What to Buy and Best Deals for Dad on Father’s Day

If you had to take a guess on what is the most obvious and common Father’s Day gift, what do you think it would be?

Socks, maybe.

Shirt, tie, perhaps.

How about cologne, something to keep dad smelling sweeter than he already is? You might say that.

To the surprise of some, Father’s Day has transformed from an antiquated, shirt and tie, socks and shoes endeavor of years gone by to more focus on a special day for dad, littered with some of the more popular items such as electronics, gift cards and a nice dinner or lunch, some sort of outing that is more about experience than tangible gift in hand.

And we’re certain dad is perfectly fine with that.

A recent poll of dads across the United States suggests that dad wants electronics and gift cards more than anything else, with 37 percent leaning toward the former and 29 percent on the latter.^[1]

And if you’re thinking your father might want a gym membership or magazine subscription of some sort, think again: that’s a no-go for dad.

Other gifts that have been popular for dad over the course of the last few years include a propensity for pops to want clothing (there’s that shirt and tie, again), home improvement type supplies or gifts, along with books and CD’s. The numbers are about 40 percent of dads lean toward clothing, with 15 percent on the home improvement side and about 23 percent on the CD’s and books.^[2]

But even if dad is telling you what he wants, whether that be subtle or not, consumers are going to be out in droves for dad this year, with approximately 15.3 billion dollars, a record-high, expected to be spent in 2018, with department store spending leading the way with 39 percent, followed by online shopping at 33.8 percent.^[3]

But sorry dad, mom seems to win out more so than you do on average, with spending clearly in favor of the matriarchs of their respective families.

Last year, mom had, on average, $186.39 spent on her versus dad at around $125.92; 46 percent of people plan to buy gifts for mom, while just 30 percent have dad on the radar.^[4]

You might say dad gets the raw end of the deal, what with Mother’s Day not only coming first but also followed by Memorial Day sales that might send the consumer into a little bit of hiding when it comes to spending. Sure, spending this year for Father’s Day is going to reach all-time highs, but consumers might also be looking to recover from spending nearly $200 on mom, not to mention the average a person spends on Memorial Day sales on not only retail but also travel.

The 2016 numbers for travel alone was around 12 billion dollars in the United States.^[5]

How much is leftover for the average consumer?

So with that question comes answers being sought out by you so that you can make Father’s Day a memorable one for dad. You can go the route of the norm, with the gift cards or golf outing, but you’ll also want to consider your spending and be mindful of that.

Thus, you’ll be on the lookout for deals that could do wonders for dad to not only create a Father’s Day for the ages but also score big with spending more than your budget allows.

Here’s a few ideas, categories and retailers that are every so ready to please you and your dad:

Electronics: Why dad doesn’t mind being labeled ‘tech savvy’

As previously noted, electronics and smart, well, everything is what dad is all about with nearly 40 percent of Father’s across the country clamoring for phones, watches, tablets, computers and TV’s, all of the smart variety and easily upgrades over what they’re current using or watching.

Smart watches are gaining popularity due to a price decrease for the majority of them, and the FitBit Versa is a clear-cut winner for dad this year. It’s under $200, and is incredibly easy to use, with texting responses that are predetermined and can be sent off with a simple touch, along with a battery life that is able to last for days on end.^[6]

As for retailers, Wal-Mart, Bose and Amazon seem to be heavy favorites in the race to dad’s heart with TV deals, tablet price drops, among other discounts. A few that standout are as being affordable are Vizio and its E-Series 65-inch Class 4K XLED TV, which is discounted to $599, down from the $898 original price tag at Wal-Mart along with nearly $100 off fifth-generation iPads.^[7]

Amazon has a plethora of items for dad of the electronics ilk that are under the $100 mark if you’re shopping on a budget, including Alexa added to any room for dad for less than $100 for the Echo Dot 2nd Generation.^[8]

Finally, if dad is getting up there in age, but you want to be subtle about it and yet still pay respect to his love of technology but also be practical about it, the Cube Tracker is undeniable intriguing.

From car keys to anything else he might have “lost” (or as dad puts it, someone “stole it”), this small Bluetooth tracker connects to an app so dad can find (or recall, as he’ll put it again) what’s missing for only $24.95.^[9]

Outdoors and Home Improvement: Why dad wants to spend time outside, too

Dad loves his gadgets and technology, and that can’t be argued as far as Father’s Day gifts go.

But dad also loves an excursion or being outside on a sunny, summer day and feeling as though he’s getting work accomplished, whether it’s plush, green grass or a barbecue with all the trimmings alongside his family.

With that, retailers like Cabela’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Ace Hardware and others are quick to give you plenty of Father’s Day deals you simply can’t ignore.

Cabela’s is offering 50 percent off Father’s Day sales through Sunday, the day of, and that includes outerwear and grills, along with camping equipment, while Dick’s Sporting Goods is right there with Cabela’s with a sale through Saturday, June 16 that has the same 50 percent off benchmark on golf apparel and equipment and 40 percent off running shoes as well.^[10]

Field and Stream stores also are getting into the discount action related to Father’s Day with several items as much as 40 percent off, including $100 off an 8-person Cross Vent tent for that camping trip, 25 percent off outdoor clothing and coolers starting for as little as $19.99.^[11]

Clothing and Accessories: Why dad wants to look fashionable, minus the ties

All kidding aside about shirts and ties or more traditional clothing (although dad still might be less than enamored or excited about ties and socks, just saying, but dad might need a wardrobe re-evaluation or simply an update to that closet that hasn’t been relevant since “Back in Black” came out 38 years ago.

The good news for those keeping dad and saving money in mind are retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target are leading the way, along with Macy’s and The Finish Line in terms of giving discounts for clothing, shoes and accessories for dad that fit him perfectly both literally and figuratively.

Wal-Mart simply is hard to ignore when you see that polos and T-shirts are under $10 for most of what the retailer is offering, including some shirts that are as little as $5, and don’t be fooled by the pricing because this stuff is stylish for Father’s Day gift ideas.^[12]

The $5 polo craze isn’t just a Wal-Mart thing, as Target has offered $5 for polos for dad, along with online specials that include free, two-day shipping with orders $35 or more (a really small, doable benchmark to get that sort of free shipping deal).^[13]

Macy’s is all about Father’s Day convenience with in-store pickup for free, but they have deals on anything from sandals staring at $19.99 to Polo, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors and other top-name brands at reduced prices for fashionable Father in your life.^[14]

Online ordering also is a favorite of the Finish Line when it comes to dad and some new footwear for Father’s Day. They're offering $7 flat shipping on all orders, devoid of having to get to a certain pricing benchmark, and summertime discounts that are starting at 40 percent off, a perfect storm of sorts to get dad off the couch and on to the open road (or sidewalk, for now).^[15]

Dad has the task of following Mother’s Day and Memorial Day sales in May, and for some, that means a cash strapped approach toward Father’s Day or the other alternative: find dad something great at the right price.

The latter might sound impossible, but that only is because you might not be looking at the right place, the right retailer or trying to find the best deal possible.

The good news for both sons, daughters or anyone buying for dad is that spending has steadily increased in recent years. A simple glance at trends from 2014 to 2015 shows a $4 per person increase, and that number has been on the rise for the better part of the last four years.^[16]

With the National Retail Federation expecting record sales in 2018 due to a confident economic viewpoint by the masses, Father’s Day might turn out to be a retail juggernaut, perhaps not to the extent you’ll roll out the red carpet for mom but also not forgetting about dear, old dad, either.

The uptick in spending is encouraging, but buyers still need to temper the economic good will and penchant for last-minute spending (or end up spending too much) in favor of finding the right gifts from the idea retailer so that the spending stays in check, and dad can sit back and enjoy the day.

Even if that means having to score yet another pair of socks, shirt or tie that, while predicable, certainly appreciated.