A March 2015 research analysis conducted by Experian Marketing Services polled online moms to determine how the Internet and recent digital technologies have impacted their product research and shopping habits. Interestingly, research demonstrates that the digital age has reshaped how mothers shop much more significantly when compared to the rest of the population. Here are some main takeaways from this study.

  • Approximately 7 out of 10 said the Internet had changed the way they search for and get information about products and services.
  • Of the moms surveyed, 55.1 percent reported that the Internet and digital shopping had reshaped how they shopped.
  • In addition, 44.5 percent reported that they were shopping on the Internet more than ever before. Respondents cited multiple reasons for this, including a lack of time and the ability to find a better price online.
  • Finding better prices is a major driver in online shopping among moms. In fact, 44.3 percent of mothers showroomed (visited a brick and mortar store to check out a product before buying it for a lower price online), and 36.7 percent of moms used their mobile devices to search for local deals while out shopping.
  • The mothers included in the Experian survey demonstrated a higher level of interest in m-commerce than the general population of consumers. In fact, when asked about their attitudes toward mobile shopping and advertising, nearly 20 percent of mothers said that they were likely to purchase products they had seen advertised on their mobile phones or devices versus 12.6 percent of total consumers.
  • Mothers are more open to digital advertising in general. In the survey, more than 25 percent said that they would accept mobile ads on their phones if they were to receive a discount or something valuable in exchange, compared with 18.3 percent of the total population.

The insight yielded by the Experian research has been confirmed by other polling and research endeavors. For instance, a late 2014 poll conducted by BabyCenter and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) revealed that 55 percent of U.S. millennial mothers who were also Internet users did more than 25 percent of their shopping digitally.

Reference:

Barton, J. “Mother Knows Best: Have Moms Become the Best Digital Shoppers Ever?” Mobile Marketing Watch. 6/24/15.