British parents will spend £3bn on gadget gifts for their kids during Christmas this year, a new study has revealed.
A survey by uSwitch Tech found over eight in ten parents will spend £243 on electronic gadgets for their kids, while one in five will spend £400 or more on tech.
uSwitch.com telecoms expert Ernest Doku said: "For many this will mean that the pressure is on to juggle Christmas wish lists with household budgets.
"However, despite some tablets costing upwards of £350, the advent of many cheaper versions – from high street retailers Argos andTesco, as well as Google’s bargain priced Nexus tablet – may be the solution for parents looking to keep both their kids and their bank managers happy."
Among the desired gifts for Christmas, Tablets top the list, with 24% of them set to shell out, followed by video games, with 20% of parents set to buy them for their kids, and about one in ten are considering smartphones.
Other popular choices for gifts this Christmas include Digital cameras, E-readers and smartwatches, while only 5% of kids desire to have basic mobile phones, which makes it 2013’s least popular high-tech token of affection.
"Any parent worried about keeping the cost of Christmas gifts down should make sure they get the best deal, and perhaps think outside of the big names," Doku added.
"Many of the bargain priced smartphones and tablets are actually still relatively high spec.
"If they’re buying a mobile contract, they should keep an eye on the ongoing costs and consider placing a cap on bills or go for a PAYG deal that will enable them to easily track mobile spend."
