By The Way...

Tuesday, December 12, 2006
12:41:00 PM EST
Hearing On the Radio -- Regina Spektor
Now, here's some interesting holiday shopping advice:

Here's how to buy your loved ones gifts they'll really like: Pretend they're strangers.

Why? We're better at guessing what strangers like than divining what our loved ones desire, find marketing experts Davy P.K. Lerouge, Ph.D., of Tilburg University, Netherlands; and Luk Warlop, Ph.D., of Catholic University, Leuven, Belgium.

"Familiarity with another consumer is not particularly helpful when predicting the others' product attitudes," Lerouge and Warlop say. They find that even when our loved ones tell us what they like, we think we know better. The findings appear in the December issue of the Journal of Consumer Research.

So that's what it is: The old "I know you think you know what you want, but I think I know you better than yourself, and that's why I got you this thing you didn't think you want but which I'm sure you think is perfect once you think about it" thing.

I think I've mentioned before that I've solved this little problem simply by telling people not to get me any gifts for Christmas. The fact of the matter is that when I decide I want something I'm not going to bother hinting around to other people that I want it, I'm just going to buy it for myself. Unless I can't afford it. And if I can't afford, I can't reasonably expect someone else will get it for me, now, can I?

I still get other people things, though. Because I know what they'll like, you see. Oh, yes.

Do you do a good job getting your loved ones gifts they want?


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This entry has 2 comments: (Add your own)

• #2 Comment from lurkynat 
  12/14/06 1:42 AM | Permalink

  umm. I wish I could take Joyce, Guido, Sugar, Bill and Monponsett with me..oh and Shauneen, Bea, Caroline, Yasmin, Mavarin, Carly, Charlie, oh and Dan,.. you know.. a little help goes a long way!(exasperated look)
  natalie
  ps but you know if you pretend it's someone you don't know,w aht about colro preferences and size preferences?lol
  natalie
• #1 Comment from knowwriter 
  12/12/06 3:06 PM | Permalink

  They just complain about it. I'm like you I just buy it myself. Tell them to donate to a charity. Then everyone is happy the person giving gets to give the charity gets what they want - money. And you don't have to worry about returning items or re-gifting.
  
  http://journals.aol.com/knowwriter/AmazingAdventures