The UK’s favourite online voucher website has conducted research into 2019’s children’s Christmas present trends and discovered that a quarter (26%) of parents spent more on digital gaming products this Christmas compared to previous years.
The research, commissioned by vouchercloud, delved into the Christmas buying habits of 2,007 British parents, and found that parents spent £58.30 on digital gaming products this year – a 71% increase compared to 2017 and 2018.
In addition, two thirds (60%) of parents spent money on online gaming points this year, despite the majority (57%) agreeing that digital presents take the magic out of Christmas. In total, 40% of every £1 spent this Christmas went on digital gifts.
To see the full results of the research visit: https://www.vouchercloud.com/resources/digital-christmas-gifts-empty-tree
A quarter (24%) of parents buying online gaming products said they spent the most on digital gaming points such as Fifa points and V Bucks, followed by one in five (21%) who selected digital game downloads and a further 18% who answered that downloadable content (DLCs) was the largest expense.
More than half of parents (51%) said they have bought online gaming points for their children since 2017, with parents of children aged six to ten spending the most on average at £75.20.
The research also discovered that Netflix was by far the most popular option for digital content subscriptions with a third (33%) saying it was the largest expense this Christmas, compared to 14% that said YouTube premium and 12% who said Spotify.
When it comes to buying Christmas presents, parents are savvy about getting the best deals, with nearly three in five (58%) shopping around for vouchers and discounts, including 29% who say they always do this. Mums and parents aged 35-54 are the most likely to search for discounts.
Two in five parents (38%) say they bought a ‘consolation’ present (physical present) alongside digital presents because they wanted their child to have something to unwrap on Christmas day itself.
Greg Le Tocq, vouchercloud’s founder, said,
“It’s fascinating to see how present buying habits have changed, although it’s not surprising that digital gifts are becoming a favourite. We’re living our lives more online than ever before and, as technology continues to evolve, I’m sure we’ll continue to see digital presents become even more popular.
“Many parents clearly still want to see their child opening something physical on Christmas Day, so I don’t think we’ll be seeing a completely bare space under the tree just yet! Online gaming products also emerged as a popular present choice. Again, this is far from surprising considering how big the gaming community is – especially with young players.”
