The National Retail Federation (NRF), USA’s apex body of retailer associations, expects spending on this Mother’s Day (falling on May 14, 2017) to reach a record high of US$ 23.6 billion.

This insight was the result of National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics.

According to the survey, consumers are planning to spend on a variety of gifts and treats for their mothers -- from jewellery to fine dining.

“Mother’s Day shoppers are expected to spend an average of US$ 186.39 for the holiday, up from last year’s US$ 172.22,” NRF said in a press release on the survey. “With 85 per cent of consumers surveyed celebrating the holiday, total spending is expected to reach US$ 23.6 billion. That’s the highest number in the survey’s 14-year history, topping last year’s previous record of US$ 21.4 billion.”

The survey has also broken down the spending according to categories. It indicates that  consumers plan to spend US$ 5 billion on jewellery (purchased by 36 per cent of shoppers), US$ 4.2 billion on special outings such as dinner or brunch (56 per cent), US$ 2.6 billion on flowers (69 per cent), US$ 2.5 billion on gift cards (45 per cent), US$ 2.1 billion on clothing (37 percent), US$ 2 billion on consumer electronics (15 per cent) and US$ 1.9 billion on personal services such as a spa day (24 per cent).

“The overall increase is expected to be driven largely by spending on jewellery, which is up 19 per cent, and personal services, up 15 per cent,” NRF noted.

Experiential gifts – such as tickets to a concert or a ride on a hot air balloon – are also gaining in popularity: this year 28 per cent want to receive such a gift, compared with 24 per cent last year.

“With spring in full bloom, many Americans are looking forward to splurging on their mothers this Mother’s Day,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Retailers will be ready with a wide range of gift options and a variety of promotions for their customers."

 “Consumers are planning to open up their wallets a little bit more to celebrate the women with the most important jobs in the world on Mother’s Day,” Prosper Principal Analyst Pam Goodfellow said. “We will see older Millennials (25-34) spend the most, and younger consumers are putting their online shopping skills to good use to purchase their moms the perfect gift.”

When it comes to sourcing of gifts, there seems to be a fairly even spread with regards to where consumers will shop: the survey says 35 per cent of consumers will head to department stores and 31 per cent will shop at specialty stores such as florists, jewellers or electronics stores; while 24 per cent plan to shop at a local small business; meanwhile, 30 per cent will shop online (up from 27 per cent last year).

“Among smartphone owners, 34 per cent will research gift ideas on their phones while 19 per cent will use them to make a purchase,” the survey said.