US Consumers Spend $10.6B More on Mom than Dad
The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that US consumers expect to spend $33.5 billion on Mother’s Day in 2024. Compare that with the $22.9 billion spent on Father’s Day last year, and it’s clear which holiday is more popular. Check out our pricing strategy examples to see what all these billions are buying.
| Percent US Consumers Who Celebrate | Average Spend Per Person | |
| Mother’s Day | 84% | $254.04 |
| Father’s Day | 75% | $196.23 |
| Comparison | 9% more celebrate Mom | 29% higher spend on Mom |
Among US adults, 84% plan to celebrate Mother’s Day, with an average spend of $254.04 per person. Those aged 35-44 top out the average spending at $345.75.
Compare this to Father’s Day, with both a lower percentage who celebrate (75%) and a lower spend per person ($196.23). Now that we have a good understanding of the overall market, let’s explore some pricing strategy examples.
Mother’s Day Pricing Strategy Examples
The United States first set aside the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day when President Woodrow Wilson issued his 1914 proclamation. That’s 110 years of celebrating moms! These days, NRF reports that the most popular gifts to give Mom include the following 10 categories.
| Category | Percent Buying | Total Market Spend | Pricing Strategy Examples |
| Flowers | 74% | $3.2B | Walmart.com: Unlike a florist, Walmart offers a variety of budget options for bouquets and floral arrangements. Just about any customer can afford to add on $5 in flowers Price: $4.97-$134.99 |
| Greeting Cards | 74% | $1.1B | Lovepop: Increase spend on greeting cards by combining them with paper bouquets Price: $13-$25 |
| Special Outing | 59% | $5.9B | The Lempicka: “Treat Mom like royalty at Mother’s Day Brunch!” With optional, antique glazed platter by historic Rookwood Pottery brand Price: $140 per adult; $70 per child; $100 per Rookwood Pottery platter |
| Gift Cards | 51% | $3.2B | Bonus Cards: These 35 restaurants gift the giver a bonus to use themselves Price: Buy $50 in gift cards, get a $20 bonus, etc. |
| Clothing/Accessories | 43% | $3.0B | Kohls: Mother’s Day Gift Shop is organized by budget and advertises an extra 20% off. Price: $15 & Under; $25 & Under |
| Jewelry | 40% | $7.0B | See Insight to Action’s in-depth Pricing Strategy Examples in the jewelry industry. |
| Personal Service | 32% | $2.9B | Hand & Stone: Encourage customers to up their spend to earn a Free Facial Gift Card with Spa Package Purchase. Suggested “Mother’s Day Serenity Package” Price: $175+ spa package (compared to individual services priced $80-$170) |
| Housewares/Gardening Tools | 27% | $1.8B | Samsung: In a bold move, Samsung promotes its full-price Bespoke Jet AI vacuum cleaner for Mother’s Day, “She taught you how to clean your room and clean up after yourself, and probably did both for you at the end of the day. It’s time to return the favor and give mom something that makes cleaning a breeze” Price: $329.00-$999.99 (But the price doesn’t matter. Don’t buy this for your mom for Mother’s Day unless she specifically asked for it) |
| Books/CDs | 24% | $0.8B | Target: Features a “Gifts for Grandma” portal with books grandmas can share with the grandkids, like I Love You, Grandma board book. These are meaningful and inexpensive add-ons to a cart Price: $6.79-$12.67, but most will only ship with $35+ orders |
| Electronics | 21% | $3.5B | AT&T: This pricing strategy example is purely promotional. A Mother’s Day Gift Shop features “Best Deals for Mom,” with discounts on smart phones and 25% off “floral and functional cases” Price: Like with all phone carriers, it’s hard to tell, exactly! |
Let’s dig a little deeper on three Mother’s Day pricing strategy examples.
Lovepop greeting cards are premium, pop-up cards that are suitable for display. For Mother’s Day, this pricing strategy example invites customers to combine the greeting card, flower and home décor gift into one purchase. A bouquet card costs $15, and a suncatcher card is $13. Buy both together for $25.
Kohls’ pricing strategy example is quite smart. NRF research shows that the average spend per household on Clothing/Accessories for Mother’s Day is $22.75. The Mother’s Day Gift Shop helps customers easily browse gifts that are $15 & Under or $25 & Under.
Target brings Grandma into the Mother’s Day celebration by featuring her reading a book with her granddaughter right on the home page. The pricing on the board books is under $15 and is meant to inspire impulse-buys, like much of Target’s pricing strategy. And these options will help moms shopping for their moms feel like they found the perfect finishing touch to the Mother’s Day gift.
Father’s Day Pricing Strategy Examples
Although observed informally since 1916, the presidential proclamation naming Father’s Day as the third Sunday in June didn’t come about until 1966, from President Lyndon B. Johnson. It appears Father’s Day has been less popular from the start!
Perhaps one reason modern-day Father’s Day gets a diminished celebration compared to Mother’s Day is the “Dads and Grads” phenomenon. June is a popular month for graduation parties and open houses, and many brands promote a gift guide that doubles for fathers and graduates. Here’s an example from No Whey! Chocolate, where customers can order boxes of truffles priced at $19.95 for all the dads and grads in their lives.
NRF’s survey showed that 36% of US consumers planned on purchasing gifts for a high school or college graduate in 2023, with an average spend of $116.19. This double celebration can put a financial strain on households who are honoring both Dad and a grad in the same month. The average per-person spend on Dad is $196.23. We’ll see how consumers are spending that budget in these Father’s Day pricing strategy examples.
| Category | Percent Buying | Total Market Spend | Pricing Strategy Examples |
| Greeting Cards | 61% | $0.9B | Lovepop: Pop-up cards can be for Dad, too! The 3D Darth Vader wearing a “Best Dad in the Galaxy” foam finger is sure to be a hit on his desk at work. Price: $13-$34 |
| Clothing | 55% | $3.5B | RSVLTS: Dad-favorite designs on high-quality short-sleeve Oxford shirts command a price premium. Baseball greats, Spongebob, Marvel, WWE and more: a fun print for any dad Price: $70 |
| Special Outing | 52% | $4.4B | Delamere & Hopkins: Half-day Fly Fishing Schools introduce Dad to a new skill. This pricing strategy example shows the retailer’s goal of covering costs. Price: $195 per student in the group school, with a minimum of two students and maximum of five |
| Gift Cards | 48% | $2.8B | Mike’s Carwash: Carwashes are a high-margin service, so price promotions to encourage regular purchases are a good strategy. Price: Buy 4 Washes, Get 2 Free; $44-$116, depending on wash options |
| Personal Care | 32% | $1.7B | Check out Insight to Action’s Brand Strategy Example: Old Spice, Tigers & Krakens for a fine fragrance approach to drugstore brand prices |
With Greeting Cards and Clothing topping the list, the stereotype of giving Dad a card and a tie still seems to be thriving (although modern dads may prefer a novelty T-shirt over a tie). The top gift categories for Father’s Day are mostly practical, with the exception of the highest-spend category: Special Outing at $4.4B. Other popular categories to gift Dad include:
- Books/CDs
- Electronics
- Home Improvement/Gardening
- Sporting Goods
- Tools or Appliances
- Auto Accessories
Looking into the Special Outing pricing strategy example a little further, we can see that outdoor outfitter Delamere & Hopkins has a long-term goal of getting Dad hooked on fly fishing. Once he learns how at the Beginner School, he’ll want to kit up for trying on his own ($300-$500). And if he truly has found his new passion, he’ll want to cast out and catch a spot on the Belize Fly Fishing Trip (Price not listed on the website! No one needs to know how expensive this hobby gets over time).
Additionally, Delamere & Hopkins offer a private Beginner Fly Fishing workshop that might be perfect for all the dads in an extended family—grandpa, brothers, cousins, etc. It’s $450 to book one student, and additional students are $100. Just be careful, because next year, you might have to send them all to Belize.
What about Grandparents’ Day Pricing Strategy Examples?
Boomer and Gen X grandparents are more involved in their grandkids’ lives than previous generations, hosting family holiday gatherings, babysitting, or attending kids’ sports games and recitals. And 25% of adults 25-34 live in a multi-generational household.
In recent years, these trends have encouraged the observance of Grandparents’ Day on the first Sunday in September after Labor Day, although the day has roots in the Carter administration:
“A presidential proclamation on September 6, 1979, made this day official – it designated Sunday, September 9, 1979, (being the ‘first Sunday of September following Labor Day’) as National Grandparents Day.”
In 2024, Grandparents’ Day is September 8. The most popular gifts for grandparents prioritize gatherings and activities over material objects. Pricing strategy examples for brands aspiring to success with Grandparents’ Day might include:
- Mindware: Interactive craft kits for grandkids and grandparents to do together, i.e., Paint Your Own Porcelain Vases or Make Your Own Ladybug Wind Spinner. Pricing Strategy: Kits are sorted by “Best-selling” to show that they are popular and priced from $8.95 to $29.95 to fit many attention spans, interests and budgets.
- Raddish Kids: A monthly cooking club to help teach kids culinary skills. These are fun meal kits the whole family will enjoy creating. Pricing Strategy: This is sold as a club with a subscription model instead of a one-off experience. Ideally, the experience will extend beyond Grandparents’ Day to months of enjoyment. Starts at $23.95/mo, with options to add a sibling for $5/mo.
- Shutterfly: Photo gifts, like custom storybooks or tote bags. Pricing Strategy: Regular 50% sales of various categories, 20% off coupon for text notifications and free gifts, like a mini photo album
For many brands, Gift Giver is an important customer segment, and sometimes more difficult to reach than a core segment that uses the product or service. These pricing strategy examples for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Grandparents’ Day should help you better understand US consumers’ motivations, budgets and goals for their gift-giving around these holidays. Visit Insight to Action’s Pricing Strategy Resources for more articles. Get to know our experts at one of our Office Hours events. And Contact Us for strategy surrounding pricing, positioning, customer segmentation and more.
Also, allow me a personal suggestion. If you’re fortunate enough to have your dad, maybe take him out for a nice dinner this year for Father’s Day.
