Wish Global Survey Shows Most U.S. Respondents Have Mastered the Skill of “Fake Smile” When They Receive Bad Gifts

Recently , ContextLogic, the parent company of Wish, a global mobile e-commerce platform, released the results of its global survey on holiday gifts. The survey found that although most people have received unsatisfactory gifts , most people do not think they feel guilty about giving bad gifts . This global survey explored consumers' views on gift giving and receiving, as well as their reactions when they receive bad gifts.

In October 2022, Wish surveyed 6,100 people in Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. In the United States, 72% of respondents said they had received unsatisfactory or very strange gifts. Nearly 40% of respondents said they had received gifts that made them feel insulted , and nearly 25% said they had quarreled because of receiving bad gifts .

After years of receiving terrible gifts , most Americans think they have mastered the art of fake smiles, with nearly 80 percent saying they are good at pretending to be happy when opening a terrible gift .

"Opening a gift is the most stressful moment of the holiday season. Will you love it or hate it? What on earth were the gift givers thinking (in the case of a bad gift)? When you receive the gift, does your face show how bad the gift was ? " said Tarun Jain, Chief Product Officer and Chief Customer Officer of Wish. "We know how hard it is to find the right gift, and this is why Wish is trying to provide users with a world of discovery shopping so that anyone can find the perfect gift."

Respondents were split on what qualifies as a bad gift, but responses were consistent about gifts that didn’t require any thought — more than a third of respondents said one of the worst gifts is one bought at the last minute .

In the survey, respondents considered the worst gifts and their corresponding proportions to be: inferior goods purchased at a discount ( 28%), fruit cake (23%), weight loss products (21%), gifts related to political activities (20%), out-of-date clothing (16%), cheap chocolates (13%), Christmas ties (13%), weighing scales (12%), knockoff luxury goods (10%) and gym memberships (10%).

Most respondents said they receive at least two terrible gifts a year – and would rather receive no gifts than one they hate. Unsurprisingly, respondents around the world said the biggest culprit for bad gift giving is often their partner or spouse.

While most people think they often receive bad gifts, about 75% said they believe they have never given a gift that was unsatisfactory.

The survey also found that in the US, 20% of people would re-gift a bad gift rather than return it; 45% of Spanish respondents were speechless about receiving a bad gift; in Germany, 35% of parents said their children had been unappreciative of their gifts; and in the UK, 23% of bad gifts came from in-laws. Globally, more than a third of recipients felt obligated to wear or display a bad gift, or post about it on social channels, to avoid upsetting the giver .

Tarun believes: "Giving and receiving gifts should be a pleasant experience for everyone . Wish is a one-stop shop, and we want to help people find good gifts easily. From sporting goods, beauty products to household items, and all related products , the world of Wish has the gifts you need, and you no longer need to fake a smile."

About Wish

Wish brings affordable and fun shopping experiences to tens of millions of consumers around the world. Since its founding in San Francisco in 2010, Wish has grown into one of the world's largest e-commerce platforms, connecting tens of millions of value-conscious consumers with merchants. Wish combines technology and data science capabilities with an innovative "discovery" shopping model to create a visually distinctive, fun and personalized shopping experience for users.

Research Methods

In October 2022, Wish commissioned research firm Perspect us Global to conduct a survey on people's mentality and experience of giving and receiving bad gifts during the holidays . Among them, a total of 6,143 respondents aged 18-60 years old were surveyed in the United States (2,070 people), the United Kingdom (2,021 people), Spain (1,029 people), and Germany (1,023 people).

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