BabyCenter Shopping Rituals of the American Mom Report

© 2011 BabyCenter LLC. Confidential. All rights reserved.
A
November 2011
2011 Shopping Rituals
of the American Mom

© BabyCenter LLC. Confidential. All rights reserved. #21CMom
Methodology
In-depth
surveys:
9,000
Respondents
• 21st Century Shopping Rituals
Survey of moms vs. general
online population (comScore
panel for gen pop)
• 21st Century Mom® Shopping
Rituals Series of moms
specifically
• 9 category specific surveys
ranging from auto, travel,
finance and home
improvement
BabyCenter
community:
• Social Listening in BabyCenter
community
• Guided online discussions
• Analysis of conversations
across Moms stages using our
TalkTrackerTM tool which
measures trends in aggregate
across specific product
categories
Behavioral
& Secondary:
• comScore analysis:
• Moms online purchasing
compared to gen pop
• Moms offline purchasing
compared to gen pop
• Secondary research sources on
market sizing and purchasing
power

1. The transformation of motherhood
2. Her impact across categories
3. 7 shopping rituals of The 21st Century Mom®
4. Marketing implications
1
2
3
4

Use butterfly image
Transformation
of motherhood

Motherhood creates new shopping
rituals
$227K Average cost of raising a child
She’s not just buying for herself anymore
73%
Change purchasing criteria when
becoming a mom
She’s reconsidering her needs…and brands
New roles require faster, cheaper &
smarter solutions
She’s leveraging digital tools in new ways

Meet your customer
34M Online moms with children 8 or
under
$2.1T Spending power of US moms
annually
1 in 4 New children born to US Hispanics
Sources:
34MM - comScore PlanMetrix, September 2011; $2.1T - “Mom 3.0”, Maria Bailey;
US Hispanic Births – US Census

Feeding your children
Putting your children to bed
Kids activities
Getting children ready in the morning
Cleaning the house
Laundry
Cooking
Exercising
TV
Personal hobbies
Sleeping
Quality time with spouse
Socializing with friends
+3.0 hours
+1.5
+1.1
+1.0
+0.6
+0.6
+.05
–0.5
–1.0
–1.3
–1.8
–1.9
–2.0
Q: Before & after becoming a mom, how much time do/did
you spend on average per day doing these activities?
The Facts:
Over 8+ hours of
parenting time
added
Becoming a mom
It changes everything forever…especially how she
spends her time
Source: BabyCenter 21st Century Mom® Insight Series
Now Then

© BabyCenter LLC. Confidential. All rights reserved. #21CMom© BabyCenter LLC. Confidential. All rights reserved.© BabyCenter LLC. Confidential. All rights reserved. #21CMom
It changes the way she uses media
Q:
Which of these are you using
more or less since becoming a
mom?
Now Then
19% 19%
32%
10%
2%
12%
7%
49%
29%
21%
25%
46%
42%
36%
RadioTVNewspapersMagazines Cell PhoneEmailInternet

Shopping mindset – faster, cheaper,
smarter
Q: Which of these words describes the way you feel
when shopping?
+
GENERAL
POPULATION
MOMS VS
NOWTHEN
SOCIAL
RELAXED
FUN
IMPULSIVE
RUSHED OVERWHELMING
STRESSFUL DEAL-DRIVEN
+67%
+88%
+158%
+43%

Importance of each
purchase criteria
THEN NOW
63% Reflects personality 80% Price
63% Scent, fragrance 77% Safety
58% Safety 72% Low maintenance looks
57% Price 61% Scent, fragrance
51% Brand 58% Efficacy
48% Trendy, hip 56% Reflects personality
46% Low maintenance looks 51% Doctor recommended
44% Efficacy 35% Brand
34% Doctor recommended 30% Organic
20% Organic 28% Trendy, hip
From self-expression to
low maintenance
Compared to before, which brands do moms feel
best fit their personal care or beauty routine?
+61%
+26%
-40%
-48%
Before, during and after pregnancy I
have been committed to natural body
products for things that go on a lot of my
body OR in critical areas- like my lips.
-BabyCenter Mom
63% Reflects personality 80% Price
72% Low maintenance looks
57% Price
48% Trendy, hip 56% Reflects personality
46% Low maintenance looks
30% Organic
20% Organic 28% Trendy, hip

Importance of each
purchase criteria
THEN NOW
92% Design / look 95% Comfort
82% Self-expression 95% Price
82% Color choice 86% Versatility
77% Sex appeal 86% Ease of cleaning
65% Price 83% Durability
59% Head-turning 78% Design
59% Comfort 70% Color choice
54% Versatility 61% Self-expression
49% Durability 29% Sex appeal
46% Designer brand 25% Eco-friendly
From design to comfort
+93%
+45%
-43%
-44%
Compared to before, which brands do moms feel
reflect their personality?
After I had my second baby, I couldn’t
wait to cut my hair and put on some fun
clothes for date night with DH – was so
done with maternity wear!
-BabyCenter Mom
© BabyCenter LLC. Confidential. All rights reserved.Source: BabyCenter 21st Century Mom® Insight Series
92% Design / look 95% Comfort
82% Self-expression 95% Price
82% Color choice 86% Versatility
77% Sex appeal 86% Ease of cleaning

Spending to
support new
roles

Mom spends significantly more to
support new roles
+32%
+68%
+24%
+103%
+82%
PARTY
SUPPLIES
+42%
APPAREL
FURNITURE
VIDEO
GAMES
BABY
SUPPLIES
OFFICE
SUPPLIES
+96% HARDWARE/
SOFTWARE
+19%GIFT
CERTIFICATES
+48%PHOTO
PRINTING
© BabyCenter LLC. Confidential. All rights reserved.© BabyCenter LLC. Confidential. All rights reserved. #21CMom
Mom outspends
online
vs.
general population
Mom index online spending
compared to Gen pop

She also plans significant future
spending
Q: How much do you plan on spending in the next 12 months?
© BabyCenter LLC. Confidential. All rights reserved.© BabyCenter LLC. Confidential. All rights reserved. #21CMom
+
GENERAL
POPULATIONMOMS VS
GROCERIES
APPLIANCES
AUTO TRAVEL
FINANCE
HOME IMPROVEMENT
ELECTRONICS
$4,440
$4,820 $820
$7,410
$1,130
$340
$240
$3,460
$4,030 $650
$1,170
$370
$250
$170
Mom Gen pop

7x growth in usage
of social media
over past 5 years
Meet her sidekicks
Mom is a shopping super-hero
39% say their time
online is the most
peaceful time of
their day
40% have shopped
via a mobile browser
(+60% over gen pop)

Social and mobile are her key tools
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
When researching purchases, which do you generally use?
Q:
Gen pop Moms % Difference
Recommendations from
friends and family
Search engine
Manufacturer websites
Social media
recommendations
TV
Facebook updates from
brands I've liked
Blogs
+67%
+22%
+31%
+243%
-21%
+91%
+122%
+

© BabyCenter LLC. Confidential. All rights reserved. #21CMom17
The 2011 Shopping
Rituals of The 21st
Century Mom®

1RITUAL
She shops around
Mom knows options are only a click away
2RITUAL
She shops for sport
Mom has a passion for saving
3RITUAL
She reads the labels
Mom feels responsible for family health
4RITUAL
She demands convenience
Mom puts her money where her mouth is
5RITUAL
She enlists new help
Mom puts pixels and partners to work for her
6RITUAL
She expects more from retail
Mom embraces stores that cater to her
7RITUAL
She puts the calendar to work
Mom uses milestones to trigger purchases
What this means for you

RITUAL
She shops around
Mom knows options are only a click away
1

Social and mobile are her key tools
Q: How did you use or do you plan to use each of the
following resources throughout the shopping process?
Websites Retail stores Traditional media Mobile phone
AWARENESS PURCHASECONSIDERATION
Traditional Media
37%
22%
12% 9%
29%
18%
15%
Websites
49%
43%
63%
71%
56%
41%
34%
Retail Stores45%
23%
48%
55%
29%
25%
11%
Get product
IDEAS
Get product/brand
RECOMMENDATIONS
Compare
FEATURES
Compare
PRICES
Find COUPONS
or deals
Decide
WHERE to buy
Find
STORES
20
40
60
70%
50
30
10 Mobile Phone
20%
17%
16%
29%
22%
28%
21%
Websites
49%
43%
63%
71%
56%
41%
34%
Traditional Media
37%
22%
12% 9%
29%
18%
15%

Shopping online is mainstream
3 in 4 Shopped online past 30 days
(145 index)
2 in 3 Made an online purchase past 30
days (144 index)
1 in 2 Would do all shopping online
(151 index)
Let’s put it this way, I recycle A LOT of cardboard!!!
I do 90% of my shopping online, in the past 10 years I literally have
not shopped once in the stores at Christmas time, not ONCE!
-BabyCenter Mom

53%
48% 46%
29%
21%
Expert
parenting
websites
Retailer
websites
Parent-
focused social
networking
websites
Mainstream
social
networking
websites
Blogs
Web and social
are her recommendation engines
Q: Apart from talking live…where do you go to get product
reviews or recommendations from other parents?
53%
48% 46%
29%
21%

0
50
100
150
200 Airplane + Baby
Moms shop around for
travel
Preg
1
Preg
2
Preg
3
Preg
4
Preg
5
Preg
6
Preg
7
Preg
8
Preg
9
Birth 1
mo
2
mo
3
mo
4
mo
5
mo
6
mo
7
mo
8
mo
9
mo
10
mo
11
mo
12
mo
13
mo
14
mo
15
mo
16
mo
17
mo
18
mo
19
mo
20
mo
21
mo
22
mo
23
mo
24
mo
25
mo
26
mo
27
mo
28
mo
29
mo
30
mo
31
mo
32
mo
33
mo
34
mo
35
mo
36
mo
How soon a baby can travel by air? I was
booking a ticket and the airline won’t take infant
without date of birth. Anyone know how to get a
photo id for a newborn and how much time it
takes here in the US?
-BabyCenter Mom
Baby coming soon,
relatives flying in
Visit relatives as baby gets
older. Moms share advice
on flying with baby
Last free air travel at 2
years of age
The Facts:
83% always look for a deal for
travel
On average they use 4
different sources to research
Source: BabyCenter 21st Century Mom™ Talk Tracker, [Oct2011] Index is calculated based on average conversations
containing the term, among BabyCenter Community Birth Clubs, containing each term (or a variation of the term).
Search terms [Airplane and baby]

Moms shop in a wide
variety of places
83%
68%
46%
33%
12%
8%
63%
63%
30%
28%
9%
6%
Big box (e.g.
WalMart, Target)
Regional grocery
Wholesale clubs
Farmer’s market
Online
CSA Farms
Moms Gen pop
Q: Where have you bought groceries and household
supplies in the past month?
Fast Facts:
63% more likely to
shop at wholesale
clubs
32% more likely to
shop big box
retailers
+

Moms want to check
more off the list
Q:
When you shop for groceries at a store like WalMart or
Target, which of the following unplanned purchases are
you likely to make?

Shopping Mom Insight:
She shops around
Mom’s path to purchase has evolved
She’s using a variety of tools and services to
get the job done
Insight:
Plan digital, mobile and in-store
marketing as complementary
Execute programs that leverage each
medium’s ability to support moms’ needs and
behaviors
Action:

RITUAL
She shops for sport
Mom has a passion for saving
2

The coupon economy
3/4
Say the recession has changed the
way she shops
82% Use coupons to help with family
expenses (up from 64% in 2007)
83% Agree the changes that they have
made are largely permanent

Moms are hooked on daily deals
60%
Subscribe to one or more service
(e.g., Groupon, Living Social) with 9
avg number of deals/offers
purchased this year
84%
Agree “When I save money on a
shopping trip by using coupons, sales
or other deals, I feel like I won!”
36% Share daily deals through social
networks (124 index)

Mobile as deal maker
Moms Gen pop
30%
48%
65%
55%
62%
74%I have or would scan a
barcode at a grocery store
to save money
I have a barcode scanner
app downloaded on my
mobile phone
I look for discount codes/
coupons online/mobile
The Amazon app for iPhone is
amazing. I can scan things at a
store and see if they're less
expensive from Amazon. I
have saved a lot of money.
-BabyCenter Mom
The Facts:
83% more likely to look for
discounts on mobile
30% more likely to have a
barcode scanner
Q: Percentage who agree with each statement+

Moms will use bar codes for even low
ticket items
37%
34%
13%
12%
4%
28%
21%
11%
21%
19%
< $1 $2-$5 $5-$10 $10+
Wouldn’t
use
Q:
How much money would you need to save before
using your smartphone to scan a barcode to compare
prices and/or check for discounts?
The Facts:
71% of moms will
scan a barcode to
save $5 or less vs.
49% of gen pop
Moms Gen pop
+

She shops for sport
Saving builds social currency
Moms seek discounts and deals before
buying items big or small
Insight:
Lean into mom’s desire for the deal
Give her offers at unexpected times, in new
places; enable her to share with others;
reward her efforts to create loyalty
Action:

RITUAL
She reads the labels
Dr. Mom feels responsible for the wellness of
her family3

Eating healthy
52%
Prefer purchasing organic or natural
alternatives (162 index)
2X
More likely to be interested in or
subscribe to Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA)
We are enlisted military and only eat organic foods. We make sure to
buy what is in season and do not buy any sort of processed foods.
Our health is our top priority - so we make it work!
- BabyCenter Mom

Yogurt and hummus
replace chips & cookies
Q:
Please check all the foods that
you give your children that you
didn’t eat regularly as a child:
Q:
Which of the following would be
met with disapproval if you
brought them as “snack parent”?

Eco extends beyond pantry
Moms are more likely to consider impact of purchases
across categories
2X More likely to consider hybrid
vehicles after becoming a mom
2X
More likely to consider energy
efficiency important for electronics
after becoming a mom
1 in 3 Look for low VOC paints

She’s reading the labels
Above all, safety and wellness are
mom’s top priority
She’s willing to make trade-offs based on
price, effort and availability; she won’t skimp
on safety; peer opinions matter
Insight:
Make health and sustainability a
part of your message
Detail Dr. Mom with info & ingredients;
educate her on causes in support of
children’s health and safety
Action:

RITUAL
Mom will put her money where her mouth is
4

Despite pressure to save, many moms
don’t skimp on convenience
38% Willing to pay for online shipping for
convenience and time saving
30% Agree they will pay more for products if it
saves time and hassle
If we ever move, it had better be to someplace with good grocery
delivery, because I'm not sure I can live without online ordering!
- BabyCenter Mom
Source: Convenience packaging - Weatherchem Product Research
35%
Agree simplicity, multi-use and convenience
are the biggest priorities in the
technologies moms buy

Utility is her new luxury
36%
Agree they are more willing to pay for time
saving and convenience on travel since
having kids
41%
Moms say that cupholders are most
important to them when buying a new car
(only 36% said resale value)
80% Willing to pay more for “convenience
packaging”

She rewards brands that simplify her
life
Mom will pay more for convenience if it buys
her time
Insight:
Small things can make a huge
difference
Demonstrate that you get her needs by
focusing on convenience, ease of use and
time saving
Action:

RITUAL
Moms are putting pixels, platforms and
partners to work for her5

Online reviews and crowd-sourced
discount codes make it easier
73%
62%
44%
43%
50%
35%
Q: Percentage who have posted or read product
reviews/discounts online:
In the past 30 days, I
have read an online
product review
I have posted reviews of
different products/
services online
I tell others about deals I
have found online by
posting discount codes
online
The Facts:
70% more likely to
have read an online
product review in
last 30 days
BabyCenter 21 Century Mom® Insight Series
+
Moms Gen pop

Mobile makes it easier for you to shop
with friends
Q: What have you done using your mobile phone
while out shopping?
46%
34%
23%
19%
10%
8%
Called someone about
a product/service I was
shopping for
Texted a picture or video
of a product I was
considering
Texted a shopping
request/question
The Facts:
Moms are 3X
more likely to text
a picture of a
product while
shopping
+
Moms Gen pop

There’s a new guy in line
Increasingly, dads play equal or primary role in
purchasing across categories:
25%
spouse or
shared
Apparel26%
spouse or
shared
Groceries
Personal care
19%
spouse or
shared
Macro-Trend:
Male unemployment is higher
in dual working families for
the first time ever
My DH actually does most of our
grocery shopping. We sometimes
go together, but usually he goes
with our oldest son or takes both
of them while I am at school.
-BabyCenter Mom
Source: Unemployment – Bureau of Labor Statistics
Q: Who generally triggers or starts the shopping process?

Mom is outsourcing and delegating
parts of the purchase process
She is quick to embrace new services that
enable her to get the job done faster and
smarter
Insight:
Develop tools allowing her to easily
activate her network
She’ll reward you with increased brand
engagement and loyalty
Action:

RITUAL
She expects more
from retail
Mom embraces stores that cater to her6

Moms demand a personal shopping
experience
84%
65%
62%
51%
49%
67%
48%
17%
12%
32%
Able to easily find product
in store
Helpful sales
people/representatives
Child-friendly store
Changing tables in
restrooms
Seamless interchange
between website and
store
Q: How important are the following when shopping?
The Facts:
53% more likely to want
seamless interchange between
site and store
I was in Babies R Us and the price
of the gate that I wanted to
purchase was lower from the
website than it was in-store. So I
went on my phone and ordered
the gate with the "ship-to-store"
option, so that I could pick it up
while I was at the store. Saved
$10.
-BabyCenter Mom
+
Moms Gen pop

Moms respond to retail events
Shown up at a store
when it’s still dark out to
take advantage of deals
Planned shopping tips
across multiple
stores/sites to take
advantage of the best
sales
33%
39%
20%
25%
Q: What have you done as part of Black Friday
and/or Cyber Monday?
The Facts:
50% more likely to shop
in the dark
+
Moms Gen pop

She’s expecting more from retail
Moms expectations of retailers are
simple but not always obvious
Retailers that demonstrate an understanding of
her needs create loyalty
Insight:
Create an environment of hospitality
and convenience
She’ll reward you with more trips, more
aisles, and bigger baskets
Action:

RITUAL
7
She puts the calendar
to work
Mom uses milestones to trigger purchases

© BabyCenter LLC. Confidential. All rights reserved. #21CMom#21CMom
Milestones create peaks and
valleys in moms’ shopping
Source: 2011 comScore; % of Moms by child’s age buying online / category indexed against total Internet
INDEX ONLINE PURCHASING MOMS VS. GENERAL POPULATION
Pregnant
Less than
1 year old
1 to 2
year old
4 to 5
year old
6 to 8
year old
Apparel
Mobile phone
Music/movies/
video
+8%
+173% +48% +49% +98%
+82% +27% +32% +21%
–8%
–6%
+28% –30% +30% +40%
Apparel
Mobile phone
Music/movies/
video
Gen PopMOMS VS

0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Financial decisions
triggered by milestones
Preg
1
Preg
2
Preg
3
Preg
4
Preg
5
Preg
6
Preg
7
Preg
8
Preg
8
Birth 1
mo
2
mo
3
mo
4
mo
5
mo
6
mo
7
mo
8
mo
9
mo
10
mo
11
mo
12
mo
13
mo
14
mo
15
mo
16
mo
17
mo
Trying to understand
the cost of having a
baby and how it will
affect tax status
Settling in to new
spending habits
Are you guys opening up savings accounts for
your little ones? We want to but aren’t sure which
kind to go with – regular savings, CD, mutual fund
or education plan?
-BabyCenter Mom
Credit Card
The Facts:
34% of moms changed
financial services brands as
a result of becoming a mom
Major needs associated
with growing child
Source: BabyCenter 21st Century Mom™ Talk Tracker, [May 2011] Index is calculated based on average conversations
containing the term, among BabyCenter Community Birth Clubs, containing each term (or a variation of the term).
Search terms [Credit and Card]

She puts milestones to work
Purchase needs across categories
are driven by the developmental
stages of her family
Insight:
Ensure your messages resonate with
mom
Tailor your marketing to her specific lifestage
and needs
Action:

What have these rituals taught us?
Motherhood triggers change - from how she spends
her time and how she consumes media to how she
shops.
Her influence and purchase power is growing across
all categories – from Financial Services to Technology.
She’s empowered and charting new paths to the
register – innovating her own rituals with confidence.
Moms have become the leading indicator for the
future of shopping. Watch them…

Questions?
We’d love to hear from you.
Email solutions@babycenter.com
Marketing Manager
first.last@babycenter.com
(XXX) XXX-XXXX

BabyCenter Shopping Rituals of the American Mom Report

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