Unlimited Ubers out; this year, personal assistants are in

ChickAdvisor survey uncovers Canadians' favourite gifts this year, and they aren't what you would expect

TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2017 /CNW/ - Today ChickAdvisor – Canada's leading reviews and ratings platform – announced the results of a survey it conducted to help Canadians find the most desired gifts this year, all hand-picked by real consumers.   

The survey – which was answered by over 5,000 community members – asked a variety of questions about the top brands to give and receive this year, brand loyalty during the holidays, and a series of would-you-rather gift options. The key categories covered ranged from top toys, drugstore cosmetics, prestige beauty, and even automotive gifts -- in case someone made the really nice list this year.

"Canadians are still likely to buy from brands they know and trust, but increasingly, they are buying products based on reviews and ratings rather than relying solely on their own experiences with a brand or product," said Ali de Bold, co-founder of ChickAdvisor. "In fact, only 56 per cent of surveyed shoppers consider brand loyalty during the holidays. To us, that indicates a key opportunity for companies to make a mark and capture new consumers this season; we're talking about a $13 billion industry in Canada. People are looking to get – and give – something different from their regular products."

These shopping trends were reflected throughout the survey results. While small mom-and-pop shops have gained popularity, big brands still ranked at the top of people's lists. For example, CoverGirl, Maybelline and L'Oreal Paris ranked the most popular drugstore beauty brands, while MAC Cosmetics led the pack for luxury cosmetics. When it came to personal care, Johnson & Johnson (the parent company of Aveeno and Neutrogena) ranked first, followed by L'Oreal Paris (Garnier and Vichy) and Unilever (Dove, St. Ives, Simple).

"What really interested us was the technology results," continued de Bold. "With everyone talking about Apple all the time -- especially with the buzz around the iPhone 8 and X this year -- we expected it to be the top-tech brand. However, it was edged out by Samsung and followed by Sony, LG Electronics, and Google."  

In addition to brand-related questions, the survey also presented a handful of fun "would you rather" options to uncover Canadians' real desires this year:

• 65 per cent of consumers would rather have their debt paid off than receive an all-expenses paid trip
• 64 per cent of consumers would rather be given a personal assistant over an unlimited Uber account
• 89 per cent of consumers would rather have free groceries for a year than be given a personal in-house chef

"While some of these gifts are hard to give, it's important to note the changing consumer appetite," said Alex de Bold, co-founder of ChickAdvisor. "More than 55 per cent of people surveyed said they'd prefer to give experiences over physical gifts. It makes it increasingly difficult for companies to stand-out in the saturated holiday market. Brands need consumers advocating on their behalf."

That said, while Canadians are more exploratory during the holidays, ChickAdvisor is well-aware that a whopping 84.5 per cent actively read reviews as part of their purchasing journey before buying a product. More importantly, 73 per cent people will complete a purchase if the product has positive and authentic reviews.

"Reviews are more important than ever, to both brands and consumers," added Mr. de Bold. "Consumers need to read about products, understand what others are saying about them, and make educated purchasing decisions. Regardless of the stats, this is the best way to ensure you're buying a quality product that you know your loved ones will enjoy."

To read reviews and ratings from over 156,000 Canadian consumers or to find the full survey results, please visit ChickAdvisor.com.

About ChickAdvisor:
ChickAdvisor is the first ratings and reviews platform in Canada, designed specifically for female consumers. Founded in 2006 by wife and husband duo Ali and Alex de Bold, ChickAdvisor has over 800,000+ authentic reviews on the platform and has worked with tier A brands including Unilever, and Aveeno, NIVEA. ChickAdvisor's sister sites, XYStuff and FamilyRated, are Canada's premier platforms for male and family-focused product reviews, respectively.

SOURCE ChickAdvisor

Media Contact: Madeleine Stoesser, RNMKR, [email protected], 647-624-4904