SAN JOSE, Calif. --Nov. 7, 2001-- Two recent surveys conducted by eBay (Nasdaq:EBAY), the world's online marketplace(TM), with nationally representative samples of 1,000 adults, revealed that this year's overall holiday spending plans have not been sharply impacted by the current economic conditions.
Designed by Michaels Opinion Research, the national surveys were conducted September 6-9 and October 18-21, 2001. The survey results from September 6-9 showed that 70 percent of adult Americans said they will spend the same or more than they did in 2000, while the remaining 30 percent said they will spend less on holiday gifts. On October 18-21, identical questions from the survey were asked, and results showed 71 percent expressing the same intentions to spend the same or more, with the remaining 29 percent saying they will spend less on holiday gifts this year.
Most Desired Holiday Gifts
In a separate survey conducted by Survey.com with a representative sample of eBay users, results showed that electronics and toys are topping peoples' lists as the most desired gifts for this holiday season.
Among electronics, respondents said they'd "love to give or receive" the following gifts this holiday season:
- DVD players 31%
- Digital cameras 27%
- Flat-screen TVs 25%
- Laptop computers 24%
- Digital camcorders 19%
- CD rewriteable drives 18%
- Video game systems 12%
- Handheld computer or personal digital assistants 11%
- Desktop PC systems 10%
- Cellular phones 7%
Among toys, the top choices included:
- Barbie dolls 44%
- Harry Potter toys 23%
- Blue's Clues 22%
- Gameboy Advance 20%
- Pokemon character toys 19%
- Scooby Doo character toys 19%
- LEGO Bionicles 16%
- Power Puff Girls 13%
- Bob the Builder toys 13%
- Rugrats character toys 12%
Among gaming systems, Sony's PlayStation 2 was the "most wanted" gaming console, followed by Microsoft's Xbox and Nintendo's Gamecube. These rankings may change when the Xbox and Gamecube hit store shelves November 15 and 18, respectively. Disney "Monsters Inc." toys ranked the 12th most wanted, which may also change in ranking due to the movie release on November 2.
Giving Is The Greatest Gift
In order to make holiday shopping quick, easy and more convenient, eBay has launched a new "Great Gifts" destination, which mirrors a traditional online shopping experience. Having the look and feel of an online catalog, "Great Gifts" features this year's hottest holiday items through ten easy to-shop popular categories, including clothing, collectibles, computers, gift baskets and certificates, jewelry, photo and electronics, movies and music, sporting goods and toys. The destination also offers one-of-a-kind "experiential gifts" listed together under the category heading "Greatest Gifts of All."
Sales proceeds from the "Greatest Gifts of All" category will benefit "Auction for America," eBay's online charity effort designed to support the victims, their families and those communities affected by the September 11 terrorist attacks. Highlights from the "Greatest Gifts of Al" category include: a makeover from celebrity Make-Up Artist Bobbi Brown, a three continent travel/shopping spree excursion, a NFL Super Bowl XXXVI all access package, and the chance to name and release an eaglet into the Smokey Rocky Mountains on Earth Day 2002.
About eBay
eBay is The World's Online Marketplace(TM). Founded in 1995, eBay created a powerful platform for the sale of goods and services by a passionate community of individuals and businesses. On any given day, there are millions of items across thousands of categories for sale on eBay, as well as on Half.com, eBay's site dedicated to fixed price trading. eBay enables trade on a local, national and international basis with customized sites in markets around the world.
About Survey.com
Survey.com is the leading provider of eResearch and is the first company to successfully harness the power of the Internet to conduct market research. Last year the company completed more than 450,000 Internet-based surveys for both proprietary and syndicated market research studies on a broad range of topics, including e-commerce, information technology, consumer electronics, and entertainment. The firm's clients include Accenture, Blockbuster Entertainment, Canon Computer Systems, Cisco Systems, Compaq, eBay, Ford Motor Company, Gateway, IBM, J. Walter Thompson, Motorola, Sprint, Ziff-Davis Media, and 3Com. For more information about Survey.com, please visit www.survey.com.
About Michaels Opinion Research
Michaels Opinion Research, Inc., is a New York City-based multi-service public opinion research firm that provides consultation, design, implementation and analysis of survey research with the general public and with specialized target audiences in the United States.
The survey results reported here are based on two waves of surveys conducted with random and representative samples of American adults age 18 and older. Interviews were conducted from September 6-9 and October 18-21, 2001. For results based on samples sizes of 1,000, the margin of error is plus/minus 3 percentage points.
