fbpx

10 Over-Hyped, Over-Priced Holiday Gifts

10 Over-Hyped, Over-Priced Holiday Gifts

9 of 11

When it comes to holiday gifts, is it the thought that counts, or is it the price tag? Let’s be real: the gift recipient thinks about both. But these over-hyped gifts fail in both categories because they’re over-priced and under-deliver. In some cases, they’re more of a hassle than a present. List compliments of MyBankTracker.com.

circuitrysolution.com
circuitrysolution.com

 

New technology

Most new models of laptops and computers are actually released in October or November, so prices are brand new in December. Translation: still very high. If it’s a laptop your significant other or child wants for Christmas, offer them an IOU and give it to them in the spring.

hotcouponworld.com
hotcouponworld.com

Black Friday technology

If your way of getting around the price hikes on new technology is by shopping on Black Friday, think again. These are rarely the newest models but are in fact outdated items that the store wants to get rid of, and it will soon be very difficult to buy accessories for them. In some cases, they’re just items that didn’t sell well because they have features that customers complained about.

goodereader.com
goodereader.com

Fad gifts

There are some gifts that increase in sales around the holidays. A great example is any sort of e-reader or tablet. While this seems like a fun alternative to a laptop and can be decorated and personalized, plenty of consumers would just rather stick to their computer or phone. Some complain a tablet is just a bulky, oversized phone, or a computer with insufficient storage space and capabilities.

bsideblog.com
bsideblog.com

 

Naming a star after somebody

This costly gesture seems romantic at first glance, but the International Astronomical Union has confirmed that the names you can purchase from the dozens of star-naming services “have no formal or official validity whatever.”

bobbyflayeveryday.blogspot.com
bobbyflayeveryday.blogspot.com

Subscriptions/Month clubs

You know a wine lover or cheese lover and think, “Why not set them up to enjoy a new type of their favorite indulgence each month?” But many of these subscriptions cost around $50 per period—even getting a quarterly one could run you $200. What’s worse, most of that money is going towards packaging and shipping. With $200, you could have bought your friend a substantially larger stock of the item and given it to them as a one-time gift.

aspoonfullofsugardesigns.com
aspoonfullofsugardesigns.com

Gifts that require the recipient to spend money

A gift should be a complete, ready-to-use entity. So giving your friend a $40 gift card to a department store where everything costs more than $100 is just a waste of money. Another example is buying them dinner for two at a famous restaurant three hours away (that’s a lot of gas money).

fitsugar.com
fitsugar.com

Gym memberships

You didn’t just hand the recipient a gift: you handed her an insult. Even if she’s been saying for months how badly she wants a gym membership but can’t afford it, having someone else give it to her makes it more of a responsibility rather than a joy. She’ll feel like you’ll be checking up to make sure she uses your “gift.”

sparkledbeauty.blogspot.com
sparkledbeauty.blogspot.com

 

Pre-wrapped gifts

Oh, how perfect! The Body Shop has a holiday set of eight body lotions in seasonal scents, already packaged in a festive basket with holiday colored ribbons on it. Actually, picking up a pre-wrapped gift looks very impersonal. Usually, the items inside are the kind of thing people re-gift. Not to mention usually, those items sold separately and unwrapped would cost substantially less.

ThinkStockPhotos
ThinkStockPhotos

Cameras

Here’s a hint that the general public doesn’t know: most electronic trade shows take place in January and February, so any model you buy before the holidays is just a mass-consumer moment away from being irrelevant. The most frustrating part is you’ll see the camera you bought at full price in December greatly discounted by February. And so will the gift recipient—awkward.

clearwellsystems.com
clearwellsystems.com

Tools

You think the perfect gift for the handyman in your family is a set of tools, but the greatest deals on tools actually come around Fathers Day, when prices fall by around 25 percent. Not to mention, summer is when most people actually have the time to tackle those do-it-yourself projects.