Consistency is key when it comes to shopping for dad this Father’s Day. Similar to last year’s findings, a dinner out, a homemade gift and gift cards are the top items dads hope to receive this Father’s Day, according to the annual Discover® Card Father’s Day Shopping Survey. Gift givers intend to spend $2.50 more ($69.70) than what they spent in 2007 ($67.20).
“The Discover Card Father’s Day Survey found that dads certainly can be creatures of habit, as they’re hoping to receive the same gifts as last year,” said Ryan Garton, director of customer insights at Discover Financial Services. “Yet interestingly enough, our data showed that what people plan to give isn’t necessarily what dad is looking for.”
Top Gift Choices for Father’s Day
Survey results show that dads hope to receive the same gifts as last year. However, most gift givers plan to purchase other items, which is a significant change from 2007. Most notably, more people (36 percent) plan to give gift cards, which is a 10 point increase from 2007. At 31 percent, less people intend to purchase tools or appliances - a seven point decrease from last year. Top findings include:
| HOT GIFTS - SHOPPERS’ INTENTIONS | HOT GIFTS - RECIPIENTS’ DESIRES | |
| 39% Sports or hobby-related gift | 46% Dinner out at restaurant | |
| 36% Gift card | 44% Home-made gift | |
| 33% Dinner out at restaurant | 37% Gift card | |
| 32% Music/books/DVD’s or games | 27% Music/books/DVD’s or games | |
| 31% Tools or appliances | 27% Tools or appliances | |
| 23% Electronics or computer-related gift | 27% Sports or hobby-related gift | |
| 14% Home-made gift | 20% Travel/weekend getaway | |
| 7% Travel/weekend getaway | 20% Electronics or computer-related gift |
Father’s Day Purchasing and Spending Intentions
Up four percentage points from last year, 46 percent of all respondents said they plan to purchase Father’s Day gifts this year. Fifty-two percent do not plan to purchase a gift and two percent said they might purchase one.
Of those who plan to purchase a gift, 67 percent of respondents plan to give a Father’s Day gift to their dad. Twenty-two percent plan to give one to their father-in-law, eight percent to their stepfather, eight percent to their son.
The Discover Card survey revealed additional trends on who’s spending what:
SPENDING INTENTIONS(a) | 2007 | 2008 | ||
| Amount respondents spent or plan to spend on their fathers | $67.20 | $69.70 | ||
| Amount men spent or plan to spend on their fathers | $100.30 | $89.60 | ||
| Amount women spent or plan to spend on their fathers | $38.00 | $49.80 | ||
| Amount women spent or plan to spend on their husbands | $81.30 | $81.40 | ||
| Amount respondents spent or plan to spend on their sons | $39.00 | $44.80 |
(a) All figures in chart refer to average amounts for those who plan to purchase Father’s Day gifts this year and those who spent money on Father’s Day gifts last year.
Men plan to significantly outspend women this year. Of those who plan to purchase a Father’s Day gift, the average amount men will spend is $89.60, up approximately $20 from what they intended to spend last year. The average amount women will spend is $49.80, up nearly $7 from 2007 spending intentions.
Of those women who plan to purchase a Father’s Day gift for their husbands this year, the average amount they will spend is $81.40, an increase of approximately $5 from what they intended to spend last year.
Similar to 2007, forty-three percent of dads surveyed said that they felt that $50 or less is an appropriate amount to spend on a Father’s Day gift for them. Forty percent said the best gift of all would be a handmade gift or thoughtful gesture from the heart – costing no money at all.
When asked if they would prefer that their children spend less this year than last year given the economy, three-fourths (75 percent) said less while 16 percent said no.
Online Shopping For Gifts Increases Significantly; Majority of Consumers Will Shop for Dad on the Weekends
When asked about a preferred place to shop for Father’s Day gifts, among those planning to give a Father’s Day gift, 29 percent said at a discount store such as Wal-Mart or Target and up nearly double from 2007, almost a quarter (23 percent) said online. Eighteen percent cited a shopping mall and the same percentage of respondents cited a department store, such as Macy’s or Bloomingdales. Three percent said through a mail order catalog.
Of those respondents who prefer to shop online, more than half (55 percent) prefer to do so because it is the fastest and most convenient method. Sixteen percent said because it is easier to shop around while 15 percent cited the ability to do price comparisons.
As far as when they’ll do their shopping, fifty-one of respondents will purchase their Father’s Day gift during the weekend while 33 percent will do so after work. Six percent said they would purchase their gift “some other time,” five percent said during a lunch break during the week and three percent said online during the work day.
For more information, such as complete topline survey results or comparisons to Mother’s Day shopping intentions, please call 224-405-3082.
About the Discover Card Father’s Day Shopping Survey
For Discover Card’s Father’s Day Shopping Survey, a telephone survey was conducted with a total of 1,004 nationally representative adults. The research was conducted from May 15 to 18, 2008 by Caravan Opinion Research Corporation.
About Discover Financial Services
Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a leading credit card issuer and electronic payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. The company operates the Discover Card, America's cash rewards pioneer. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. Its payments businesses consist of the Discover Network, with millions of merchant and cash access locations, and PULSE, one of the nation's leading ATM/debit networks. For more information, visit www.discoverfinancial.com.
Contacts:
Mai Lee Ua
(224) 405-3082
