SA's most popular toys for Christmas

December 2015

Barbie and Frozen are the most desirable toy brands for girls in SA. For boys, cars and PlayStation game consoles are most popular. 

Almost 90% of consumers surveyed intend or have already completed Christmas shopping this year. Amongst those parents buying presents for their children this Christmas, 60% expect to purchase toys. This was followed video games (31%), mainstream clothing (20%), personal electronics (19%), designer clothes (18%) and books (17%).

Amongst girls, dolls as a category top the list in terms of desirability. In terms of specific brands, Barbie and Frozen are reported by parents to be the most desirable brands this Christmas. Amongst boys, the car category leads the way; with no particular toy brand or franchise standing out. In terms of specific product brands, the Sony PlayStation PS3/PS4 range of video-game related products was mentioned most frequently. For Christmas 2015, PlayStation appears to be a more popular choice than XBOX and Nintendo.

Trust in pension funds poor

September 2013

An online survey run by SurveyCentric in September 2013, shows that trust in pension funds is very poor. Only 55.61% agreeing that their pension fund will deliver when the time comes.

What annoys South Africans most about their waiters?
February 2012

SurveyCentric panelists reveal that South African patrons are not getting the service levels they expect. The two most annoying issues, according to the survey of over 369 restaurant patrons, relate to issues of speed and attitude.

Both conventional restaurants and fast food franchises with a sit-down section were included.

In total 69% of restaurant patrons complained about waiters being slow to deliver, while 41% complained about waiters being slow to bring the bill after requesting it. The third most frequently mentioned issue was a lack of friendliness (32%). Closely following this, inconveniences such as not bringing sauces (28%), forgetting milk/sugar (6%) or placing items on reading material (2%) were also mentioned.

Other issues, which were mentioned less often, were in order of frequency:
•Getting orders wrong
•Cold food/drinks
•Being slow to approach a patron on arrival (or not returning after seating them)
•Ignoring special instructions
•Disappearing/not being able to get attention
•Overly-frequent checking
•Untrained waiters
•Leaning over patrons or not respecting personal space
•Trying to rush patrons

Urban South Africans donate an average of R605 per year to charitable causes
30 March 2012

SurveyCentric panelists reveal that South Africans spend R605 on charity per year. Childrens' rights take the largest share of charity spending (44.5%) followed by car guards (27.1%), beggars (9.2%) and animal rights organisations (9.2%). Environmental protection agencies (5.4%), womens' rights (3.4%)and mens' rights (1.3%) receive the smallest share of spend.

Noticeable differences occur in spending patterns across age groups. Younger South Africans' in the 16 to 24 age range spend the largest proportion of their donations on car guards and beggars, while South Africans' over 50 instead prefer to spend on childrens' rights organisations.

The rising prominence of the mens' rights movement is also evident as younger South Africans are more likely to donate money to mens's rights organisations than older respondents above 34 years.