Dads don’t necessarily want that expensive wristwatch or cashmere sweater for Father’s Day. A home-cooked meal or heart-felt card will do the trick.
In fact, one-third of all fathers picked a greeting card as the No. 1 present they hoped to receive on June 18, according to the Father’s Day Shopping Survey released last week by Discover Card.
The findings showed that a nice meal—home cooked or at a restaurant—gift cards and sports equipment topped the list.
The survey also found that:
- A meal out at a restaurant (24%) was the second most-popular gift among dads this year.
- A gift card or gift certificate topped the list as the third-most popular gift at 15%.
- Food and cooking was also a popular choice, with 14% saying they would like a home-cooked meal, tied with sports or hobby equipment.
“Less is more when it comes to dad, as our survey reveals he appreciates the simple things in life,” Margo Georgiadis, executive VP and CMO of Discover Financial Services, said in a statement.
The survey also found that dads don’t fare quite as well as moms do on Mother’s Day. Respondents admitted to spending an average $31 on dads, as opposed to the average $41 on moms. Likewise, wives plan to spend an average $43 on their husbands for June 18, while husbands said they would spend around $63 for their wives on Mother’s Day.
“Time off” topped the list for moms, with more than 25% of those surveyed in May saying they would like a break from their families on Mother’s Day, compared to just 7% of dads who reported wanting a “day off” this Father’s Day.
The survey said that 41% of respondents were more likely to buy a present for their own dad on Father’s Day this year as they were for their father-in-law (14%). Nearly 90% of both mothers and fathers said they wouldn’t dream of exchanging, returning or “re-gifting” the gifts they receive on their special days.
For promotion marketers, the news looks good too. Promotions and special sales will have a distinct impact on how much people will spend on Father’s Day.
Some 29% of respondents said that special sale days or markdowns offered by retailers would make them “much more likely to spend more.” Among this group, women (39%) are more likely to spend more on dad during a sale than men (19%).
Coupons or rebates would persuade 26% of all shoppers to spend more on Father’s Day, while free shipping for online purchases would convince 22% to spend more. While most respondents will purchase gifts at “brick and mortar” stores (86%), nearly a quarter of those buying for dad this year (or 22%) said they will make their purchases online. Only 4% intend on using a catalog for their Father’s Day shopping.
Nearly one in five consumers (17%) said they would purchase gifts within one to two days of Father’s Day, while only 2 percent said that they would hit the stores looking for gifts on Father’s Day itself.
The Father’s Day Shopping Survey was conducted online with a total of 1,000 nationally representative adults (500 males and 500 females). The research was conducted from April 12-19, 2006 by Creative & Response Research Services, Inc.
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