Mums Want To Reduce Anxiety When Shopping

New research examining the habits of mums when it comes to shopping, carried out jointly by Retail Week and research agency Discovery Research has detailed what mothers look for when approaching a retailer, with the purpose of helping brands better tailor their offers to this major consumer group.

One important thing retailers can do to ensure that mums enjoy shopping with them is to help them reduce stress. Mothers often feel worried, frustrated and broke, with many of those taking part in the study admitting that doing supermarket shopping with the kids is stressful. Being in a supermarket with children is often associated with dread and hesitance since children need to be constantly engaged, otherwise they get bored. Because of this, mothers look for shops that can help them eliminate stress, Joanne Geere, research director at Discovery Research, said.

Mothers want to save time, save money and reduce anxiety and that is why retailers should examine the way mothers interact with their brand and find ways to limit the stress they experience. Retailers could think of measures to make the shopping trip less exhausting for mums, like ways to keep children entertained, make sure that aisles are wide enough for push chairs and that all products are properly labelled and easy to find.

Mothers often feel guilt when they buy something for themselves and many think that children should come first. But we know that even a small treat makes a person happy, which means it is important for retailers to intervene and help ease this guilt. They, for instance, could provide ways for mothers to treat themselves and their kids simultaneously or in a way that will not cost much.

Retailers should also know that while technology matters to mums, it is not everything. They would be happy to use it only when it makes sense. For instance, they would not mind testing a new mobile game in a store but only if this helps to keep their children quiet, and they could also consider using price comparison apps.

Mothers cannot be classified as loyalty shoppers, either, since they are invariably looking for the best deals and most affordable prices. This trend is unlikely to fade away even as the economy picks up pace, the research revealed.