Due to new research, Christmas present prices are on the rise by 41%.
Products are selling out as global lockdowns escalate.
The result is that tech, toys and accessories for the home are on the rise. This data comes from Idealo price comparison website, which tracks daily changes in item prices from various retailers.
The average December 2012 prices of popular gifting items were compared with the average current prices in order to determine the price change due to product shortages.
Due to bottlenecks in delivery, Christmas gifts are on the rise by as much as 41%.
According to the study, VR headsets will be most expensive for Christmas gifts. Speakers are next with a price hike of 29%.
Idealo says that headphones such as Apple Airpods 2 have gone up 29%, while children’s bikes have gone up 28%. Video games such Call Of Duty Cold War are also on the rise by 13%.
Televisions also saw a 12 percent increase in their prices.
Prices for kitchen accessories, such as breadmakers and food processors, have increased by 5, 10 and 10% respectively.
Toy action figures for children have increased 14 percent, scooters and toys for kids are up 11%, while Barbies are up 8%.
Idealo claims that a lack of gifts is becoming more severe due to the coronavirus, which is now causing delays in countries increasing staff levels and keeping their workplaces open. Also, lockdowns have a significant impact.
Another issue is supply and demand. Shipping delays and production problems mean that items become more costly.
| Categories | Avg. Price Dec 20 | Avg. Price Dec 21 | Price Increase: % | Categories | Avg. Price Dec 20 | Avg. Price Dec 21 | Price increases % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baby Monitors | £88.62 | £95.84 | 8% | Smartwatches | £177.75 | £185.99 | 5% |
| Prams | £354.19 | £385.00 | 9% | Smartphones | £239.54 | £252.27 | 5% |
| Speakers | £228.77 | £294.55 | 29% | TVs | £962.74 | £1,081.74 | 12% |
| Electric Toothbrushes | £77.36 | £93.52 | 21% | VR glasses | £169.77 | £239.40 | 41% |
| E-Book readers | £149.82 | £185.59 | 24% | Barbies | £45.62 | £49.17 | 8% |
| Tablets | £378.83 | £404.02 | 7% | Electric Kids Ride ons | £250.02 | £280.62 | 12% |
| Action Cameras | £211.21 | £261.26 | 24% | Electronic Toys | £32.83 | £35.52 | 8% |
| Drones | £330.47 | £362.41 | 10% | Children Scooters | £81.70 | £90.30 | 11% |
| Bread Makers | £138.36 | £145.07 | 5% | Dolls Homes | £49.93 | £64.02 | 28% |
| Straightener for hair | £64.95 | £72.00 | 11% | Figures of Toy Action | £21.84 | £24.93 | 14% |
| Espresso Machines | £128.11 | £150.51 | 17% | Play Kitchens | £51.74 | £60.25 | 16% |
| Food Processors | £305.48 | £337.35 | 10% | Video Games | £23.01 | £26.07 | 13% |
| Refrigerators | £732.75 | £803.53 | 10% | Trainers | £63.96 | £70.45 | 10% |
| Washing Machines | £456.14 | £467.79 | 3% | E-Bikes | £3,061.72 | £3,104.53 | 1% |
| Karaoke machines | £135.73 | £163.91 | 21% | BBMX Bikes | £470.54 | £488.99 | 4% |
| Headphones | £61.52 | £67.12 | 9% | Children’s Bicycles | £203.75 | £261.22 | 28% |
| Football Shirts | £26.01 | £30.26 | 16% | ||||
| Source: Idealo |
Katy Phillips (brand and communications manager for Idealo) adds that “Unfortunately the spike in Covid-19 instances is resulting in lockdowns in Europe and elsewhere.
“Manufacturing is slowing down, it’s becoming more difficult to obtain in-demand items to the UK in the time of Christmas, so prices are rising across the board.”
“We hope to see which gifts are best avoided this year. They may be cheaper next year, once the demand has increased.
“It is not all bad news, though. There are items like perfumes, aftershaves, and other products that are cheaper than they used to be, and these could make a great gift choice to help you save money during the holiday season.
We recommend price alerts for tracking the cost of desired items and checking other websites to verify that it is at the lowest possible price.
If you are able to communicate with your friends and family, then you can always buy the gift later in 2022 at a reduced price.
| Categories | Avg. Price Dec 20 | Avg. Price Dec 21 | Price decreases % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parfums | £47.76 | £46.92 | -2% |
| Aftershave | £42.94 | £43.60 | 2% |
| Laptops | £1,256.92 | £972.34 | -23% |
| Popcorn Machines | £85.50 | £64.93 | -24% |
| Keyboards for piano | £523.17 | £425.74 | -19% |
| Lego | £86.61 | £85.05 | -2% |
| Video Games Consoles | £232.91 | £176.60 | -24% |
| E-scooters | £464.99 | £433.93 | -7% |
| Source: Idealo |
A limited number of products saw their prices drop.
This includes laptops, with average prices down 23 per cent, musical instruments which are decreasing in price by 19 per cent and Lego sets, including the Star Wars Millenium Falcon and Frozen Elsa’s Magical Ice Palace, which are down by two per cent.
Price trackers can be used by customers looking to cut costs on gifts. They show how items have changed over time, and when it is best to purchase.
Idealo allows you to compare prices and track price changes. It has data for December 2020, December 2021 and December 2021.