse still, it seems it is those supposed to know us best who get it wrong; husbands, wives, partners and parents across the country will have their presents returned. Of the 79% of people who admit they return their presents, 17% say they returned gifts bought for them by their spouses, and a further 12% from their parents. Over 80% of presents returned cost less than fifty pounds, so those who really splash out are more likely to get a genuine thank you.

Yet, despite the unwanted gifts, not everyone has the heart to return them, so just end up sticking with what they have – 38% of people who receive presents they really do not want say they have previously just kept the presents hidden away in a drawer somewhere. While a significant group of Brits are savvy enough to recycle them, as 24% admit they palm them off to someone else.

Cristina Hoole, Shopping Expert at PayPal urges Brits to put the magic and sparkle back in to Christmas when it comes to present shopping, “Christmas is a time for giving …and so it would seem changing presents, as an ‘unwanted Christmas presents epidemic’ seems to be sweeping the country. Brits today may be polite when unwrapping their presents, but they aren’t willing to put up with anything that looks cheap or chavvy. Even more worrying is that it is husbands and wives who seem to be getting it wrong the most!

There are plenty of bargains to be had by shopping online compared to the high-street. If you are prepared to do some digging around on the internet you'll find fantastic and original ideas to ensure you deliver the most creative presents without breaking the bank this Christmas."

PayPal has devised a list of top five ‘savvy shopping’ tips to help people buy the right presents this Christmas:

Savvy Shoppers Top 5 Savings Tips

1. Make a list

Be creative and think what that person really wants or needs. The list will help you stay focused on what you need to buy and avoid you being distracted by other things that you don’t need right now.

2. Set a budget

Make sure you stay within your budget. This way, you’ll feel more in control of your finances and even more satisfied with the fruits of your Christmas shopping.

3. Do your research

It is always best to do as much research as possible – either by checking prices online or comparing different products, you can be sure that when you finally buy your gifts you will know that you’ve bought the right item for that person and at the best price.

4. Shop online to find the best bargains

5. Look out for early discounts or cash-back offers to maximize savings

For anyone still needing a bit of help to find that perfect Christmas present and save some money at the same time, the ideal site has just been launched with online retailers offering PayPal customers up to 17% cashback and 20% discount on purchases. The site lets visitors dodge the chavvy stuff and buy the latest Barbie toys for the kids through Toys ‘r’ Us, buy a laptop for a family member or the latest computer game from Dabs.com, or even wow a loved one with a weekend away by visiting flymonarch.com via the PayPal Offers site.

The site features dozens of top retailers including Ann Summers, Comet, John Lewis, Littlewoods, Next, Superbreak, Woolworths, Toys “R” Us, and The Body Shop, some of which are offering as much as 10% cashback.

Customers register on the site for free, and receive their cashback directly into their PayPal accounts. Customers with a PayPal Credit Card are also eligible for an additional bonus cashback. For more information, visit PayPal Offers at paypal-offers.co.uk.