It’s the Thought, Right?

One lucky person on Shafqat Khan’s shopping list is getting an Ethernet hub for Christmas.

The Glendale computer consultant has had troubles giving gifts of technology in Christmases past--like the time he gave a friend a scanner that wasn’t compatible with his computer--but it didn’t stop Khan from walking out of Fry’s Electronics in Burbank with two bags of gadgets this week.

Among the other goodies he plans to lavish on friends: a wireless computer mouse, a salinity sensor and a digital thermometer.

Despite the economic slowdown, technology remains a popular present. DVD players and digital cameras may be the hot gifts this year, but those stuffing stockings with high-tech gear may find that the latest-and-greatest isn’t always so great.

Software programs may not work with the recipient’s computer system. Electronic date books may be outdated within a few months. And some devices may be so high-tech that the gift-getter can’t figure out how to use them.

It’s not that graphics accelerators or Palms or Game Boys are poor presents. They may be perfect for someone. But for someone else, they may be altogether wrong.

“The goodness or badness of a gift rarely rests in the gift itself,” said Cele Otnes, associate professor of business administration at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and co-editor of “Gift Giving.” “It rests in its appropriateness for the person who receives it.”

Because most gifts can be purchased from a store, the item itself is merely a commodity. The thought behind the gift--if the giver is in tune with the recipient’s needs and wants--is what really matters, Otnes said.

When Tim Crockett graduated from the University of Southern California this year, his relatives chipped in and bought him a mini-disc player. Although Crockett appreciated the thought, the player’s digital adapter wouldn’t plug into his computer.

“It was a $250 item that I really had no use for,” he said.

Unless a gadget can stand alone, gift givers must consider how it will interact with other technologies. Webcams, for example, work best with high-speed Internet access. Most digital cameras only hook up to computers that have a Universal Serial Bus port. And DVDs, of course, require a DVD player.

Low-tech presents generally avoid such problems. Brookstone, for example, offers a clock radio that automatically resets the date and time after a power outage. But although it might make a “very nice gift,” it’s not necessarily a “wow gift,” said Gustavo Pena, spokesman for Brookstone.

For that, there’s the $3,000 Panasonic Shiatsu Massage Lounger.

When shopping for Hollywood stars, Marnie Lerner of Star Treatment Gift Services tries to stay on top of the latest tech trends, “one-upping gifts based on advances.” Last year, MP3 players were popular. This year, Casio’s color digital camera watches are big.

Not everyone, though, is looking for that wow gift.

There are six types of gift givers, said Otnes of the University of Illinois.

The “pleaser” buys something the recipient wants. The “provider” buys something the recipient needs. The “acknowledger” buys something simply to buy something. The “socializer” buys something that will teach values. The “compensator” buys something to make up for a loss in someone’s life. And the “avoider” tries not to buy anything.

“The givers who tend to be recognized as good by receivers are more recipient-centered,” Otnes said.

Those shopping for technology also fit into these social roles. A pleaser, for example, would buy a child the GameCube or Xbox, a provider would buy a calculator and a socializer would buy an electric razor.

Though technology is on many people’s wish lists, it is often given in more formal relationships because it is considered less personal. Binoculars and cameras are popular gifts in business, Lerner said. Such technologies have universal appeal and are a safer bet than, say, clothing, which is subject to an individual’s preferences.

The higher price tags of tech gifts send a message about the giver’s wealth and status. But that also makes them tempting to return.

After receiving the mini-disk player, Crockett--who had just graduated and was still looking for a job--considered returning it for cash. He eventually decided to keep it, but recipients of misguided gifts hit the stores by the hundreds to return or exchange gifts in the days after Christmas. And those returning valuable technologies can end up with a nice wad of cash.

The first three months of the year are the busiest time on online auctioneer EBay. The $2 billion in merchandise sales the site did in the first quarter of 2001 came, in part, from individuals off-loading the Christmas gifts they didn’t want.

“They wait for their loved ones to leave town and the items are listed on EBay almost immediately,” said spokesman Kevin Pursglove. “If you’re going to get rid of it anyway, you might as well sell it to somebody who needs it and get a little cash.”

Although it is socially acceptable to return or exchange unwanted presents, recipients should first try to take it back to the store where it was bought, said Peter Post, co-director of the Emily Post Institute. If this isn’t possible, selling the item on a site such as EBay is permissible, Post said, but individuals must be prepared to tell their loved one what they did with the gift.

“If they ask, make sure you have something reasonable to tell them because if you don’t, you’re going to be embarrassed,” Post said.

The social effect of gift-giving can be significant, Otnes said. On one extreme, it can elevate a relationship to the next level, as in the case of an engagement ring. On the other, it can weaken a relationship, like the time a used frying pan was given to a co-worker at an office party.

While shopping for gifts this week, Khan tried to keep his personal relationships in mind. The salinity sensor is for a friend who likes to cook. The thermometer is for a couple who recently had a baby. And the Ethernet hub is for a friend who has been trying to network several computers.

He’s pretty sure the technology will be put to good use. After years of buying the latest gizmos for friends, he’s figured out the key to a great gift.

“Don’t buy something that they can’t set up.”

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Christine Frey covers personal technology. She can be reached at christine.frey@latimes.com.