May 13 is Mother's Day
Los Angeles—Will Mother’s Day shoppers stick to a budget or throw caution to the wind when buying for mom? If this new survey by PriceGrabber, a division of Experian, is any indication, most have a specific amount in mind to spend this year.
According to its Mother’s Day Shopping survey of 4,296 online consumers conducted March 6 to April 9, 50% plan to spend the same amount on gifts as last year. And 62% plan to spend less than $100 on gifts, said PriceGrabber. Another 22% said they plan to spend between $100 to $249 on gifts and 8% plan to spend more than $250. And 10% plan said they don’t have a budget when shopping for Mother’s Day gifts this year.
Asked about what would be top gifts for Mother’s Day, flowers remained the number one choice. When consumers were asked to select all of the types of gifts they plan to purchase for Mother’s Day, 43% said flowers, 22% indicated gift cards, and 17% selected clothing and accessories, 15% plan to buy jewelry, and another 15% are opting for an experiential gift such as going to dinner or a show.
According to the survey, only 13% plan to buy a tech-type gift for Mother’s Day such as a computer, a tablet or a smartphone. When those planning to give a tech gift were asked to select all of the types of tech-related presents they expect to buy, 51% said a tablet, 22% selected a smartphone, 15% noted a computer, and 15% said an e-reader.
“Even though most shoppers plan to honor their mother with flowers this year based on our survey data, it is not surprising to see that tablet computers are the top choice among consumers planning to give a tech-type gift for the holiday,” said Graham Jones, general manager at PriceGrabber. “Tablet computers have become one of the top-searched items on PriceGrabber this year.”
Free Shipping May Boost Online Sales
Not surprisingly, these online shoppers questioned in this survey said they probably will shop online for their Mother’s Day purchases. When asked how they plan to purchase their Mother’s Day gifts this year, 52% said they will buy from online stores via their computers, while 43% plan to buy in brick-and-mortar stores. Only 5% of survey respondents plan to purchase gifts from an online store via a mobile device.
When consumers were asked to select all of the retailer tactics that will entice them to buy a product or a service for Mother’s Day, 53% said free shipping. The second most attractive retailer tactic was price cuts, with 43% of the vote, while 35% of consumers indicated coupons. Another 25% said they will not be influenced by retailer tactics.
The month of May will be a busy time for consumers purchasing Mother’s Day gifts. According to the PriceGrabber survey, 30% of shoppers plan to purchase Mother’s Day gifts one week prior, 27% said they will buy gifts two weeks prior, and 18% of respondents will leave their gift purchases until the last minute—only 48 hours ahead of the holiday. Of those who planned to buy ahead of time, 13% indicated that they would purchase one month prior, and 12% expect to buy gifts three weeks prior.
