Trust, word of mouth, and online reviews drive mums’ spending decisions, reveals Mumpower’s 2025 report
Research from Mumpower – a marketing agency for brands that appeal to mums – has revealed that trust, peer recommendations, and online reviews are the most powerful influences on Australian mums’ purchasing decisions in 2025.
The announcement:
According to the latest research by leading mum-marketing agency Mumpower, word of mouth, online reviews, and trust are the ultimate trifecta when it comes to motivating Australia’s mums to open their wallets.
With over 6 million mums in Australia, in charge of over 80% 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. From what to buy during the weekly grocery shop to buying big-ticket items, the buying journey of mums has 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.
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.
Mumpower CEO and founder Christie Nicholas says, “Mums are the heart of the household and the chief decision makers across most buying categories. 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 on the buying journey of mums:
- Word of mouth is king – 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 first put a brand or product on their radar.
- Online reviews are critical – 92% of mums have avoided a product due to a bad review while 82% have made a purchase after reading a positive one.
- 85% of mums have used platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok to research a brand.
- 60% have searched online via search engines including Google, and 50% consult other mums before deciding to buy.
- Mums rely most heavily on online reviews when buying home appliances (75%), baby products over $100 (70%), and automotive items (64%).
- 6 out of 10 mums organically promote brands they love online, taking grassroots marketing to a whole new level.
Says Christie, “From brand discovery to selection, mums are gathering information from multiple trusted channels. 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.”
“This is why 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. 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.”
Source: Ruby Agency
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