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Every year, thousands of Christmas gift baskets end up on Marktplaats. From karaoke sets to discount codes for shops nobody has ever heard of. We review the patterns - and show how it can be done better.
Eight million Dutch people receive a Christmas hamper every year. And every year, thousands of those hampers appear on Marktplaats - sometimes on the very same evening. Not because people are ungrateful. But because many Christmas hampers simply do not match what people want.
RTL Nieuws wrote about it in 2024: Christmas hampers are being "en masse offered" on secondhand platforms. From McDonald's bags to karaoke sets. The WNL Journaal paid attention to it. Daily Standaard headlined that dissatisfaction is growing. And Libelle made a whole article out of it - the worst and stupidest gifts people have ever found in a Christmas hamper.
It is funny to read. It is less funny if it is your company that has sent such a hamper.
The Marktplaats effect
The most famous recent example: DPG Media employees who put their Christmas gift on Marktplaats. The product itself was not necessarily bad - but it didn't suit everyone. And that is exactly the point. A gift that is fantastic for one person is useless for another. If you buy the same thing for hundreds of people, that is inevitable.
It is a pattern that returns every year. Companies spend serious budget on Christmas hampers, the intention is good, but the result ends up on an advertising platform for twenty bucks. That is a shame - not only of the money, but also of the gesture.
The five patterns of a bad Christmas hamper
After a few years of reporting on Christmas hamper disappointments, patterns are emerging. These are the five that return most often:
The "everyone the same" hamper. 200 people, one taste. The chance that you know exactly what 200 different people like is nil. You make one part happy, one part politely grateful, and one part opens it, looks inside, and puts it away.
The "we had to find something cheap" hamper. Everyone understands that there is a budget. But the recipient feels the difference between "we have thought about this within our budget" and "we had to find something under ten euros." It is not about the amount - it is about whether it feels like a gesture or like an obligation.
The "promotional item as a gift" hamper. A mug with a company logo, a bag with a company name, a pen with a tagline. That is not a gift. That is advertising that you wrap as a Christmas present. The recipient sees that. And it does not feel like appreciation - it feels like branding.
The "edible but not special" hamper. The standard box of chocolates and bottle of wine. There is nothing wrong with it, but there is also nothing special about it. It is the gift equivalent of "fine." It evokes exactly the reaction you expect: "ah, thank you." Followed by silence.
The "discount code for a store that nobody knows" hamper. On paper, it sounds generous: a gift voucher of fifty euros! In practice, it is a code for an obscure webshop with a limited range, a minimum order value that lies just above your credit, and shipping costs that are added to it. Not as generous as it sounds.
What makes a Christmas hamper good?
The common thread through all bad examples: the gift does not suit the recipient. It has been chosen from the perspective of the giver, not from the recipient. The solution is not to spend more money or choose a more expensive hamper. The solution is to leave the choice to the recipient.
Three principles that work:
It suits the recipient, not the giver. This can be done by offering choice, by choosing products that work universally (think of the categories from our always-good-guide), or by choosing experiences instead of stuff.
It feels like a gesture, not like an obligation. A personal card with it. A message that shows that someone has thought about it. That does not have to be long - three sentences are enough.
It does not end up on Marktplaats. The ultimate test. If you ask yourself whether the recipient will resell this, choose something else. Or better: let the recipient choose for themselves, then you know for sure that it stays.
The easiest way to do it right
With a choice gift via Cadeo, the recipient chooses themselves from 1,200+ products - from sustainable design products and local brands to outings and experiences. Redemption rate of 95%. No minimum order, no long-term contract, and you only pay for gifts that are actually redeemed.
The Christmas hamper on Marktplaats is a solved problem. You only have to leave the choice to the recipient.
Plan an introduction and let the mug with logo retire.
Want to do gifting right as well?
Contact us now to see how we can help you with a tailored solution.
