Spending Survey - Mother's Day
More Spent on Mom Than Dad
Survey indicates Mother's Day is the second largest holiday for gift-giving
Research from Carlton Cards and the International Mass Retailers Association (IMRA) reveals consumers spend more on Mother's Day than Father's Day. The number 1 item purchased for mom? A card. Nearly 80 percent of us will buy one this year.
Consumers also tend to buy fancier cards for mom than for dad. "Our research shows most people don't want to economize on their mothers," says Susy Miranda, Carlton Cards' manager of seasonal cards. "Although we do offer value cards priced 99 cents to $1.99, the more elaborate cards consistently outsell them every year."
Mother's Day is the second-largest holiday for gift-giving, the leading day of the year for long distance phone calls, the busiest day for restaurant dining and the third largest greeting card holiday.
"Some of the disparity occurs because women tend to purchase not only for their own mothers, but for all the mothers in their extended family," Miranda explains. "This can include stepmothers, daughters, grandmothers, mothers-in-law, godmothers, aunts and even their friends who are moms."
Some more Mother's Day facts and trends from Carlton Cards and IMRA research: Number Of Cards Sent: According to Carlton Cards, an estimated 22 million Mother's Day cards will be exchanged industry wide, making Mother's Day the third largest seasonal greeting card occasion of the year. Carlton Cards offers more than 1,500 Mother's Day designs.
Most popular Mother's Day purchases:
- Cards 79%
-
Flowers/Plants
52 %
- Dinner/Brunch 23%
- Spa Certificates 22%
- Apparel 19 %
- Jewelry 17 %
Total exceeds 100 percent due to multiple gifts purchased
Men Vs. Women: As might be expected, Mother's Day attracts a larger percentage of male purchasers than most other holiday occasions. About 20 percent of all Mother's Day cards will be purchased by men versus 80 percent by women. (This compares to ten percent men, 90 percent women for seasonal occasions overall.)
When Are They Purchased?: Carlton Cards research indicates a fair amount of planning goes into purchasing Mother's Day cards for many people. More than 50 percent of all card-buyers purchase them two weeks before Mother's Day. About 30 percent procrastinate, waiting one week or less before Mother's Day to purchase their cards.
Changing Family Dynamics: Cards remain a central part of most family Mother's Day celebrations, but Carlton Cards research shows the types of cards being sent are changing. Because "family" can mean so many different things today, there are cards appropriate for single and divorced moms, stepmoms, foster mothers, caregivers, guardians and others who play "motherly roles" in the lives of children. An estimated 40 percent of all Mother's Day cards will be sent to someone other than one's own mother. First time mothers receive the most cards of all.
Source: Carlton Cards