OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Babylist, the leading vertical marketplace and commerce destination for baby, released today the Future of Family report, a comprehensive view of the motivations behind families’ purchasing decisions. The report is based on two surveys reaching a combined 7,000 U.S. shoppers. The first included 4,300 parents from July to August 2022 and analyzed parents’ support systems, purchase behaviors, and how they prioritize self-care. The second survey of 2,600 parents and their extended family and friends, from June to July 2022, focused on gifting plans, where they’re shopping, and how much they plan to spend.
Babylist is best known as a universal baby registry used by more than half of first-time parents. However, the company also has an unmatched relationship with and insight into the community of family and friends who support parents. These grandparents, aunts, uncles, coworkers, best friends, godparents, and other loved ones turn to Babylist for content and commerce. Babylist owns the family graph, helping guide the purchase decisions of more than 8 million people each year.
“Growing families are excited, energized, and hungry for both information and unbiased recommendations,” said Natalie Gordon, Founder and CEO of Babylist. “The Future of Family report brings into focus just how much involvement from close family and friends can mean to expecting and new parents, and the immense amount of time, energy, and research put into every choice.”
Key findings from Babylist’s Future of Family report include:
Family Dynamics
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64% of respondents were over the age of 30 when they had their first child or will be over 30 when their first child arrives.
- 78% of parents were older than their parents when they decided to start their family.
- 83% of parents rely on unpaid caregiver support from an extended family member.
- Grandparents support and spend the most on babies (70%), more than double any other relative, friend, or acquaintance combined.
Social Causes Matter
- Parents are more likely to consider buying from brands that support family-focused causes, such as paid family leave (59%), making childcare affordable (54%), and reproductive rights (51%). Sustainability (51%) and DEI efforts (47%) also score high.
- 74% of parents say that if a company supports a social cause they also support, they would be more likely to purchase that product.
Product Discovery
- 20% of parents begin building their registry as soon as they know they are expecting, and 39% waited until their second trimester. 32% created their registry before they told others they were expecting.
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More than half of parents (51%) conduct at least 25 hours of research when deciding what products they needed for a new baby, while 12% spend 65 hours or more.
- Parents view Babylist as a trusted resource, providing thoughtful, unbiased advice to help parents feel confident in their product decisions, with 60% reading editorial guides and product reviews on Babylist after initial brand discovery to make more informed decisions.
- After the initial discovery of a new product, 63% of parents visit the website of the brand or product for more detailed expertise, nearly 3x more than those that visit a brand’s social media accounts.
- 52% of parents added self-care or postpartum recovery products or services to their registry, 81% of which said these products accounted for 10% of their total registry items.
Parent Preferences
- Only 5% of parents say it’s essential that baby products are designed for their child’s gender, while 41% say it's not important at all.
- Expecting parents prefer gifts that are “useful” (74%), “essential” (73%), or “practical” (73%).
- Parents say they would be satisfied to receive hand-me-down clothing (75%) or used books (69%).
Holiday Gifting
Despite Stress, Shoppers Love Gifting
- 46% of people are more excited about this holiday season than in years past and want to give thoughtful and useful gifts that make recipients feel special.
- 69% say holiday shopping is or can sometimes be a stressful experience, especially when finding the right gift for everyone on their list.
- 49% admit it can be difficult to find the perfect gift, especially for their significant other, in-laws, or parents.
Shoppers Get a Head Start on Holiday and Set Budgets Amid Economic Uncertainty
- 66% of people feel the state of the economy is negatively impacting their shopping plans, with 78% of planning to set a holiday budget this season and 90% planning to spend less or the same amount as last year.
- 65% of people are waiting for discounts, sales, or special offers and plan to shop during special shopping days such as Cyber Monday (76%) or Black Friday (69%).
Shopping for the Whole Family
- 85% of new or expecting parents plan to spend up to $500 on holiday gifts for baby, with 42% planning to buy 5+ gifts this year.
- Parents (87%) are slightly more likely than close extended family and friends (83%) to spend up to $500 on holiday gifts just for baby.
- Beyond baby, people plan to buy holiday gifts for their partner or spouse (80%), older children (69%), and parents (63%).
- New and expecting parents spend up to $2,000 (90%) on all holiday gifts, while 89% of others plan to spend up to $3,000 on gifts.
To see the full results, visit: https://www.babylist.com/hello-baby/babylist-future-of-family-report.
ABOUT BABYLIST
Babylist is the leading vertical marketplace and commerce destination for baby, driving purchase decisions for more than 8 million people each year. Utilizing robust proprietary data, patented technology, and unbiased editorial guidance, Babylist recommends expert-tested products to those starting their parenting journey so loved ones can offer their support. Babylist registries connect new parents and their community of family and friends who help plan, prepare, and shop for a child's arrival. Babylist is the generational brand in baby, leading the $67 billion baby products market as the trusted go-to solution for growing families. To learn about Babylist’s registry options, editorial content, and more, visit www.babylist.com.
