Mother’s Day Gift Dilemma - WWMD (What Would Mom Do)?

Times have evolved from analog to digital for everyone except my mom. Even my grandmother is more technologically-savvy than my mother. Sorry mom. A string of usually charming emoticons and abbreviations simply won’t do the trick when speaking to my mom. HSIK what 2 get mom 4 Mother’s Day? WWMD?! How can I begin to thank her for everything she’s done, in a language we both understand?

Step One - WWGD? (What Would Google Do?)
Let me consult the “database of intentions” for this daunting task. What gift ideas are other kids coming up with? Looks like traditional gifts are still the go-to this year. That’s good. I haven’t lost hope on winning the best daughter of all-time award. I’m going to dive into each traditional Mother’s Day gift category to see how I can secure my win. Here is what I found:

Gifts 
Trending searches: gift(s), gift baskets, gift ideas.

Maybe. Let me see what else is out there.

Electronics
Trending searches: ipod, camera, kindle.

Well this is for the moms with the technological gene. I know there are a lot out there, but this type of gift would not be well received by my mother. Moving on...

Flowers
Trending searches: beautiful flowers, florist, roses.

I love getting mom flowers, but I did this last year. What about a nice Spring outfit?

Apparel
Trending searches: dress(es), clothes, skirt.

That is a possibility, but how about something that sparkles?

Jewelry
Trending searches: jewelry store(s), gold jewelry, silver jewelry.

“Ding”! Or should I say, “Bling”! I’ll throw in an “LOL”, or a “mmk” for my horrible joke. I THINK I have found the way to my mom’s heart.

Step Two - To buy online, or to buy in-store... that is the question 
For me, buying online is easiest because I have to ship my gift anyway. For the rest of the population, this can be a tricky situation depending on the category. Last year, in-store sales peaked on Saturday, 24 hours before Mother’s Day (hello last minute shoppers), and online sales peaked on the Tuesday before Mother’s Day.

For Jewelry, there are similar findings; however, there are more dramatic spend increases as Mother’s Day approaches.

Step Three: Where Should I Buy My Mother’s Day Gift? 
Easy! I’m a brand loyalist, so I have my favorites. I know, I know... Mom taught me not to play favorites, but it sure is convenient and comforting to use my stored payment information and know exactly what I’m getting. But that’s just me; other shoppers might be more price-sensitive and opt for the “deal” factor. To ensure a conversion, a retailer should touch on as many attributes as possible when choosing the appropriate advertising messaging.

Step Four: Give My Mom the Perfect Gift & Collect My “Favorite Daughter” Trophy
Stay tuned for the reaction to my awesome gift.

Happy Mother’s Day from the Google Retail Team!


Posted by Keri Overman, The Google Retail Team