More than 55% of respondents to a recent survey plan to buy a Mother’s Day gift, with flowers and jewelry almost tied as the most popular gift choice.

However, flowers saw a sharp decline in popularity, chosen by only 17%, down from 30% last year, while fine jewelry was chosen by 17%, up from 15% in 2004, according to the study conducted by the Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council (JCOC). The largest percentage of respondents, 42%, is unsure what to purchase for mom.

Retailers should note that most respondents plan to purchase their gift one or two weeks before the day, earlier than they did last year, and just under a quarter say they will purchase their gift within one month of Mother’s Day, according to the survey. National jewelry chain stores and local independent fine jewelers are the top shopping venues. The majority of respondents plan to spend under $300 on fine jewelry for mom.

For those who do not plan on buying jewelry for their moms, finances are cited as the deterrent for almost 40% of respondents. About 15% each believe their mom does not want jewelry, or they do not know what she likes.

Over half of the mothers in the study say that receiving a Mother’s Day gift is either somewhat or extremely important to them. And, what do they want? Nearly 32% of respondents who are moms say that if asked, they’d suggest jewelry as their gift for Mother’s Day, according to the survey. Thirty-nine percent chose diamonds. Close to 8% say they would like sapphire, birthstone, or plain metal jewelry. Most moms, nearly 44%, prefer yellow gold, and a quarter like white gold. Earrings topped the list of favorite jewelry, followed by fashion rings, bracelets, and necklaces.

The study suggests that since price points remain low, jewelers need to be creative and go the extra mile to generate sales. Retailers should promote a variety of diamond, gem-set and gold jewelry classics in the popular price range of $100 to $300, consider special packaging/gift presentation, and provide guidance in helping customers select the perfect present for mom.

The JCOC was founded in 2001 by MVI Marketing Ltd. with the mission of providing clients with fast, efficient, effective and powerful market intelligence about their jewelry products and their respective end use consumers. The JCOC is an Internet-based, niche market research service exclusive to the gem and jewelry industries. The JCOC is made up of a sampling panel of consumers throughout North America representing all ages, genders, income levels, buying categories and geographic regions. Each year, the JCOC presents a series of industry studies that focus on a topic of special interest to the gem and jewelry industries.

JCK