According to a recent corporate gifting survey from Coresight Research, commissioned by gift experience platform GiftNow, nearly 50% of businesses said that they intend to increase the frequency of their gift giving post COVID-19. And with the holiday season right around the corner, the lists are getting even longer.
The U.S. corporate gift-giving market is expected to reach $306 billion by 2024. But many companies employ remote team members who are located around the globe, not just in the U.S. and Canada. So how do you send some good tidings to Thailand and Tallahassee? We asked some corporate gifting experts to share their advice for navigating this upcoming season and beyond.
Consider the recipient’s location.
Exchanging gifts is a custom in many cultures and countries, but you’ll want to consider local protocol, restrictions and gift-giving etiquette in order to choose the right present for your recipient. For example, gifting in Canada, some European countries and South America is similar to that in the U.S., while gift-giving in Asian countries can be trickier.
“Be aware of any specific customs or cultural norms that might be in play when it comes to gifting,” says Andrew McMaster of promotional product company Swag.com. “Make sure you aren't unintentionally offending anyone by choosing a gift that could be inappropriate for some reason you might not know about. Always do your research beforehand. When it comes to gifting anywhere, the more thoughtful you are, the better.”
“When sending a gift, it’s always important to think of the recipient's location, but even more so when it’s an international address,” says Susan Turnock, co-owner of Pen Argyl, Pa.-based Gifts for the Good Life. “Be mindful of items that are seasonally appropriate as well as universally appealing. When we are tasked with gifting to a global team, we think about what might connect them—celebrating shared wins and commemorating experiences.”
Virtual gifting platform Unwrapit offers a feature that lets recipients filter their options by region, ensuring that they’ll receive a gift that can be redeemed in their place of residence. This also allows companies to support local businesses on a global scale.
Factor in international shipping costs.
“Shipping internationally is not for the faint of heart,” Turnock says. “Do your research. Look into specific restrictions for each country you’re shipping to and take them seriously. Pay attention to local holidays as that can be a surprise delay and know that clearing customs can throw a wrench into delivery times.”
International shipping also usually includes extra charges such as duties, taxes and fees, and “sometimes there are unexpected add-ons based on the receiving country,” Turnock explains.”You’re somewhat at their mercy, so do as much research as possible beforehand to minimize surprises.”
McMaster cautioned that food, electronics and plants typically present the most problems. “Apparel, drinkware and office gifts are typically safer and will cause less headaches,” he adds.
Linsay Moran, co-founder of Unwrapit, suggests that corporate planners steer clear of any potential shipping headaches by sending a digital gift through a platform like Unwrapit instead. “This avoids addressing mistakes and jurisdictional issues, for example sending alcohol to an area where it can’t be accepted,” she says. “We also had someone tell us recently how amazing it was to be able to add people into the gifting experience in ‘real time’ once the initial gift was sent out to their recipient list, as inevitably someone gets missed, and they didn’t have to deal with the challenge (and cost) of sending out additional shipments.”
Personalize gifts.
All of the experts agreed: Ditch the generic for something genuine. “Sometimes in order to appeal to the larger group [companies] forget the individual and overlook the ‘surprise and delight’ of personalization,” Turnock says.
Moran echoes that, saying “sometimes the challenge with branded merchandise is that it doesn’t stand out and it doesn’t offer a personalized effect. It can, and sometimes does, end up being thrown out.” She points to one of the platform’s gift suppliers, Covatar, as an example of a thoughtful gifting option. “Their team of artists will create a hand-illustrated digital portrait for recipients to use in their online profiles. With all of us hooked on our devices, viewing an image of ourselves that a company helped create is going to keep the gift-giver top of mind.”
“Sending generic gifts can almost be worse than sending nothing at all,” McMaster says. “Corporate gifting is the same as regular gifting—you should pick items that are relevant to your audience and leave them feeling excited.”
Don’t forget about the presentation.
A beautifully wrapped gift can make any item seem extra special, so don’t bypass this step. “Sometimes it’s not just the items they choose, but also the way the gifts are presented,” Turnock says. “It doesn’t matter how great an item is—if it arrives in poor condition or isn’t ‘framed’ in a way that helps the recipient make sense of the gesture, they can miss the intent of the gift. ... Creating an unboxing experience that is full of surprises and on-brand messaging really elevates a gift and makes the right impression.”
So what are some of this year’s most popular gifts?
Custom experiences. “Gifts with meaning. Items that offer inspiration, interaction and/or engagement,” Turnock says. “Gifts where the presentation is part of the experience, like custom advent-style gifting and items that help the recipient create an experience of their own like custom grazing boards."
Educational and charitable. Moran says apps that teach skills like GoSkills, ArtistWorks or Masterclass are very popular. “Gifting something like this allows for inherent repeatability and an evergreen element that creates the equivalent appreciation moment each time the individual uses the gift,” she says. Charitable gifts are another popular option. “During the holiday season, gifting with a purpose is top of mind for many companies, and donations to our partners like One Tree Planted or Charity on Top provide a feel-good moment.”
High-end goodies. “We are seeing a lot of interest in high-end products this year, “ McMaster notes. “From luxury coffee products to rugged backpacks to leather-bound notebooks, people are going all out to make an impact to finish out 2021.”
Kitchen must-haves. According to GiftNow, corporate gifters offered 10 different types of air fryers—one of the hottest (no pun intended) gifts.
Self-care splurges. A range of health-care-related items, including luxurious foot baths and comfortable athleisure wear, were popular per GiftNow.
Looking to check off your international gift list? These corporate gifting companies offer global services.
Global Gifting: Selection includes electronics, sunglasses, jewelry, handbags and luggage, food and wine accessories, lifestyle apparel, footwear, bicycles, fragrances, cosmetics and spa experiences
DLISH: Milan-based curator of hard-to-find global gifts
Alyce: An AI-powered corporate gifting platform where recipients choose from a range of gift options
Snappy: A digital platform that allows recipients to choose their gift, from electronics to cooking gadgets to digital subscriptions
Packed with Purpose: Carefully sourced products from purpose-driven organizations turned into curated gifts
Snack Magic: Overseas snackers select a themed box, which is tailored to their country and dietary restrictions
Unwrapit: An easy-to-use virtual gifting platform that's available internationally
Swag.com: Custom promotional products that ship worldwide
Gifts for the Good Life: curated kits and mailers that incorporate useful tools and practical luxuries through custom packaging
