How to Select the Proper Gift

!±8± How to Select the Proper Gift

The other day I clicked an ad for a really cool table top mixer. It was a major brand with top reviews and had every attachment you could think of. I thought, boy I just have to have this for my wife. The mixer flew into my checkout cart and I rushed to fill in my checkout information. Well shipping is a little high but that's because of the weight. I backed up a little and started to think, am I buying this gift because I like it or because my wife likes it?

Too many gifts people receive just lie around in the closet and collect dust. I think sometimes they may even be used for target practice. There are a few common practices to follow to create great gift ideas. First and foremost, try to get to know a little about the person you are buying for. If the person is a loved one or close friend, you have a head start, but you still need to use your noodle a little. Suppose you wanted to buy your wife a nice freestanding mixer, what else might you have to consider? How about what color? What color is the rest of her kitchen appliances, stove refrigerator ECT? Yes she will probably like the new mixer to match everything else. In some cases you might have to ask yourself, what is her favorite color? If you remember her telling you she hates the color red, what color would you exclude from your purchase? Product size/weight is also important. In the mixer case, does she have space to store a mixer and how much room is in that space? An accident waiting to happen is a 105 pound woman trying to put a 10 pound mixer on the upper shelves of a cabinet. Finally, have you had any sign that the person might want the gift you are purchasing? Has it ever been mentioned or commented on, or is the gift just something you like. Here are four simple rules to follow in your gift choice.
Don't guess- Know something about the person you are buying for. Color- Color is important when buying a gift in everything from shoes to appliances. Size or weight- How heavy is the gift? Is there room to store the gift? Will the gift fit? Usability- Dose the person want or will the person use the gift?

Now perhaps you don't know someone very well. All is not lost. I am going to use a friend of a friend as the person we need to come up with gift ideas for. You can start out by talking to mutual friends or relatives and asking them for advice. You can ask about hobbies, likes and dislikes favorite color, favorite pastime, etc. In other words find out as much about the person as you can. In today's world, you can find out a lot in social media. Check out the social media sites or ask friends if this person uses these types of sites. Then look them up. Now apply the same principled you would for a loved one or close friend. Remember you are buying this gift for someone else. Just because you like the gift doesn't mean someone else will like it. Is the gift pleasing to the eye, hence color? Is the gift useable in regards to size or weight? The person must want to use the gift. Is this gift something the person would want, or just something you like? Follow these few simple principles and you will end up with a quality gift.