Laptops Beat iPhones and Tablets to Top the List of Most Requested Gifts by Kids This Holiday Season

Ebates Also Reports That Taylor Swift Beats Justin Bieber, One Direction, Selena Gomez, Nicki Minaj, Justin Timberlake, Robert Pattinson and Jennifer Lawrence to Emerge as the Most Popular Celebrity Influencing Children’s Gift Wish Lists

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ebates.com, the pioneer and leader in online cash back shopping, today announced findings from its Ebates 2012 Holiday Wish List Survey. The national survey conducted online by Harris Interactive of 1,121 youth aged 8-18 discovered that, among those that had a preference, kids rank the gifts they want to receive this holiday in the following order: a laptop computer (17%), the latest iPhone (15%), and clothes (11%). The 4^th most desired gift is a 10-inch tablet like the iPad or the Motorola Xoom (9%), followed by the latest Android Smartphone (6%), and latest mini tablet (5%). e-Readers like the Nook and Kindle are wanted by 4% of youth.

“It’s interesting to see how the older kids want a laptop while the younger kids generally would prefer a smartphone or tablet. No matter which one parents plan to buy, between our coupons and cash back, we can save shoppers more than 20% on laptop and tablet purchases”

When it comes to the top named gift choices, answers vary by age group and gender:

• Boys 8-9: 10-inch tablet like the iPad (17%)
• Girls 8-9: latest iPhone (16%) or clothes (16%)
• Boys 10-12: Laptop (19%)
• Girls 10-12: Laptop (16%)
• Boys 13-15: latest iPhone (22%)
• Girls 13-15: Clothes (18%)
• Boys 16-18: Laptop (24%)
• Girls 16-18: Laptop (22%)

“Ebates feels the holidays are a time to focus on children, so we wanted to hear directly from them what they would most like as a gift with our 2012 Holiday Wish List,” said Kevin H. Johnson, CEO of Ebates. “It’s interesting to see how the older kids want a laptop while the younger kids generally would prefer a smartphone or tablet. No matter which one parents plan to buy, between our coupons and cash back, we can save shoppers more than 20% on laptop and tablet purchases,” said Johnson.

Girls between the ages of 8-12 report being influenced by celebrities the most when it comes to what they want for a gift this holiday season with 55% of girls 8-9 saying a celebrity would influence their holiday gift choice and 67% of girls 10-12 saying the same thing. Overall the number one named star who would influence a child’s wish list is Taylor Swift (9%) followed by Justin Bieber (7%), One Direction (6%), Selena Gomez (6%), Nicki Minaj (5%), Justin Timberlake (2%), Robert Pattinson (2%) and Jennifer Lawrence (1%).

When it comes to the number one influential celebrity, answers vary by age group and gender:

• Boys 8-9: Justin Bieber (13%)
• Girls 8-9: Taylor Swift (18%)
• Boys 10-12: Justin Bieber (9%)
• Girls 10-12: One Direction (20%)
• Boys 13-15: Selena Gomez (6%)
• Girls 13-15: Taylor Swift (15%)
• Boys 16-18: Justin Bieber (6%)
• Girls 16-18: Taylor Swift (14%)

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Ebates from October 17-24, 2012 among 1,121 8-18 year olds. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

For complete survey methodology, including raw data and weighting variables, please contact Deanna Siste at Grayling Connecting Point at [e-mail].

About Ebates®

Over 1,500 online stores have joined the roster of retailers that offer cash back, special deals, including free shipping, and over 5000 coupons to members of Ebates.com. The free membership allows consumers to shop online at their favorite retailers while earning back a percentage of every purchase via a "Big Fat Check" or PayPal payment. From niceties to necessities, members of Ebates save with discounts and cash back at top-name merchants for everything from furniture to fashion and appliances to airfare. Shopping with Ebates is hassle-free: no rebate forms to fill out and no points or miles to redeem – just straightforward savings plus cash back. Ebates supports a strong community of 12 million savvy shoppers across the country and around the world. Please follow us on Twitter @Ebates and “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ebatesshopping. To learn more visit www.ebates.com.

About Performance Marketing Brands

Performance Marketing Brands (PMB) owns and operates the world's most rewarding shopping programs. Through its family of distinct websites and reward programs, PMB users can get a great deal and earn money back every time they shop. PMB owns and operates Ebates.com, the leader in online cash back shopping, FatWallet.com, the preferred online resource for savvy consumers, and AnyCoupons.com, the one-stop shop for any coupon available online. The company also operates a growing number of co-branded and private-label shopper reward programs for leading media companies. In 2011, shoppers spent over $1.1 billion through PMB's websites and shopping programs. To learn more, visit www.performancemarketingbrands.com.