According to 5,000 men and women in our annual Brand Keys Mother’s Day survey, “tradition” is the watchword again this year when it comes to gifts for Mother’s Day. With nine out of 10 consumers planning to celebrate, total spending is estimated be up 7½ percent over last year.
A broader spectrum of relationships and changing family dynamics have turned the celebration – embracing step-moms, relatives, friends, and divorced and single-parent households – into a universal holiday that crosses all ethnic, cultural, and religious boundaries and portends a $19 billion windfall for retail, restaurants, and service providers The average spend? For men, who always spend a little more, $184.00, and for women, a little less, $153.00.
They’re all buying more traditional gifts like brunch/dinner, flowers, spa services, jewelry, and clothing, all part of a continuing trend Brand Keys identified 3 years ago. No matter how much you love Mom, the reality is she doesn’t need a new tablet or smartphone every year, no matter how much tech brands wish it so. Like other gift-buying holidays, consumers (25%) are waiting for the last minute to make purchases when they believe the best deals will be available. Sure, it’s Mom we’re talking about, but over the past decade retailers have taught consumers if they wait long enough, eventually there’s a deal to be had.
Here’s what they’re buying. Percentages in parentheses indicate changes from last year:
Cards 97% (unchanged)
Flowers 86% (+10%)
Brunch/Lunch/Dinner 80% (+10%)
Clothing 64% (+14%)
Gift Cards 60% (+2%)
Spa Services 46% (+16%)
Jewelry 45% (+7%)
Candy 16% (+7%)
E-readers 5% (-5%)
Computers/Tablets/
Smartphones 5% (unchanged)
And here’s where they’re shopping:
Specialty Stores 50% (+10%)
Department Stores 46% (+10%)
Discount Stores 55% (unchanged)
Online Stores 30% (unchanged)
Catalog 10% (-5%)
And here’s how they’re going to connect with Mom on her special day:
Phone/mobile 65% (+8%)
Personal Visits 21% (-4%)
Online 16% (+10%)
Cards 12% (unchanged)
There’s a saying that “a Mother’s love grows by giving.” This year Mother’s Day celebrations and giving will be growing too. Just a little more traditionally.
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Find out more about what makes customer loyalty happen and how Brand Keys metrics is able to predict future consumer behavior: brandkeys.com. Visit our YouTube channel to learn more about Brand Keys methodology, applications and case studies.
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