If Canadians have a savvy young adult on their
gift list, chances are they are expecting a high-tech gift this Holiday
season. A majority (70 per cent) of Canadians aged 18 to 24 hope to receive a
high-tech gift, while less than one quarter of the shoppers over the age of 35
were “very likely” to purchase such an item.
These findings are part of a survey commissioned by Staples Business
Depot, which surveyed the appeal of technology gifts for more than 1,000
adults across Canada and was conducted by Decima Research between November
2-5, 2006.
“It appears parents and grandparents underestimate the importance of
technology. It’s not always easy to find the perfect gift, especially for
younger family members and friends.” said Rick Atkinson, Director of
Merchandising for Staples Canada. “There’s really no consensus on a standard
gift for the younger generation like the necktie or cologne is for Dad.”
Technology plays an important role in the lives of people of all ages,
but some consumers, especially the younger ones, are more open to exchanging
hi-tech gifts than others. Topping the survey’s list of “hoped-for” items were
digital cameras and photo printers, laptop computers and GPS systems.
The most popular of the technology gifts assessed in the research was the
digital camera and printer combination, with 53% of all respondents expressing
a desire for such a gift. And the digital camera was the only product on the
list that shared a common appeal between males and females. However, the age
gap was still evident with 69% of the 18-24 age group hoping for a digital
camera compared to less than 50% of the respondents over the age of 35.
More than half of the respondents (51%) indicated that they would like to
unwrap a laptop computer this Holiday Season. Not surprisingly, students and
youth aged 18-24 found this gift more appealing than their older counterparts.
And the survey may have finally put an end to the age-old Holiday travel
question: “Why don’t you just stop and ask for directions?” Just under half of
the men surveyed (44%) found it appealing to take navigation into their own
hands with portable Global Positioning System technology.
Atkinson adds, “From the survey, it’s quite evident holiday gifts of this
sort are a growing trend, and as a trusted retailer of technology products,
Staples Business Depot is well prepared to respond to their needs as a
high-tech shopping destination during this holiday season.”
