Online Sales: How Moms and Women Buy Online

The Internet has opened the entire world up to moms at the press of a button on their computer or Smartphone. Women and moms are flexing their buying muscles online. So, what are the purchasing habits in the online world?

Moms of today are more into technology than their older counterparts. But it bears mentioning that baby boomer moms are catching up in that department. While they are comfortable with surfing for information on the Web and listen to podcasts and watch videos, navigating social sites is still new to many of them.

According to the 21st Century Mom Report from BabyCenter, LLC, 91 percent of moms are using cellular phones as a way to manage their hectic lives. These same moms are almost 350 percent more likely to use their cell phone to access the Internet. This means managing banking accounts and also shopping.

It was just a matter of time before forays into the online world led to online purchases. It begins as surfing or participating on social sites and ends with shopping for deals on the things that moms need to care for their families.

According to Jupiter Media Metrix, women without children (about 63 percent) are more likely buy online with or without a sale. Only about 50 percent of moms would purchase the same types of items. It is more likely that moms would buy online when there was a sale going on for items they wanted or needed. The figure is around 41 percent.

Why? The report from BabyCenter, LLC reports that 85 percent of women say that having a child changes their spending criteria. Whereas extra money from the paycheck could be spent on personal stuff like a new wardrobe or vacations for one, now, there is another person to consider.

Of the moms surveyed for the report, 73 percent said that their purchasing criteria changed. As a woman without children, they may have shopped for quality and fashion with price coming in third overall. As a mom, items for their children require quality, safety and durability for an economical price. More criteria are taken into account when a child is considered.

Brands change too. Sixty-two percent of women changed the brands they used after becoming moms. Women without children are more likely to maintain brand loyalty according to Jupiter Media Metrix. For 20 percent of them, the brands reflect their personal style.

Whether a mom or a woman without children, you are using the Internet as a vehicle for making purchases. How much and what you buy is greatly influenced by whether or not you have children in your life.