Most Thanked By Phone, SMS For Gifts But Would Prefer Handwritten Cards

May 25, 2013 - PRLog -- Despite the verbal intimacy of a phone call and the pleasing ping of an incoming text message, most people would prefer to be thanked by a recipient’s handwritten card for gifts sent interstate or overseas.

In an online survey by gift website www.itsinthestarsonline.com, respondents were asked about the last gift they sent interstate or overseas and how people thanked them.

It's In The Stars director, Elizabeth Ball said people are surprisingly insistent about receiving words of appreciation.

"Most people (35.7%) were thanked for their gifts with a phone call, or text message (20.5%) and as many were thanked by email or not at all (12.5% each), followed by a card or note (9.8%) and facebook (8.9%)," Elizabeth Ball said.

Baby Boomers (those aged 46-64) were most likely to have been thanked in writing (30.8%) and twice as likely to see a handwritten card as meaningful (60.7%).

While only a tiny 3.7% of Gen Xers and 3.2% of Gen Ys received handwritten cards, they were 15 times more likely to prefer being thanked in writing (48.5%, 48.3%).

After handwritten cards, Gen Xers were the most likely group to nominate phone calls (34.5%) and the only group to select SMSs (6.9%) as the most meaningful way to say thank you. Gen Ys chose facebook to be thanked (15.2%) while Baby Boomers sought emails (14.3%).

According to Elizabeth Ball, 97.5% of respondents said they would feel appreciated and would make an even bigger effort with the recipient’s next gift if they were just thanked with a handwritten note.

"Baby Boomers who get no thanks are most likely to feel sad (45.8%) while Gen Xers and Gen Ys who feel unappreciated won’t make an effort again (56.4% and 48.4% respectively)," Elizabeth Ball said.

According to the survey, the generations have different reasons for sending cards.

Gen Xers believe gift-givers really appreciate handwritten notes (55.2%), Baby Boomers say their parents taught them to send them (26.9%), while Gen Ys send handwritten cards after receiving a particularly nice gift (27.3%) or when they have the stationery to do so (18.2%).

"In what may be no surprise, the older generations are less likely to believe today's children have any manners," Elizabeth Ball said.

Six in ten Baby Boomers (60.7%) don’t believe the today’s parents teach their children to say thank you, Gen Xers are split down the middle (50% each) while Gen Ys do think today’s kids are taught manners (65.7%).

"Overall, Gen Ys don’t seem to expect very young children can thank people for gifts sent from interstate or overseas via calls, cards, email, or SMS, compared to Gen Xers and Baby Boomers," Elizabeth Ball said.

Most respondents (78.2%) said kids aged five years old and under could call, or write a note (49.6%), while those aged eight or more could thank them via text (77.3%) and email (63.9%).

Baby Boomers think kids are technologically advanced with those aged eight years old or more able to send texts (82.1%) or emails (67.8%) compared to Gen Ys (69.7% and 60.6% respectively).

Most Gen Xers have very high expectations of children's ability to say thank you.

"This group believed children aged under five years can thank them on the phone (93.0% vs 61.6% of Gen Ys) and write thank you cards (59.7% vs 30.4%)," said Elizabeth Ball.

It’s In The Stars at www.itsinthestarsonline.com has been delighting couples and parents with its beautifully designed astrology reports as gifts, helping them to understand each other, their children and themselves since 2005. Among more than 50 unusual astrology-based gift options is its Thank You e-gift certificate which can be sent via email, allowing the recipient to choose their own gift.