TOTSY Announces First Annual Moms' Shopping Trends Report: National Survey on How Moms Shop

NEW YORK, March 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TOTSY (http://www.totsy.com), the private sale site exclusively dedicated to delivering deals on coveted must-haves for parents, babies and kids, has announced the first annual Mom Shopping Trends Report, the independently gathered nationally representative survey results of moms' shopping habits. Generational comparisons were made across Baby Boomers and Generations X and Y on the following topics:

• The impact of the recovering economy
• The emotions behind their purchases
• A comparison between online and retail shopping
• How seasons and holidays play into spending

The impact of the recovering economy:

Almost 80 percent of respondents note the recession permanently altered their shopping habits, inducing overall cuts in spending by purchasing items on sale and using coupons. Price, quality and value are noted as the most significant factors in determining purchasing decisions. More specifically, Boomers' purchases are driven most by the overall value of a product while younger moms focus on low prices. Though moms are most likely to reduce spending on travel, beauty products and entertainment, they continue to spend on special occasions, most often splurging on winter holidays and birthdays.

The emotions behind their purchases:

One in four moms compare finding a good deal to the emotional value of guiltless chocolate or a special night with a significant other. Almost 94 percent of moms admit to buying 'feel good' purchases for themselves at least a few times a year, with the most popular item being clothing, followed by sweet treats and accessories. When searching for referrals to feel confident in their purchases, moms from Generation X and Y turn to online research and social media while Boomers rely on traditional media and in-store tactics.  

The rising trend of sales sites:

86 percent of moms having purchased items from online sale sites and 32 percent of moms place this category in their top three cost saving strategies. Moms from Generation X and Y are most likely to refer friends or families to their favorite online private sale sites. One in two moms even shop online with their children, letting them choose the items they want and familiarizing their children to online shopping early on.

How seasons and holidays play into spending:

Moms also responded to questions about their shopping routines in relation to winter holidays, Mother's and Father's Day, spring cleaning, summer holidays and back to school. Back to school shopping is universal among moms, with 63 percent buying new items even when their child doesn't need them. Overall, toys are still the most popular category of gift giving as kids are most likely to receive toys as presents from both their parents and other people. Most moms designate spring cleaning a tradition and are concerned about the chemicals in the products they use. Almost three out of four moms purchase products labeled organic or natural.

"We're excited to introduce the first annual Mom Shopping Trends Report and thank BSM Media for their hard work in producing this report," said Guillaume Gauthereau, TOTSY co-founder and CEO. "While delving into the attitudes and dispositions of a shopping mom can be a difficult task, this survey provides us with insight on how current trends and generational considerations impact the way moms make purchasing decisions," adds Gauthereau.

"This research has provided us with a clear view of how different moms have differing styles of shopping and communicating," said Maria Bailey, CEO of BSM Media. "Moms are amongst the most critical and lucrative audiences for the online retail market and these surveys demonstrate how a 'one size fits all' approach will never work for this diverse demographic," adds Bailey.

For more information, please contact [email protected].

Source: BSM Media surveyed 1855 moms from February 22 –March 11, 2011, offering six survey participants a chance to win $25 and two survey participants a chance to win $50 in TOTSY credit. Two surveys were provided, the first survey including questions regarding the impact of the recovering economy, the emotions behind Mom's purchases and how shopping patterns differ by generations of moms. The second survey included questions regarding the rising trend of sales sites and how seasons and holidays play into spending.

About TOTSY

Headquartered in New York, TOTSY is a privately held company dedicated to providing its members with access to coveted and essential products and brands designed for expecting moms, parents, babies and kids at sample sale prices. Shopping events are designer-specific and held over a 72 hour period. Membership is free of charge and by invitation only. For more information, please visit http://www.totsy.com.

SOURCE TOTSY