mothers day 2013, mother's day retail

What are your customers buying for Mom this year? MediaPost reports that while consumer spending is projected to rise this year (according to The National Retail Federation), what most moms really want is a homemade gift from the kids.

But that’s not something you can sell, so retailers, restaurateurs and others will be happy to hear the NRF predicts consumers will spend an average of $168.94 on Mom this year, up 11 percent from last year’s average of $152.52.

The most popular gift? One-third plan to buy jewelry, but electronics devices, especially iPads, are also near the top of the list with over 15 percent planning to buy them. Good news for florists and restaurateurs: Meals out and flowers are also popular, as always.

More consumers are planning to chip in for group gifts this year, indicating that budget concerns are still an issue. In fact, 23 percent of moms expect their family will spend nothing on them this year–maybe because all they really wanted was that homemade card.