IT APPEARS that for many of us, Santa missed the mark this year.
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A glut of unwanted gifts has flooded online auction sites and classifieds post-Christmas.
According a recent survey by Gumtree, an online buying and selling hub, more than half of the Australian population claimed to have received at least one unwanted gift this year.
The number of unwanted presents tallied at about 14.3 million, with the cost estimated to be $475 million.
As many as 27 per cent of Australians actually hoped to receive something they later could sell online.
Gumtree spokesman Nat Thomas said Australians were more likely than ever to jump online to sell Christmas gifts they had no use for.
The website typically experienced a 20 per cent spike in January listings compared with December.
A search for "unwanted gift" loads up close to 500 results on eBay Australia.
Items on sale include a magic illusion novelty wine bottle holder, a Brazillian cotton hammock, a $400 fuel gift card, a dog training kit, Fifty Shades of Grey the party game, poultry-themed salt and pepper shakers, an Australian flag umbrella hat, and a T-shirt depicting a heavily-tattooed Marilyn Monroe.
E-tailer Grays, including GraysOnline and similar websites, likewise conducted research into the fate of unloved presents.
The study of more than 4100 Australians had 27 per cent of respondents admiting they were happy to regift an undesired present. The figure was slightly lower – 24 per cent – for NSW and the ACT.
Six per cent of respondents were willing to ask for a receipt from the gift-giver so they could get a refund while 10 per cent were happy to ask for an exchange.
Top unwanted gifts
1. Clothes such as ill-fitting shirts, underwear and socks.
2. Garden ornaments such as gnomes and cement statues.
3. Personal hygiene products such as soap-on-a-rope, body lotion, bath salts and nose hair trimmers.
4. Toys and novelty games such as jigsaw puzzles, teddy bears and playing cards.
Source: Gumtree