After Sending Corporate Gifts to 300+ Companies, Here’s What People Actually Want to Receive

After sending gifts on behalf of more than 300 companies, we have had a very good opportunity to see what people genuinely enjoy receiving, what they are most likely to choose for themselves, and which supposedly “safe” corporate gifts are often far less popular than businesses assume.

The clearest lesson is that people want gifts that feel enjoyable, useful and personal. They do not necessarily want something expensive, heavily branded or technically practical. They want something they would actually be pleased to receive.

Many corporations choose a Build Your Own Gift Hamper option and let their teams decide what they want in their hampers. This is pretty interesting because what people choose for themselves and what people choose for others is very different. We have collected this data and noticed patterns.

People love consumable gifts because there is very little downside

Food and drink work particularly well in corporate gifting because they are easy to enjoy, easy to share and easy to pass on if something is not quite right for the recipient. But candles and soaps are also popular consumables!

If someone receives a box with a chocolate bar, crisps, biscuits and a drink, they do not have to love every single item for the gift to work. They might keep the chocolate, take the crisps into the office, give the biscuits to their partner or pass one of the products on to someone else.

We see this in real life all the time. One company orders around 400 gift boxes for its staff every year, with the same products in each box but a different selection from the year before. The organiser is called Tom and he always orders one for himself too, and every year the chocolate ends up going to his wife. “I don’t really like chocolate so my wife looks forward to tucking into the chocolate bar. Last years’ was orange flavour was her favourite, so she was very pleased.”

It is a small thing, but it perfectly illustrates why consumables work so well. Even when every item is not for the recipient, it rarely feels wasted because there is usually someone else who will enjoy it.

By contrast, when someone receives a physical item they do not want, such as another notebook, mug or reusable bottle, they are left with something they now have to store, donate or throw away. A consumable gift is much less likely to become clutter. But consumables go beyond food and drink with soaps being one of the most popular choices in our Build Your Own Gift Hamper option.

This is one of the main reasons hampers and food-based gift boxes remain such a reliable choice for corporate gifting.

Chocolate and shortbread are consistently popular

When customers build their own gift boxes with Social Stories Club, chocolate and shortbread are among the most popular choices.

Alcohol is also very popular for those who like a drink.

That does not mean every corporate gift should automatically contain alcohol, because it will not be appropriate for every recipient, but it does show that people tend to gravitate towards products that feel like a treat.

Chocolate works particularly well because it is familiar, indulgent and easy to share. Alcohol can also make a gift feel more celebratory when it is appropriate, particularly for Christmas gifting, client thank-yous, team milestones and celebrations.

The broader lesson is that people often want a corporate gift to contain something they would not necessarily buy during an ordinary working day. It should feel like a small pleasure rather than another practical office item.

Need to know what to include in your corporate gift that people actually want to receive? People like being able to build their own gift box

One of the strongest things we have learnt is that people appreciate choice.

This is exactly why our Build Your Own Gift Box option is so popular. Rather than one person choosing a standard selection on behalf of an entire team, recipients can choose the products they actually want.

That matters because there is no such thing as a universally perfect corporate gift.

One person might want chocolate and coffee, while another prefers savoury snacks and tea. Someone may not drink alcohol. Another person may have dietary requirements. Someone else may simply have very strong opinions about biscuits.

Giving people some control over what they receive immediately makes the gift feel more personal, while also taking pressure away from the person organising the gifting.

Instead of trying to predict what 50 different people might like, you can simply let them choose.

People are more likely to choose healthy snacks for themselves than for others

Pretzels are one of the most popular snacks, along with nuts and apple crisps when choosing what you want for your own gift. But people tend to pick more chocolate when picking for others. A good mix of healthy snacks and chocolate treats is recommended to corporations to strike this balance.

Generic branded merchandise is rarely as exciting as companies think it is

There is absolutely a place for good branded merchandise, but there is a big difference between something genuinely useful and well designed and something that exists mainly because a company logo can be printed on it. Also branded merchandise is to promote the company and is not a thoughtful gift. No-one wants to wear socks with their company’s colours and designs. So if you buy socks, make sure it’s the sort of gift you would buy a family or friend.

A plain reusable water bottle with a large company logo is a good example. The business may see a useful branded product, but the recipient may simply see yet another water bottle they did not ask for.

A useful test is to ask whether someone would still want the item if the company logo were removed. If the answer is no, it probably is not a particularly strong gift.

The best corporate gifting should be primarily designed around the person receiving it. Brand visibility can be a benefit, but it should not come at the expense of giving somebody something they genuinely want.

Amazon gift cards are convenient, but they often feel impersonal

Amazon gift cards are another popular corporate gifting choice because they are extremely easy to organise and give recipients complete freedom over what they buy.

The problem is that convenience for the sender does not always translate into a memorable experience for the recipient.

There is a significant difference between receiving a voucher code by email and receiving a box at your door, opening it and discovering a selection of products inside.

If the purpose of the gift is simply to give someone a financial reward, a gift card can make perfect sense. If the aim is to thank someone, welcome them, celebrate them or strengthen a relationship, it can feel transactional.

People may use an Amazon gift card, but that does not necessarily mean they will remember receiving it.

Variety is often more valuable than one expensive item

Another thing we have seen is that a good selection of smaller products can be much more successful than putting the entire budget into one large item.

Variety gives the recipient more chances to discover something they genuinely like and makes the process of opening the gift more enjoyable.

It also reduces the risk of getting the gift completely wrong. If someone does not like one product in a hamper, there are still several others they may enjoy. If you spend the same budget on one premium item and they do not like it, the entire gift has missed the mark.

For companies gifting to large and diverse teams, this flexibility is particularly valuable.

The best corporate gifts do not feel very corporate

This is probably the most important lesson we have learnt from sending gifts on behalf of hundreds of businesses.

People want to feel that the gift was chosen for them, rather than chosen because it was easy for the company to order in bulk.

That does not require enormous budgets or extravagant products. It usually means choosing something enjoyable, allowing some degree of personal choice and avoiding the temptation to turn the gift into a piece of company advertising.

At Social Stories Club, we also believe a gift becomes more meaningful when the products have stories behind them. The products in our gift boxes come from social enterprises and purpose-led businesses creating positive social or environmental impact, so the recipient receives something they can genuinely enjoy while the company giving the gift is also supporting a wider cause.

After working with more than 300 corporate clients, our advice is simple: choose consumable gifts, give people variety, offer choice wherever possible and resist the urge to put your logo on everything.

And if you are still not sure where to start, chocolate remains a very safe bet.

Sustainable Corporate Hampers People Actually Want To Receive

If you want gifting to feel smooth and genuinely thoughtful, begin with our Corporate Gifting page. It gives you a clear starting point and helps you decide whether you are sending Gifts for Employees or Gifts for Clients. If you prefer letting people choose exactly what suits them, our Build Your Own Gift Hamper option is ideal because it removes guesswork entirely. If time is tight and you want something instantly impressive, our Pre Curated Corporate Gifts take care of everything. For companies wanting to put values and identity front and centre, our Branded Corporate Gifts range is perfect. And if you are aiming to create something no one else has, our Bespoke Corporate Gifts allow complete creative freedom.

If you ever feel unsure about what direction is best, you can Book A Call With Us and we can plan the whole approach together. And for the simplest possible gifting with guaranteed delight, our Gift Cards are effortless and always well received.

Corporate gifting does not need to be complicated. When done well, it becomes an easy way to build loyalty, strengthen relationships, and show people that you genuinely care.