'Tis the day for re-gifting – the presents that go straight up for sale online

If a Christmas present left you feeling slightly underwhelmed yesterday, you’re not alone. For many Kiwis, it’s a familiar feeling — and one that often leads to a Boxing Day clean-out.

While much of the country is recovering from a food coma and navigating Boxing Day sales, thousands turn to a different tradition: reselling their unwanted gifts online.

As of 8.30am this morning, more than 4500 unwanted Christmas presents had already been listed for sale online, according to data from Trade Me.

Trade Me's Millie Silvester says Boxing Day is a "prime time" for Kiwis to scope out presents that didn't quite make the cut.

"Last year, we saw almost 60,000 searches for ‘unwanted gifts’ on the 26th itself," Silvester said.

"This year is already looking similar with over 10,000 searches yesterday — most before Christmas dinner had even been served."

Certain gifts make a swifter Boxing Day exit than others, and in 2024, clothing topped the list by a mile.

Women’s Clothing & Fashion was the category with the most listings last year, with women’s tops and shirts taking out the number one spot. Dresses followed closely behind, while women’s shoes rounded out the top three.

Lego came in at number four on the list, proving that not even fan-favourite toys are safe from the Boxing Day purge. Gardening gifts also struggled to find a permanent home, with plants and trees completing the top five.

Beyond that, the Boxing Day clear-out included a wide mix of items that failed to win over Kiwis. Among the top 10 most discarded gifts were Hot Wheels toys and Pokémon trading cards, alongside women’s pants and shorts, men’s shoes and DVDs.

In terms of overall popularity on the site each year, women’s clothing, health and beauty, jewellery and watches, kitchenware and toys consistently remained among the most searched categories.

Some unwanted presents are stranger than others — and each year Trade Me sees listings that leave shoppers doing a double take.

Among this year's quirkiest unwanted gifts were De Walt power tools listed by someone who prefers Ryobi, a large Kathmandu jacket gifted to a "tall, skinny young man who never wears a large", and a bag of Licorice Allsorts gifted to someone who doesn't enjoy sweets.

Other entries from Trade Me surveys over the past two years paint an even more unhinged picture of what ends up unwanted on Christmas morning. Kiwis have reported receiving:

One of 2024's most talked-about weird listings was an "artwork" consisting of a banana duct-taped to a wall, a tongue-in-cheek nod to Maurizio Cattelan’s infamous piece Comedian, which once sold for over US$6 million (NZ$10.4 million).

In 2023, even stranger listings hit the site, including a $500 vintage cast-iron chicken and a bike gifted to someone who didn’t actually know how to ride one.

Thousands of shoppers eagerly jumped online that year to hunt for the most entertaining and oddly specific listings. Trade Me recorded 131,000 searches for ‘unwanted gifts’ on Boxing Day alone in 2023 - a sign that bargain-hunters and curious onlookers alike revel in the spectacle.

Despite the bizarre nature of some listings, Kiwis are largely unfazed by the idea of their gift being resold.

According to Trade Me data, over half of New Zealanders (51%) said they would be fine, or even happy, if a present they gave was onsold.

"We think this shows that people just want their loved ones to be happy with their gift, even if that means swapping it for something they’ll get more use out of," Silvester said.

Still, most Kiwis would rather keep quiet than admit disappointment, with 70% of Kiwis saying they would pretend to like a gift they didn't want.

Trade Me spokesperson Emma Bacon said that although the site has seen huge volumes of unwanted gifts in recent years, the numbers don’t follow a neat pattern.

"We do tend to see fluctuations in how many gifts are listed each year, and it’s not always straightforward as to why," Bacon said. "Gift givers could be getting better at buying, or not."

She said the ongoing cost-of-living pressures were likely a major driver.

"Some people may not be spending as much on gifts, while others may be more inclined to offload something that missed the mark in the hope of making a little extra holiday spending money."

With the re-selling tradition showing no signs of slowing down, Trade Me says there's several things that sellers can do to make their listings stand out.

The first? Putting the words "unwanted gift" in the title to attract bargain hunters.

"Taking clear, well-lit photos also makes a huge difference. If the item is brand new in its box, get a picture of it in the intact packaging," Silvester said.

"A good backstory can help your item sell, but if you’d rather keep the sale on the quiet, it’s best to avoid any details that might identify you to the person who gave you the present.

"It's also best to avoid listing handmade or highly personalised items, as they can be tricky to sell."