Mother's Day is On May 14th this year. According to per capita data from The National Retail Federation, 3.7 million adult consumers in the Philadelphia area plan to celebrate the occasion.

Between now and that special Sunday in May, the NRF expects a record $751.9 million to be spent in Philadelphia to honor all the different moms in consumers' lives. Of those celebrating Mother’s Day, most (57%) are purchasing gifts for a mother or stepmother, followed by a wife (23%) or daughter (12%).

Comparatively speaking, Philadelphia area consumers will spend 12.6% more to celebrate Monther's Day this year than they did in 2022, which was also a record year.

“Mother’s Day provides Americans with an opportunity to honor important women in their lives,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “As people make plans to celebrate this year, retailers are prepared to help shoppers find gifts of appreciation and admiration for those they want to recognize on this special day.”

Almost half of all Mother's Day spending in the Philadelphia area will fall into three categories:

1. Jewelry: $164,270,763
2. Special Outing: $117,937,983
3. Electronics: $84,241,417

The other half of Mother's Day spending includes purchases of gift cards, clothing, flowers, personal services, housewares, books, and greeting cards.

The challenge for Philadelphia area retailers, however, is keeping a significant share of these Mother's Day dollars in local cash registers and out of the coffers of online sellers and department stores. Right now, according to the NRF, those two retail channels will gobble up almost 68% of all spending.

To earn a larger share of Mother's Day spending, local small business owners will need to advertise to convince Philadelphia consumers of the benefits of buying from local companies.  By almost every marketing metric, the best way to advertise is on Philadelphia radio.

Eighty-four percent of all adults say they will celebrate Mother's Day in 2022. Based on per capita forecasts from the National Retail Federation (NRF), Delaware Valley consumers are expected to spend $528 million on the moms in their lives. This is a 13% increase over last year.

“Consumers are eager to find memorable ways to honor their mothers and other important women in their lives and are willing to spend a little extra on this sentimental holiday,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.

The NRF spending projections indicate that Philadelphia consumers will spend $116.2 million on jewelry and another $87.9 million on special outings such as dinner or brunch. This will be the highest level of Mother's Day spending ever in these categories.

Here is how this large pool of Mother's Day cash in Philadelphia is expected to be distributed by all retail categories.

The NRF research indicates that men will outspend women 3-to-1 this year on Mother's Day gifts. Most of these dollars will go towards presents for their moms, stepmoms, and wives.

Of all the money spent, Philadelphia consumers are expected to spend 36% online, 30% at department stores, 27% at specialty stores, and 23% at local small businesses.

To compete for a share of record-high Mother's Day spending this year, local business owners will need to advertise. By most key marketing metrics, the best way to reach holiday shoppers is by advertising on Philadelphia radio.

There are 2,218,500 adult women in the Delaware Valley. Based on research from the Harvard Business Review, as a consumer group, females account for 70-80 percent of all consumer purchasing through a combination of their buying power and influence.  According to Nielsen, this will amount to between $74.4 billion and $85 billion this year.

Overall, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the US Census Bureau:

• Single women across all income brackets spend, on average, $34,817 on goods and service
• Working married women contribute over a third of their families’ incomes
• Over a quarter (29.4%) of wives earned more than their husbands in 2018, an increase from 15.9% in 1981.

Furthermore, according to research published by Forbes:

• The top homebuyers after married couples are single women (18%, double the percentage for single men at 9%).
• Women are 50% more likely than men to regularly watch online how-to videos.
• 94% of women between the ages of 15-35 spend over an hour per day shopping online.
• 70% of travel consumers are women.
• 85% of women say that if they like a brand, they will remain loyal to it.

For Philadelphia  area small business owners to successfully capture a meaningful share of the local female economy requires advertising.

How quickly the millennials have grown up.

According to Nielsen, half of all Delaware Valley parents with children under the age of 18 are millennials.  

From the time their kids are born until they reach they are 17, these young parents will  spend, on average, $233,000 per child. This does not include the cost of college.

Currently, there are 1,162,996 children under the age of 18 living in the Philadelphia area. That makes the local parenting economy worth upwards of $270 billion. These dollars are being spent, among other things, on diapers, daycare, transportation, toys, education, electronics, clothing, and health care.

For Delaware Valley small business owners interested in competing for a substantial portion of this multi-billion dollar pool of parental cash, they must advertise to millennial moms and dads. By almost any measurement, advertising on Philadelphia radio is the best way to reach this audience.

Advertising is critical to the success of every Delaware Valley small business owner.  One of the most powerful elements of any advertising campaign is how many people it reaches.

Nielsen, the world's largest consumer insights company, found that advertising reach has a more significant effect on sales than branding, recency, and context.

There are many ways a local business owner can advertise. This includes traditional media like Philadelphia radio, local TV, and newspaper. It also includes online advertising options such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pandora.

They type of customer an individual business needs to reach depends on the goods and services the company sells. For instance, a daycare operator might want to reach households with young children. On the other hand, a real estate agent could be looking for consumers in the market to purchase a new home.

Advertising on Philadelphia radio stations is the best way for small business owners to reach the lucrative, local mother market in the Delaware Valley. Here's why.

Local consumers will spend $93 billion over the next 12 months. Forbes magazine reports that it is moms who control 85% of all household purchases. Locally,  there are more than 583,416 mothers with children under the age of 17 at home.

Delaware Valley small business owners need to pay special attention to these mothers and their wallets. For example, compared to the general population, over the next 12 months, local moms live in households that are

• 32% more likely to get married
• 36% more likely to buy a major appliance
• 39% more likely to purchase carpet/flooring
• 45% more likely to buy a new mattress
• 52% more likely to buy a new vehicle
• 56% more likely to move
• 95% more likely to buy new furniture
• 97% more likely to buy a smartphone
• 101% more likely to refinance a mortgage