Study: The top drivers of Mother’s Day purchases are…
Quality still matters when it comes to buying Mother’s Day gifts.
Quality is the top driver of gift choice, selected by 51% of shoppers, according to a report by marketing technology company Optimove. Price and personalization follow, 18% and 22% respectively. Brands that lead with quality messaging while delivering personally relevant offers are best positioned to win, the report noted.
Optimove’s 2026 Mother’s Day Shopping Report, based on a March/April 2026 survey of 648 U.S. consumers with household incomes of $75,000 or more, shows that Mother's Day shoppers begin with strong intent. Eighty percent (80%) say they usually or always decide where they will shop before they begin, but that intent is not commitment as consumers actively research, compare, and remain open to discovery throughout the journey.
In other findings, 49% of shoppers now use AI tools to discover gift ideas, and 64% say they are likely or very likely to purchase from a new or unfamiliar online merchant.
“The data presents a clear dual challenge: Brands must protect the customers they already have while capturing shoppers who are actively open to trying someone new. In a market this fluid, standing still is not an option,” the report stated.
Additional insights from the Optimove study are below.
•Relevance and personalization drive attention more than discounts. When asked what makes marketing messages stand out, 36% of shoppers cited relevance and 34% cited personalization, far ahead of discounts alone at 14%.
•Price accelerates purchase timing. 80% of shoppers say an early sale would motivate them to buy right away, giving brands a powerful tool to pull conversions forward — but only when the offer already feels relevant.
•Eighty-one percent 81% check prices on mobile while in stores.
"Mother's Day is both a retention moment and an acquisition moment," said Pini Yakuel, CEO of Optimove, which specializes in customer engagement and retention strategies for B2C businesses. "The brands that win will be the ones that can read the signals in real time, knowing when a loyal customer needs to be reminded why they chose you, and when a new shopper is close enough to convert if you show up with the right message at the right moment."
