Are Personalised Gifts on the Way Out? The Surprising Truth

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For years, personalised gifts have been the go to choice for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas and every moment in between. Mugs, coasters, tumblers, wall prints and photo items have filled gift tables across the UK. They have always been safe, thoughtful and easy for people to choose.

But over the past year, many makers and retailers have noticed something that feels a bit unsettling. Sales are dropping. Orders are slowing. Yet online searches for personalised gifts are still rising.

So people are still looking, but they are not buying as much.

What is actually going on?

A Shift Driven by Tighter Budgets

The short answer is that personalised gifts are not losing their appeal. What is changing is the way people decide when and how to buy them.

Before we look at trends, we have to be honest about the pressure people are under. Many households are still dealing with years of financial strain. Even weekly food shops have changed. Big supermarkets like Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Waitrose have seen customers spend less, while Aldi and Lidl have grown.

When people cut back on essentials, it makes sense that they pause or rethink non essential spending. Personalised gifts fall into that category.

It does not mean people no longer want these items. It simply means they are being more careful.

So Why Is Search Interest Up While Sales Are Down?

This part is interesting. While smaller makers are struggling with fewer orders, the bigger brands in the personalised space are seeing growth in online visibility.

For example, Card Factory reported a 62 percent increase in online visibility between June 2024 and June 2025. That is a huge jump and shows that people are still browsing personalised products.

This tells us something important.

Interest is strong. Spending is cautious.

Here are the reasons behind the disconnect.

Looking is easy. Buying feels harder

Search visibility includes a lot of things such as browsing for ideas, comparing products, checking prices, and saving options for later. None of these actions guarantee a sale. Many people look at personalised gifts but then pick a cheaper non personalised option, choose a budget retailer, delay the decision, or even try making something themselves. Traffic is high. Commitment is low.

Big competitors offer convenience that is hard to beat

Large gifting brands have invested heavily in faster personalisation tools, smoother mobile shopping, constant discounting, and creating a shipping network which offers next day service. This makes buying from them feel fast, simple and cheap. Smaller makers often offer better quality, but convenience wins when budgets are tight.

Traditional personalised gifts have lost their spark

A personalised mug used to feel unique. A personalised coaster felt fresh. Now these items are everywhere. The excitement has faded. People want something new. Something they have not seen over and over again. Buyers are not tired of personalisation. They are tired of the same old products. Interest today is in modern digital art, emotional keepsakes, engraved tech items, premium drinkware, and novelty gifts with real meaning.

Economic worry creates a “scroll but don’t buy” habit

Unfortunately, this is usually the most common reason. Even when people love a product, they hold back. They save it, think about it, and sometimes never return. We are seeing high interest, low confidence, and slow decision making. This is not about the products. It is about the mindset people are in, and it is something difficult to change.

Personalisation Is Not Fading. It Is Changing.

The personalised gifting industry is not dying. It is reshaping itself. People still want gifts that feel meaningful and personal. They want items that connect to memories and moments.

What is disappearing is the old model of predictable product choices, slower production, higher price tags, and designs that feel outdated.

Today’s customers want affordable options, quicker turnaround, modern designs, gifts that feel practical, and, most importantly, a clear emotional connection.

If a product does not offer these things, they move on. They want products like these popular gift ideas:

So… Are Personalised Gifts on the Way Out?

Not at all.

But the market is in a reset.

Interest is up.

People still love personalised items.

They still want gifts that feel unique and heartfelt.

What has changed is the buying behaviour. Budgets are tighter, expectations are higher, old product styles feel tired, and convenience matters more than ever.

For makers who adapt with faster options, fresher ideas and more accessible pricing, the opportunity is huge.

Personalisation is not disappearing.

It is evolving.

That's Great, but What Can We Actually Do?!

Refresh what you sell

People still want personalised gifts, but they want new, useful, and modern ones. Add practical items like drinkware, tech accessories, desk items, and retire products that feel overdone. Use helpful tools like Google Trends (https://trends.google.com) to spot rising product interest, and Pinterest Trends (https://trends.pinterest.com) for gift ideas and styles.

Guide people instead of waiting for them to buy

Most customers browse because they are unsure. Be a thought leader by creating gift guides like “Gifts under £20” or “Client gift ideas”. Consider using blogs and Pinterest to answer buying questions. Top tools for this would be AnswerThePublic for gift-related questions https://answerthepublic.com, and Semrush for gift keyword research https://www.semrush.com

Make it easier to say yes

People hesitate more when money feels tight. Offer small personalised items and bundles, with clearly displayed turnaround times. Reducing checkout friction is also something not to be forgotten. Shopify quick checkout tools https://www.shopify.com are a great way to simplify this. Finally, offer the customer an avenue to reach out. Tawk.to or Facebook Messenger solve this issue https://www.tawk.to

Show proof that people buy and love your products

Social proof matters more than ever. Saying you are doing well is great, but without evidence, customers won't trust you. Share customer photos and reactions, post packing orders and behind the scenes, and collect reviews that mention your product by name. Google Reviews is the go-to option, but Judge.me is a market leader for product reviews https://judge.me

Start marketing earlier

People commit earlier now and stop browsing later. Tease your products long before selling them, and get ahead of events like Easter and Christmas. Use Meta Business Suite to schedule your social posts https://business.facebook.com and Canva for quick promo graphics https://www.canva.com

Build backlinks and long-term traffic

Sales follow visibility, not the other way around. Write helpful blog posts and share them on Pinterest, LinkedIn, Reddit, and Facebook groups. Backlinks are both your best friend, and worst enemy when using Google, so aim to get quality backlinks from reputable sources.

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