Online Surprise Gift-giving Services and Wellbeing: Sender and Recipient Perspectives

Purpose. Technology-mediated gift giving is prevailing as consumers seek convenience and novelty. Using an industry example, we explored how a subscription-based online gift-giving service contributes to the recipient’s wellbeing, both from sender and recipient perspectives.
Design/ methodology/ approach. Online survey data was collected, with participants randomly assigned to sender (n = 257) or recipient (n = 257) scenarios, testing the underlying process and impact of surprise on the emotional value of the gift and two valenced emotions – happiness and disappointment. We also investigated how surprise, happiness, disappointment, and emotional value influence recipient’s wellbeing, from the sender’s and recipient’s perspectives.
Findings. Sender’s surprise positively impacts perceived recipient wellbeing via the perceived emotional value of the gift and the sender’s happiness with the chosen gift. Conversely, recipient perceptions of wellbeing are impacted by both positive and negative emotional responses to the gift. The emotional value of the gift to the recipient is impacted by social closeness with the sender, highlighting the importance of the sender-recipient relationship.
Research Implications. We contribute to the emotions, consumer behaviour, and gift giving literatures by examining the nuanced context of online surprise gift giving and its impact on recipient wellbeing from dual perspectives.
Practical Implications. We highlight wellbeing as a key area for companies in the online surprise gift giving domain, along with the need to understand the relationship between senders and recipients, and the option for personalisation.
Originality. We extend theoretical and practical understanding by exploring technology-mediated gift-giving and wellbeing from both the sender and recipient perspectives.