For some of us, giving a gift is a stressful time. It can be a daunting task to find the perfect gift to surprise your loved one with. Not only that, but the thought of having to trawl around endless stores with other shoppers, desperately running out of time to find something suitable... it's the stuff of nightmares!

That's why we recommend that you should buy your gifts online. But rather than turning to the generic wares of Walmart or Amazon, we've rounded up the best online gift shops that are brimming with unique ideas. Plus, why not treat yourself to something while you're at it?

1. Prezzybox

prezzybox

Prezzybox promises to "make moments of happiness" and it's easy to see why. The site is overflowing with inventive and fun gifts. You can find gifts based on the occasion (birthday, holiday, retirement), recipient (him, her, kids), type (gadgets, accessories, fun, home decor), or you can mix and match the categories for more specificity.

To make the gifts even more special, you can personalize many of them. Box of chocolates with someone's name on? A cushion of their face? Prezzybox is the site for you.

Plus, if you don't want to buy a physical trinket, Prezzyboy also sells experience days, from pampering sessions to thrilling adventures.

2. Giftsnideas

giftsnideas

It will come as no surprise that the suitably named Giftsnideas is a website that specializes in all gifts. The company believes that gift-giving is the best expression of love and friendship, and it ensures this love can be expressed without bounds—hence its commitment to shipping gifts worldwide.

This makes Giftsnideas the perfect choice if you're sending a gift to a friend across the world on a tight deadline. Simply use the Need a Gift Now? section at the top of the homepage to choose your destination and delivery date, and you can see all available gifts matching those parameters.

Giftsnideas' team hand-pick gifts from all locations around the world, so you can even send someone a fresh cake or flowers, delivered direct to their doorstep.

3. IWOOT

iwoot

Formerly known as I Want One Of Those, IWOOT is all about cool gizmos, devices, tools, toys, entertainment, and experiences. You can nab officially licensed merchandise from all sorts of brands like NASA, Star Wars, Nintendo, Slush Puppy, and more.

You can find gifts by recipient, occasion, and type, or you can browse by the type of gift you want to give. If you're totally stuck for ideas, you can browse the top 50 gifts list, which is full of creative and fun ideas.

IWOOT ships internationally, with a variety of shipping options depending on how quickly you need the gift delivered. If you don't mind the wait, shipping costs are very reasonable.

4. MoMA Design Store

moma design store

The MoMA (Museum of Modern Art in New York), has been the heart of modern and contemporary art for many years. It's driven by a passion for "good design" and it strives to help define and foster the meaning of that phrase.

As such, it's no surprise that the MoMA Store sells wonderfully crafted gifts. It carefully selects items that promote and highlight the materials, concepts, and production that go into making high-quality, well-designed products.

While the museum is based in New York, the online store ships internationally for items that aren't too bulky or heavy.

5. SERRV

serrv

SERRV (Sales Exchange for Refugee Rehabilitation and Vocation) is a nonprofit organization that focuses on fair trade products, as told in its mission statement: "To empower small-scale global artisans and farmers through long-term trading partnerships, helping them build sustainable employment, resources, rights, and a vision of hope in their communities."

The SERRV website is a great place to buy fair trade gifts, most of which are hand-made from around the world. It may not carry the coolest new gadgets or a massive variety of gift ideas, but you can be sure that every purchase made on SERRV is a step towards humanitarian progress.

6. W&P

wandp

If your recipient loves spending time in the kitchen, or entertaining guests around the dinner table, you should definitely check out W&P for a modern, stylish gift.

Whether you want to gift a cookery book, mug, bowl, utensil, dressing container, or even a popcorn popper, W&P have got you covered. These products aren't just throwaway junk, by the way—they are sustainably made and blend form and function.

If you're not looking to spend too much, W&P offer budget-friendly bundles; gifts that will wow your recipient, but won't put too much strain on your bank balance.

7. Coming Soon

coming soon

Coming Soon is a furniture design and gift shop in New York that sells curated, beautifully designed things for the home. The company works directly with artists to source unique seats, tables, lighting, storage solutions, and more.

You can shop Coming Soon by room, furniture, object, and price—be warned that many of the items for sale are expensive, but there's also a wide selection of smaller trinkets that are sure to go down a treat with your recipient.

If you're hunting for something funky and a bit out of the ordinary for your gift receiver's home, check out Coming Soon.

8. Uncommon Goods

uncommon goods

No-one wants to give something boring that you can buy anywhere. Enter Uncommon Goods, a website that celebrates independent designers.

Whether you want to gift jewelry, kitchen items, home decor, clothing, or fun novelty gifts, you'll find it here. You can shop by recipient, category, and occasion, and you're bound to want to put everything in your basket.

Plus, you can shop for a good cause because the company gives $1 to a partner of your choice at checkout. Not only can you put a smile on the face of your recipient, but yourself too!

Stay on Budget When Gift Shopping

If you're looking to buy the perfect gifts for your loved ones and you need a break from the usual sites, the ones listed above are sure to bring a whole new perspective to the endeavor.

Before you begin, set a budget and stick to it. It's very tempting to snap up some goodies for yourself too, but remember to keep your bank balance in mind.