It seems like Mother’s Day just happened, and now it’s time to honor dads. If you’re the procrastinating type, you have until Sunday to get your act together to find a gift for Dear Old Dad.
It can be difficult to shop for fathers, many of whom simply prefer to go out and get what they need or want, when they want it. And while moms and dads both treasure hand-made gifts when their children are young, you can only pull off popsicle stick art until a certain age.
Is he a master of the grill like Hank Hill? How about some propane or propane accessories? Does dad have a distinctive style? Maybe a tie or other gift for the closet would be a good choice for him. Is he hitting the links? How about a few extra golf balls, perhaps monogrammed with his initials?
PriceGrabber analyzed trends in Father’s Day gift buying this year by surveying 4,450 online shoppers between April 10 and 23. The survey found that the majority (70%) of consumers share the love equally between spending on gifts for moms and dads. Gifts don’t have to break the bank, and most parents would prefer it that way. More than half of surveyed consumers said they plan to spend less than $100.
Surveyed participants ranked their gift choices for fathers as follows:
- 41% practical gifts: tools, auto accessories, appliances
- 23% hobby gifts: sporting goods
- 21% entertainment gifts: electronics, music, video games, movies
- 21% clothing and accessories: wallets, ties, shoes, etc.
- 15% outdoor items: barbeque tools or patio furniture
- 18% tech gifts: computers, tablets, smart phones, cameras
In the tech gift category, 48% plan to purchase a tablet for their fathers, 23% are spending on a smartphone, 20% are buying a computer, 13% on a camera and 12% plan to buy a television.
Not included in the primary list, but new to the survey this year, consumers are increasingly purchasing experiential gifts using daily deal sites such as Groupon or LivingSocial. Restaurants, hotel stays, and travel deals are gaining popularity.
With a keen interest on how consumers are shopping, the study estimates that 56% of participants will shop for Father’s Day gifts online, only 36% will venture into stores, and 2% plan to make online purchases using their smart phones.
-Follow Elise Rambaud Marrion, @emarrion_cmn.
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