Moms Plan to Scale Back on Back-to-School Spending Amid Tariff Concerns

New survey by BSM Media reveals moms plan to cut back on back-to-school spending due to tariff concerns, prioritizing essentials and deals.

POMPANO BEACH, FL, UNITED STATES, July 9, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- While summer is in full swing, U.S. moms are strategically planning for the upcoming school year, with a keen eye on their budgets. A recent national survey conducted by BSM Media, the largest mom influencer agency specializing in marketing to moms, reveals significant shifts in mom's buying plans, driven by fears of potential tariff-related price increases and supply chain disruptions.

Moms represent a formidable force in the U.S. economy, influencing an estimated $1.6 trillion in annual spending and serving as the primary decision-makers for back-to-school purchases. To understand this crucial consumer segment, BSM Media surveyed 500 moms across the nation to uncover their evolving priorities and concerns as they prepare their school-aged children for the classroom.

"The potential for increased tariffs on many imported goods, particularly those from China, coincides directly with the peak back-to-school shopping period," says Maria Bailey, author of Marketing to Moms and CEO of BSM Media, the largest network of mom bloggers and mom influencers globally. "Our survey clearly shows that moms are concerned about how these economic factors will impact their family budgets and the availability of essential school supplies. This necessitates creative marketing strategies by retailers and back to school brands to truly connect with mom consumers this school shopping season.”

Key Findings: How Moms Are Adjusting Back-to-School Spending
BSM Media's survey highlights evolving behaviors among mom shoppers:
• Shifting Spending Habits: Sixty percent of surveyed moms admit their shopping behaviors have already changed in 2025 due to economic uncertainties.
• Top Concerns Impacting Family Budgets:
o Groceries remain an ongoing issue for 84% of moms.
o Clothing and shoes (68%), electronics (42%), and toys (36%) are significant concerns.
o Moms of older kids are also worried about the cost of home goods and appliances (57%) and cars (49%).
• Proactive Budgeting: Despite a last-minute pause on most higher tariffs, 81% of respondents remain concerned about the impact on family budgets. Half of surveyed moms are taking proactive steps:
o 51% are cutting back on non-essential supplies.
o More than 20% will reduce donations of supplies to the school or classroom.
• Preference for Made in America: When asked about U.S.-made products, 60% of moms said their willingness to pay more depends on the price difference, and over 50% confirmed they shop websites or retailers that highlight Made in America products. This insight is vital for retail brands looking to appeal to patriotic consumers.

Bailey, who runs MomSelect and SocialSpotters, online platforms that connects brands with mom influencers, highlights that Moms and brands are both implementing creative strategies to combat financial challenges.

Moms’ Resourcefulness and Digital Shopping Habits
Moms are leveraging their "superpower" of stretching dollars through various resourceful tactics for back-to-school:
• Savvy Shopping Tactics:
o 41% plan to shop sales or resell sites.
o 39% are repurposing last year’s gently used school supplies.
o 25% will shop during tax-free weeks.
o 22% are buying fewer licensed or branded items.
o 18% find purchasing in bulk effective.
• Digital Discovery and Purchasing: Retail websites and social media remain crucial resources for moms of school-age children:
o 34% use hashtags to search for products online.
o TikTok (27%) and Instagram (28%) are actively used for purchases.
o For online coupons, 21% look to emails from favorite brands, and 36% use loyalty programs or rebate browsers to find deals.

MARIA BAILEY
BSM Media
+1 954-261-2145
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