A recent survey conducted by FanFinders has compared the lives and purchasing habits of mums in the UK and the United States.
The survey data, which was collected from over 7,000 mums in the Your Baby Club UK and Your Baby Club US networks, reveals evolving consumer behaviours and shifting priorities since the pandemic started.
Commenting is Alec Dobbie, CEO of FanFinders, the leading supplier of first-party opt-in data in the UK baby market. “With lockdown restrictions easing at different rates, understanding what has been driving mums’ purchasing during the pandemic is crucial intelligence for the market.
“As we’ve seen with the spike in ecommerce, more insights into what methods consumers are using to buy and what the biggest influences are can help brands and retailers shape their approach over the coming months.”
The surge in online sales during lockdown is well-documented and the survey results suggest this isn’t changing anytime soon.
Over a third of mums in both the UK (35%) and U.S. (33%) have made between four and seven online purchases over the past month. Whilst stores were closed, where mums have been buying products online also makes for some interesting comparisons.
In both the UK and the U.S., Amazon has been the dominant destination; garnering 58% and 73% of mums in the respective countries. However, mums in the UK have been spending more with high street retailers (28%) and local independent options (13%).
The biggest difference comes with the use of second-hand online marketplaces. Mums in the U.S. are 71% more likely to purchase products from somewhere like Facebook than their UK counterparts.
When it comes to purchases, over 75% of mums in both the UK and the U.S. consider price/value most important.
Also, more than a quarter of mums in both countries are likely to buy from an unfamiliar brand during this uncertain period. From there, it’s a tale of contrasts. UK mums consider recommendations (49%) the most important influencer. U.S. mums (53%), meanwhile, rate online reviews highest.
When asked what they want to see from brands during this period, UK mums wanted to see more ‘loyalty rewards’, ‘discount for online purchases’ and ‘giveaways or competitions’. For mums in the U.S., the focus was on ‘easier access to online shipping’, ‘longer-term incentives’ and for companies to ‘demonstrate improvement’.
While over half of mums in both the UK and the U.S. say they are spending less overall on shopping, 57% in the U.S. have been bulk-buying groceries. This is in comparison with just 36% of UK mums.
Other notable differences come from perspectives on toys and gender.
When asked about priority purchases, U.S. mums ranked toys as more important than TV/entertainment. Furthermore, a whole third of U.S. mums are buying more toys during this period. This is in contrast with just a fifth of UK mums.
Beyond that, 48% of U.S. mums have chosen to buy gender-specific baby toys and clothing. This is against only a third of UK mums.
For further information on FanFinders, please click here.
