Word of mouth, online reviews, and trust are the ultimate trifecta when it comes to motivating Australia’s mums to open their wallets, according to Mumpower.
The mum-marketing agency’s latest Australian Mums Today 2025 report highlights that the buying journey of mums in Australia have been heavily influenced by cost-of-living pressures and the need to stretch their dollar further, combined with the unrealistic expectations and pressures of motherhood today impacting pain points of this customer.
“Mums are the heart of the household and the chief decision makers across most buying categories,” said Mumpower CEO and founder Christie Nicholas.
“In 2025 the qualities that get a brand into mums’ shopping carts is trust, value, and credibility. We know that mums are carefully researching products and brands before they decide to spend, and they’re looking to their face-to-face peer group and online communities as well as reviews to help them weigh up their options.”
Key findings
According to the report, 8 in 10 mums say they are negatively affected by the rising cost of living. Nonetheless, mums are the key decision makers for beauty purchases 93% of the time, 85% for baby/children’s products under $100, and 79% for fashion. Decision making is split more evenly across eating out (74%), holidays (69%), and entertainment (69%).
In light of tighter household budgets, discretionary spending has been drastically scrutinised as expenses mount though mums will maintain spending on household essentials like utilities, financial services, and kids’ education.
The buying journey
Word of mouth is king when it comes to appealing to mums. 1 in 4 mums say their most recent purchase was triggered by a recommendation from someone they trust.
Social media advertising and influencer campaigns drive the most awareness with 34% of mums saying social media content was what first put a brand or product on their radar.
Online reviews are also critical. 92% of mums have avoided a product due to a bad review while 82% have made a purchase after reading a positive one.
The research also reveals 85% of mums have used platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok to research a brand, while 60% have searched online via search engines including Google and 50% consult other mums before deciding to buy.
“From brand discovery to selection, mums are gathering information from multiple trusted channels,” Ms Nicholas said.
“They are still spending, but they’re doing their research and spending much more carefully. Validation from online communities, family, and friends often gives mums peace of mind and the final nudge they need to make a purchase particularly when budgets are tight and buying the ‘wrong’ product can have disastrous consequences.”
Building loyalty
Taking grassroots marketing to a whole new level, 6 out of 10 Mums organically promote brands they love online.
Ms Nicholas says brands that want to earn mums loyalty and repeat purchases need to make sure they meet mums where they are digitally, emotionally, and financially.
“They should nurture vocal brand champions to spark positive word of mouth reviews, maintain a strong social media presence across the platforms that mums use the most, earn and manage great reviews and of course, deliver on value and trust,” she said.
“At the end of the day, they have to ensure their messaging aligns with the priorities of real mums because how they present themselves as well as what others say about them can either make or break a sale. Mums will open their wallets for the brand that does this best.”
With over 6 million mums in Australia, in charge of over 80% in charge of household spending, the Australian Mums Today 2025 report delivers valuable insights for brands that want to understand what drives purchasing decisions in households all over the nation.
