ut making price the only differentiator. Mumpower, Australia’s longest-running mum-focused marketing agency, surveyed 406 mums and found that many are approaching the promotional period with clear spending priorities. Some 58 per cent said they were holding off buying gifts until major sales, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday, to purchase planned items at discounted prices. Meanwhile, 44 per cent were spending less this Christmas because of living costs. For retailers, this points towards competition for considered purchases rather than indiscriminate festive spending. The pressure is not distributed evenly across the Christmas basket, with 41 per cent of respondents prioritising children while cutting adult gifts, entertaining and personal treats. Another 28 per cent indicated they were focusing on practical gifts, including clothing, school supplies and essential technology. This peak season, Nicholas encourages retailers to show how their products meet families’ needs rather than rely on festive demand to drive sales. Win consideration before discounts begin Nicholas described shoppers who have already narrowed their options before the promotional rush begins. “Right now, her carts are open and her research is done,” she said. “She’s tracked prices, narrowed down her shortlist and is paying close attention to algorithmic feeds,” she explained. For retailers, that makes early consideration commercially important. Product information and relevant recommendations should help shoppers establish preferences before competing offers arrive, rather than merely announce another discount. “Single touchpoint advertising simply won’t convert her; she needs to see your brand repeatedly across channels before she commits,” Nicholas explained. The implication is not simply to advertise more, but to make each interaction useful. Clear explanations of suitability, quality and practical benefits can reinforce the purchase case, giving shoppers reasons to remember a retailer beyond the size of its advertised discount. Trust also complicates the assumption that the deepest discount automatically wins the family shopper. In another Mumpower survey of 2391 parents, 59 per cent rated price and trust equally, while 40 per cent preferred paying more for a trusted brand over an unfamiliar alternative. Surprisingly, only 1 per cent prioritised price over trust. Mumpower’s findings suggest reassurance and affordability should work together, rather than retailers blindly treating brand confidence as a substitute for deep discounts and competitive pricing. Make the final purchase effortless But Nicholas cautioned against competing through undifferentiated promotions alone. “Customers don’t notice ‘vanilla’ brands and discount wars are a race to the bottom,” she said. For retailers, the challenge is to articulate a specific reason to choose their brand. Demonstrating durability, suitability or dependable service can give a promotion substance. The discount then becomes an incentive to complete an already considered purchase. “When a mum walks into your store, she is ready to buy, but if stock is buried or staff are indifferent, she walks out,” Nicholas stated. That warning should put product visibility and attentive service firmly on the commercial agenda. Online, retailers can apply the same scrutiny to availability, product information and checkout, removing avoidable obstacles between a considered purchase and a completed transaction. The broader opportunity for retailers this Black Friday is to respect the trade-offs families are making. Mumpower found 24 per cent were shopping months ahead to spread costs, while 27 per cent were maintaining spending but buying fewer, higher quality items. Winning these shoppers does not necessarily mean encouraging larger baskets; it means earning a place within deliberate household decisions. Further reading: The death of the traditional Black Friday: how retailers can adapt