Study: Handbags, purses, personalization top Mother’s Day

While handbags and purses have historically been considered a “risky gift,” times are a’ changin.’



In fact, handbags and purses were the most popular gift for Mother’s Day 2017, representing six of the top 10 gifts for the holiday. Overall, the accessories category led the top gifts purchased for Mother’s Day, according to data from Loop Commerce. Results were based on sales made on the company’s GiftNow platform.



While handbags and purses have historically been considered a “risky gift” given price points and personal preferences, the tide is turning. Loop Commerce’s GiftNow platform enables consumers to purchase a specific e-gift and have it digitally delivered to the recipient. Once they receive it, the recipient can select a size and color, or exchange the gift before it is actually shipped. Lily Pulitzer, Vera Bradley, Coach, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s and Neiman Marcus are among the retailers using the tool.



“In offering consumers the ability to send a gift up until the very last minute, retailers are adapting to the needs of their consumers, creating the seamless experience shoppers have come to demand,” said Roy Erez, CEO and co-founder of Loop Commerce.



Apparel, health and beauty, and footwear categories followed accessories for in-demand Mother’s Day gifts. The apparel category was led by outerwear and active wear, followed by the health and beauty category, with products like fragrances and cosmetics. These product insights demonstrate what shoppers actually prefer to buy as Mother’s Day gifts when given the choice and flexibility of buying merchandize without the risk and associated barriers, Loop Commerce reported.



Women represented 62% of the gift senders this Mother’s Day, but men spent 42% more than women buying gifts this Mother’s Day season. Mothers who received gifts from GiftNow made the most of their experience — 28% utilized the service to customize their gift by changing size or color.



Meanwhile, 64% of all gift recipients accepted their e-gifts “as-is.” Only 8% exchanged their gift to select something different, which suggests that gift senders were very successful in selecting a thoughtful, personal gift using the GiftNow service.



Fifty-four percent (54%) of gifts purchased on Loop’s GiftNow platform were sent to a recipients greater than 50 miles from the sender. Interestingly, 62% of women sent a Mother’s Day gift to a recipient greater than 50 miles away, as compared to only 40% of men.



Mobile device usage grew for both browsing and buying gifts. Specifically, 76% of consumers browsing online used their mobile devices (handheld and tablets combined), versus 24% browsing on desktop. While the majority of online purchases are still made using desktops, transactions on mobile devices grew to represent 40% of transactions made on the platform during the Mother’s Day season.



And not everyone was prepared with a gift for Mom. Over 44% of total Mother’s Day gifts sent using the GiftNow platform were purchased by procrastinators. These last-minute gifts were purchased two days before the holiday, when on time shipping is impossible for most retailers. Conversely, 27% of gifts were purchased over the past 30 days and scheduled in advance for digital delivery on Mother’s Day with GiftNow.