Moms are Using Mobile Devices to Make Shopping Pay

The Team

Pressed for time and wanting to economize, today’s moms rely on mobile devices to streamline shopping and save money, says new study.

Today’s moms feel pressured by the need to watch spending and a lack of time to get everything done, and they’re going online for help, says a new eMarketer study titled “Mom Shoppers: Using Digital to Keep Their Heads Above Water.” Many are turning to mobile devices, especially their smartphones, to save time and money in their shopping quests. The study shares insights into the habits, preferences, and attitudes of mobile moms that markets can use to better reach them.

Moms are a powerful target audience that uses mobile in all phases of the shopping process, according to the study:

  • 37.5 million U.S. moms control $2.25 trillion in buying power

  • 64% own smartphones; 31% own tablets

  • 35% shop with mobile devices daily; 16% shop with them weekly

  • 52% like to receive text messages from selected retailers

  • 25% use smartphones to find local discounts; 21% use them to make shopping lists

Moms have grown so personally attached to their mobile devices, especially smartphones, that they can be easily annoyed by advertising they feel is too intrusive, says the study. It recommends that marketers be low-key when marketing to moms via mobile channels and use simple messaging that doesn't demand much of their phone time.

For more perspectives on the habits and mindsets of today’s moms, see the global study that we did with Starcom MediaVest Group titled "Brave New Moms: Navigating Technology's Impact on Family Time" and this infographic, “The Secrets to Engaging Digital Moms.”