Moms Reveal Why They Shop at Big Box Retailers over Neighborhood Stores

At May’s Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association show in Dallas, Texas, BabyTalk Magazine hosted a consumer panel consisting of seven mothers who candidly revealed where they shop and why. On recent trips to local Dallas stores, the mothers revealed that they preferred to shop at big box or chain stores because they were convenient and had everything the mothers needed in one location.

“The neighborhood Mom and Pop, independent all-purpose store was non-existent,” said Catherine McManus, senior manager of communications for BabyTalk’s The Parenting Group. A few high-end boutiques were frequented but were not the places of choice for these mothers.

“The big benefit of the big box store is price,” McManus said. The moms shopped for essentials, such as diapers, sippy cups, and baby wipes, and not luxury items. They wanted value for their money and the assurance of knowing the stores would always have what they needed on hand.

However, the big box store experience left much to be desired. These mothers found the stores to be lacking in customer service, cleanliness, and having merchandise in stock. They particularly didn’t find “mom-centered” amenities like changing room facilities for both moms and dads or breast-feeding rooms for nursing mothers.

The panel also referred to the convenience of online shopping. Yet, this wasn’t unanimous among all of the mothers. Many who were stay-at-home moms did find online shopping useful.