Mother’s Day is quickly approaching (May 8th, consider this your reminder!), and according to customer loyalty consulting agency Brand Keys, the gifts will be even more plentiful than last year. A survey by the company has found a 6% increase in Mother’s Day spending compared to this time in 2015, with the average estimated gift total coming to $205. As has become a firm trend, men are expected to spend more than women on average.
Surprisingly, the survey showed little growth in the amount of spending on technology gifts.
"Once again, tradition has trumped tech," noted Robert Passikoff, President of Brand Keys Inc. (brandkeys.com), the New York-based consumer loyalty and emotional brand engagement consultancy. "Cards, meals, and flowers have become 'price-of-entry' for the holiday. But when it came to more substantial gifts, clothing showed the greatest change from last year - up 10 percent." Jewelry was up too, by seven percent. Spending on tech related gifts was generally unchanged, with only 12 percent indicating that kind of purchase.”
While clothing led the way in growth, the most popular gifts are, unsurprisingly, cards (95%), brunch/lunch/dinner (90%), and flowers (85%). Generally speaking, most shopping was done in person. Discount stores led the way, with 55% of those surveyed indicating they had done at least some shopping there. The top three is rounded out by specialty stores (50%) and department stores at 44%.
“Preferences for shopping venues reflect this year’s preference for more traditional gifts,” said Passikoff, “And remained generally unchanged from last year, with the exception of Department Stores, which were down six percent. Catalogues were down again this year by another four percent. Discount and Specialty Stores were at the top of consumers’ list of places to shop for Mom “because consumers regard them as ideal venues for apparel and jewelry.”
As the day gets closer, spouses and children are beginning to get nervous about getting the perfect gift for Mom. If the Brand Keys survey serves as an indication, panicked shoppers should stick to the basics and rest easy knowing that some presents never go out of style.