Dads’ Shopping Habits Motivated by Convenience

Dads’ Shopping Habits Motivated by Convenience

If you’re trying to tighten up your household budget, you may want to tap dad’s technology savvy to help find ways to save, but keep him away from doing the actual purchasing.

New research suggests that dads are willing to spend more money when buying food and household goods if doing so will save them time. However, dads seem more adept at using technology to scour for the best deals.

In honor of the approaching Father’s Day, marketing and consumer engagement company Valassis unveiled data from their recent 2K19 Coupon Intelligence Report that looked at the shopping habits of the nation’s dads compared with those of moms when buying consumer packaged goods. To glean the data, Valassis surveyed 1,000 adults representing different demographic groups.

For dads, convenience rules the day, with 70% of respondents willing to pay more for goods if they can get the shopping done more quickly. Not only that, but in the past year, 65% of dads shopped more frequently at stores that offer services that make shopping more convenient, such as delivery and pickup options.

For dads, convenience, comparison pricing are key

Fathers also appear to look to the internet for convenience, as they are more likely to shop online rather than take the time to travel to a brick-and-mortar store. In fact, half of dads (51%) do all of their shopping online while only 31% of moms do. Dads are also using the internet to cut down on their time browsing in stores. Among respondents, 40% of fathers said they bought groceries online and picked them up at least once a week. In comparison, only 21% of mothers used the internet on a weekly basis to shop in advance for groceries.

While fathers seemingly want to make the shopping experience as easy as possible, many are still willing to look for a good deal in the process. Most — 97% — said they would shop at multiple stores in order to get the best price, and 65% of dads shopped more frequently at retailers other than their primary store in the last year because of better advertised deals.

Dads are also turning to technology to help them save money. In fact, 90% of respondents check stores’ mobile savings apps to help them decide where they should shop. Nearly two thirds — 65% — of dads always or very often choose a store to shop at based on whether they can use paperless discounts, such as digital coupons.

“Whether shopping online or in-store, our data shows that dads are receptive to incorporating new, digital solutions into their shopping trips, especially if they lead to an increased level of convenience and savings,” said Julie Companey, a director at Valassis in the June press release.

Taking the time to plot out a shopping strategy can not only save you time, but it can save you money as well. If you prefer to shop online, plug-ins and apps can help you compare prices, find coupons and in some cases, offer cash back or rebates. Credit cards that offer cash back for grocery shopping can also save families a lot of money provided you pay the entire balance each month so you don’t end up spending your savings on interest.