Survey Results on "The Truth About Gifts" | The "Practicality" Barrier Behind 90% Satisfaction. The Boundary Where "Luxury Items You Wouldn't Buy for Yourself" = "Daily Life Upgrades" Are Appreciated.

## Press Release Information
Title: Survey Results on "The Truth About Gifts" | The "Practicality" Barrier Behind 90% Satisfaction. The Boundary Where "Luxury Items You Wouldn't Buy for Yourself" = "Daily Life Upgrades" Are Appreciated.
Subtitle:
Company Name: MEMOCO Co., Ltd.
Industry: Lifestyle, Advertising & Marketing

MEMOCO Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Takayuki Kumada), in collaboration with Lion Heart Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Masashi Hashimoto), which operates an accessory brand, conducted a survey targeting 102 men and women nationwide on "gifts that made them happy and gifts that did not."

## Survey Overview
- Survey Content: An questionnaire survey on "gifts that made recipients happy and gifts that did not"
- Survey Period: February 12, 2026 (Thursday) to February 19, 2026 (Thursday)
- Survey Method: Internet survey (crowdsourcing service)
- Number of Respondents: 102 people
- Survey Target: 32 men, 70 women

## About the Respondents
### Gender of Respondents
- Men: Approx. 31%
- Women: Approx. 69%

### Age Group of Respondents
- 30s: Approx. 43%
- 40s: Approx. 22%
- 20s: Approx. 18%
- 50s: Approx. 14%
- 60s and above: Approx. 3%

## Impressions of Gifts Received
- Received many gifts that made them happy: Approx. 50%
- Somewhat happy with gifts received: Approx. 41%
- Somewhat unhappy with gifts received: Approx. 9%

When asked, "What was your overall impression of the gifts you received in the past year?", approximately 50% responded "received many gifts that made them happy" and approximately 41% responded "somewhat happy with gifts received," indicating that about 90% had a positive impression. On the other hand, approximately 9% felt "somewhat unhappy," revealing that while gifts are generally well-received, a certain percentage are not fully satisfied.

## Reasons for Happy Gifts
- Practical and usable daily: Approx. 44%
- The giver understood my preferences well: Approx. 29%
- Something I wouldn't buy myself but was happy to receive: Approx. 15%
- Had a sense of luxury/specialness: Approx. 5%
- Felt it had good taste: Approx. 5%
- Had a surprise element: Approx. 2%

When asked, "If you received a gift in the past year that made you 'happy,' what was the reason?", the most common answer was "practical and usable daily" (approx. 44%). This shows a tendency for items useful in daily life to lead to high satisfaction. This was followed by "the giver understood my preferences well" (approx. 29%), indicating that not just practicality but also the psychological value of "being understood" is a significant factor.

Furthermore, the response "something I wouldn't buy myself but was happy to receive" (approx. 15%) suggests that a slight sense of specialness or non-ordinariness also contributes to satisfaction.

Conversely, elements like "luxury/specialness," "good taste," and "surprise element" remained minority opinions, revealing a tendency to prioritize practicality and empathy over flashiness.

In free responses, comments included:
- "I was happy when I received a luxurious hand cream I'd always wanted but wouldn't usually buy myself" (Female, 40s)
- "A high-end facial mask. I wouldn't buy it myself, so I was happy" (Female, 30s)
- "A high-end hairbrush with my name on it that I wouldn't buy myself" (Female, 20s)
- "A business card holder I received for my job change. I can use it at my new workplace, and it was my favorite brand, so I was really happy" (Male, 30s)
Such comments were observed.

"Luxury items one wouldn't buy for oneself" are thought to refer to "high-quality practical items" that, while being an extension of daily life, allow one to enjoy a slightly luxurious feeling.

## Reasons for Unhappy Gifts
- Did not match my hobbies/preferences: Approx. 39%
- Had no use / difficult to use: Approx. 35%
- Already owned / unnecessary: Approx. 8%
- Felt it lacked sincerity: Approx. 7%
- Size/color did not fit: Approx. 7%
- Felt cheap: Approx. 4%

When asked, "If you received a gift in the past year that made you 'unhappy,' what was the reason?", "did not match my hobbies/preferences" (approx. 39%) was the most common, followed by "had no use / difficult to use" (approx. 35%). Similar to satisfaction, "practicality" and "matching preferences" significantly influenced dissatisfaction.

Furthermore, specific mismatches such as "already owned" and "size/color did not fit" were also observed in a certain number of cases. This suggests that even with the giver's good intentions, a lack of understanding of the recipient's lifestyle or existing possessions can lower satisfaction.

In free responses, comments included:
- "I received a smartwatch, but I usually wear vintage fashion, so it didn't match my taste" (Male, 40s)
- "I have many ear piercings, but for some reason, I was given earrings" (Female, 40s)
- "A colleague at work gave me a bathroom scale. I already had one, and it looked cheap, so I was very troubled" (Male, 30s)
Such cases were observed where the giver's "こだわり (particularity)" or "special touch" clashed with the recipient's lifestyle or preferences. It seems that giving an "upgraded" item with good intentions, without understanding the recipient's "usual staples," can carry risks.

## Gifts That Cause Trouble
- Items that do not match hobbies/preferences (fashion/fragrance, etc.): Approx. 44%
- Items with low practicality and unknown use: Approx. 34%
- Perishable food/raw food: Approx. 7%
- Items that look cheap: Approx. 7%
- Items that are too heavy or cause emotional burden (handmade/message-oriented, etc.): Approx. 6%
- Nothing in particular: Approx. 2%

When asked, "What kind of gift would you find most troublesome or wish to avoid?", the most common answer was "items that do not match hobbies/preferences" (approx. 44%). Especially in genres where personal taste is strongly expressed, such as fashion and fragrance, the difficulty of selection is evident. This was followed by "items with low practicality and unknown use" (approx. 34%), indicating that items whose use cannot be imagined tend to be burdensome.

Furthermore, "perishable food" and "items that are too heavy or cause emotional burden" also accounted for a certain percentage, suggesting that "ease of acceptance" and "being able to enjoy without reservation" are also important criteria for choosing a meaningful gift.

## Important Points When Choosing a Gift
- Matching the recipient's preferences: Approx. 60%
- Practicality: Approx. 27%
- Specialness/luxury: Approx. 7%
- Surprise element: Approx. 3%
- Appropriateness of price range: Approx. 2%
- Trendiness/topicality: Approx. 1%

When asked, "What is the most important point for you when choosing a gift?", "matching the recipient's preferences" was overwhelmingly the most common answer at approx. 60%, significantly exceeding the majority. This was followed by "practicality" (approx. 27%), clearly indicating that "understanding the recipient" is the top priority in gift selection.

Conversely, "specialness," "surprise element," and "trendiness" remained minority opinions, showing that an attitude of empathy towards the recipient is valued more than appearance or trends.

## Most Appreciated Gift Types
- Practical daily necessities/consumables: Approx. 31%
- Food/drinks (sweets/alcohol, etc.): Approx. 25%
- Fashion/miscellaneous goods that match personal preferences: Approx. 24%
- Gift certificates/gift cards: Approx. 11%
- Beauty/relaxation items: Approx. 8%
- Experience-based gifts: Approx. 1%

When asked, "What type of gift makes you happiest?", "practical daily necessities/consumables" (approx. 31%) was the most frequent, followed by "food/drinks" (approx. 25%) and "fashion/miscellaneous goods that match personal preferences" (approx. 24%). Consumables and food items tend to be well-received due to their low psychological burden.
Keywords: Gift, Present, Souvenir, Gift selection, Survey, Trend, Small luxury