TradeMe notes 're-gifting' surge

It may be better to give than receive, but many Kiwis appear to be keen to receive and then quickly sell-off.

Online auction site TradeMe estimated there had been 5000 listings for unwanted presents since the glut of giving on Christmas Day.

The unwanted gifts included a pencil sharpener and a Poirot DVD box set, as well as iPods, clothing and jewellery.

TradeMe reported other popular items for "re-gifting" included fishing equipment, mobile-phone accessories, cosmetics, CDs and DVDs.

TradeMe spokesman Paul Ford said it was becoming less of a taboo to on-sell gifts.

"From Christmas 2007 to 2009, there's been an increase in the amount of activity [after Christmas Day], so it's definitely trending upwards," he said.

However, not everyone owned up to getting rid of unwanted presents.

"There's people who are pretty open. But there's probably a whole bunch of people going on there to flick it on and not saying it's an unwanted gift," Ford said.

In the run-up to Christmas, a TradeMe survey found about 65 per cent of site users believed selling unwanted gifts was fine.

- © Fairfax NZ News