Are Americans buying themselves birthday gifts? [ft. Gina Gorman]

The latest episode of Reality checks with Brian Reitz features Gina Gorman, VP of Brand Experience at Rocksbox, discussing shopping preferences, gifting habits, and why Americans treat themselves with gifts.

“Everyone needs to buy more gifts for themselves,” said Gorman. “I think that everyone needs to celebrate those wins for themselves a little bit more, so we’ll work on that at Rocksbox… there’s a lot of joy in buying a gift for yourself.”

To uncover the reality behind self-gifting, Gina Gorman and the YouGov team collaborated on a five-question survey of 1,000 Americans.

Do you prefer shopping in-store or online?

In-store shopping remains the preferred method for a plurality of Americans, with 42% favoring physical retail experiences over online alternatives.

However, the gap is narrow, as 40% of US consumers prefer online shopping, indicating a near-even split in shopping preferences among the general population.

“It doesn’t totally surprise me that there is a preference for shopping in store, even if that may or may not be how you’re making all of your purchases,” said Gorman.

How different Americans think about in-store and online shopping

Deeper analysis of shopping preferences reveals nuanced trends across age and gender groups in the US.

Across all age groups, Americans aged 30-44 express the strongest preference for online shopping, with 49% favoring digital platforms. Conversely, older Americans aged 65 and above demonstrate the highest preference for in-store shopping at 49%.

Despite a reputation for being the most online, US consumers aged 18-29 were second only to the 65+ segment in preferring the IRL shopping experience, with 56% aged 18-29 choosing in-store and 35% choosing online shopping.

The data also indicates a slight gender difference, with 42% of US women preferring online shopping compared to 38% of men.

What do Americans who prefer in-store shopping like about it?

The data reveals that among Americans who strongly or somewhat prefer in-store shopping (42% of the population), the physical experience of trying or trying on products is the primary draw, with 71% citing this as a key benefit.

Convenience follows as the second most important factor for retail shopping enjoyment, appealing to just under half of in-store shoppers (49%)

Only 21% of US consumers who prefer in-store shopping say that assistance from associates enhances their shopping enjoyment, suggesting that retailers may need to reassess the role and effectiveness of their floor staff.

What do different age groups like about in-store shopping?

Beyond those who prefer in-store shopping, YouGov’s survey with Rocksbox’s Gorman also found that all Americans think the ability to try or try on products is the most significant draw for in-store shopping, with 65% of the general US population citing this as a key factor.

Following suit again, convenience ranks as the second most important aspect, consistently appealing to around 37% of shoppers across age brackets.

Younger consumers aged 18-29 are significantly more price-sensitive, with 34% citing better prices as a reason for in-store shopping, compared to only 11% of those 65 and older, who are much more likely to value assistance from associates (27% vs 17% gen pop.

Who in-store and online shoppers buy gifts for

Overall, Americans are most likely to buy gifts for their significant others (52%).

Shoppers who prefer the online experience are more likely than in-store shoppers to treat themselves, with 49% buying gifts for themselves compared to 39% of in-store shoppers.

In-store shoppers, meanwhile, show a slightly stronger tendency to purchase gifts for significant others (54% vs 52%) and children (44% vs 42%).

Online shoppers are more inclined to buy gifts for parents and siblings, suggesting a preference for convenience when shopping for family members who may live at a distance.

What jewelry items do Americans buy themselves?

The survey data reveals a clear preference for earrings among self-purchasing jewelry consumers, with 36% ranking earrings as the most likely item they would buy when shopping for themselves.

Necklaces follow closely, with 54% of respondents ranking them first or second, outpacing earrings when considering this “top two box” methodology.

Rings show a relatively balanced distribution across preferences, while bracelets fall into a somewhat clear fourth place overall.

Jewelry sets are the least preferred option for someone buying themselves jewelry, with 50% of respondents ranking them last, suggesting a stronger inclination towards individual pieces when shopping for oneself rather than pre-matched sets.

This trend could indicate an opportunity for retailers to focus on marketing individual jewelry items, particularly earrings and necklaces, to consumers shopping for themselves.

Why different Americans buy themselves gifts

While "treating yourself" remains the top reason across all age groups (73%), younger shoppers are significantly more likely to buy themselves gifts for specific occasions, especially birthdays.

Nearly half of 18-29 year-olds (49%) purchase self-gifts for birthdays, compared to just 23% of those 65 and older.

Job promotions are a particularly strong motivator for younger adults, with 23% of 18-29 year-olds citing this reason for treating themselves to a gift, dropping to 15% for those aged 30-44 and 5% among consumers aged 45-64.

Why different shopper segments buy themselves gifts

Analysis of each of the identified shopper segments shows differing attitudes toward self-gifting, though “treating yourself” remains the leading factor.

Among Americans who buy gifts for themselves, an overwhelming 86% cite treating themselves as a reason, significantly higher than the general population at 73%.

US consumers who prefer online shopping (76%) are more likely to treat themselves compared to those who prefer the in-store experience (69%).

Notably for Gorman and the Rocksbox team, Americans who buy earrings, necklaces, and rings for themselves are more likely than the general public to cite milestones and anniversaries.

Finally, birthday-related self-gifting is notably higher among those who buy gifts for themselves (49%) compared to the general population (34%).