Men vs. Women: Shopping Habits and Buying Decisions

Men tend to buy mostly food and drink when they are depressed. Women, when they are depressed, depend on retail therapy and the purchase of clothes and related items.
Women, in general, have a higher percentage of charitable contributions than men, except when the taxpayer turns out to be a widower or a widower. A widower is one who contributes more generously than any other category.

According to statistics, women between 45 and 54 are in the best moment of their career and may have less time to buy online, while men who are aging may be too busy having their middle-aged crisis to buy online. In fact, the hobby of people shopping online could change due to a number of reasons, which certainly include their individual busy careers.

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There is also a specific moment of the day when men and women make large purchases online. According to the report, it is between 7 and 8 p.m. when most purchases are made by men, while it is between 12 and 1 p.m. for the women. Therefore, if you ever suspect that some of your coworkers are shopping during breaks for lunch, you probably are right. This time of committing to freedom in the middle of your workday could be just the mere free time that some women have to buy online.

There is also a variation in the average time when women and men complete their purchases. It is observed that men have a faster time with 10 minutes compared to women with 14 minutes. It is considered that a man's decision on the purchase is a strategic execution, while the decision of a woman is a kind of philosophical examination. However, even with this consideration, men seem to have a higher average online purchase price of around $ 67.82 compared to women who spend around $ 51.84.

Women tend to be more participatory when it comes to shopping. They share trends, opportunities, sales information, etc. Conversations begin among their peers and are more likely to be affected by product reviews. They also tend to buy for the future, and not only in the need to buy. They are also more likely to make purchases for others than themselves. For women, shopping seems to have a lot to do with social interaction.

It is likely that men are online shoppers more headlines than women. That's why they are more comfortable buying high-value products online. Men can also simply buy more items simultaneously to decrease shopping trips. Therefore, that extravagant entertainment system brought by that guy next door was completed with a click, including the game system, TV, Blur-Ray player and surround sound. This is not so crazy in any way.
It seems that men are more committed to the trend of online shopping.

They even consider doing it even when they are at work. Men consider doing their weekend search on netbooks and iPads or even in an offline store, and then immediately go to their PCs to work when Monday arrives. This is to find the best price and complete your transaction with the full screen in front of them.
There are also variations in the return of a purchase in which men take 21 days, while women take more time with an average of 30 days. Obviously, men and women have different preferences when it comes to online shopping, but one thing is for sure, they both love doing the activity.

Who buys more men or women?

According to a new survey by First Insight, women are increasingly dependent on the Internet for shopping, while men still prefer bricks and mortar.

The survey found that men are less likely to use Amazon to buy the best price. Fewer men also subscribed to Amazon Prime, and fewer people adopt mobile shopping, according to the study."Men are the destination drivers ... They go to stores to touch and feel," Greg Petro told First Insight. "They like to make a deal [in stores] and then take the items home with them."

Women shoppers, he said, do not necessarily feel the need to go to stores in the same way. "This changes the way that retailers and brands need to react," he said.

First Insight, a technology company that helps retailers select the best price for their products, is publishing the results of their study on Monday morning at the ShopTalk conference in Las Vegas. Survey of 1,000 consumers in December on their purchasing behavior, online and offline.

With a gender gap that opens a gap between how women and men make purchases, retailers must realize.

Companies should re-evaluate the inventory they carry in stores at a more segmented level, Petro said. With men looking for more products in person, for example, brands should have more options for them on the floor. Women, however, might only want to see a few of the best-selling items on display. Chances are they've already looked online or they're planning to make a decision online later.

"I think the data suggests that women are more price sensitive and more bargain hunters ... and are more apt to execute a value or price deal than men," Petro said. Whereas "men are willing to wait longer", but they do not necessarily do their research ahead of time.

According to the First Insight survey, men are more likely to shop at full-price stores (42 percent), at discount retailers or out-of-price stores (18 percent). Women prefer discount retailers (38 percent) over full price brands (31 percent).

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Some of the female shoppers' favorite stores include TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Home-goods, the study found, while fewer men mentioned visiting these places as often. These three brands are property of TJX Cos.
Companies still have a long way to go to meet the expectations of online and in-store buyers, given this "gender gap," Petro said.

"I do not think the industry is doing a good job, frankly, to differentiate itself," he said. "Retailers that used to be able to establish their own trends now do not have the listening mechanisms to understand where consumers are going, they're used to leading rather than responding."

The preferences of buyers today are changing faster than ever. Most want new products, and fast, constantly.

According to John Foster, marketing consultant and retail coach, "Men generally shop alone and seldom compare prices, they don't care about the product being on sale, or what color it is, and they only compare quality".
Difference between the shopping's outcome of men and women:

S.no Men Women

1. For men shopping is always need based. Whatever they buy, mostly needed by them. Women don't focus on need. Their shopping generally depends on wants.
2. Satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Happiness, excitement, disappointment.

Consumer Shopping Characteristics Approach and Gender Difference in Pakistan:
A journal published in 2014 by Ms. Javeria Shabbir and Dr. Nadeem Safwan named "Consumer Shopping Characteristics Approach and Gender Difference in Pakistan" included a research conducted on the differences and similarities between the two genders when shopping Pakistan. The research was conducted in comparison to the international theories of the gender based buying behaviors based on six characteristics of consumers' buying patterns.

According to the study, women in Pakistan are more typically brand, hedonic, and fashion conscious and are more prone to impulse purchasing compared to men when shopping, in support to the Darley and Smith study in 1995. Whereas, both genders showed equal importance to the quality factor of products when making a purchase.

The results from the study stated that male population in Pakistan is more brand conscious than female. There is a significant difference in the shopping characteristics between the consumers of both genders. Therefore, men being more brand conscious in regard to apparel, marketers have to try to appeal more women and stress the value of branding to bring about brand consciousness.

Product quality, being another characteristic of consideration, is mostly used to differentiate a brand from the competitors. Most people consider a product's quality in terms of it functionality with respect to its expectation to satisfy their need or desire. The study concluded that Pakistani consumers in general, without discrimination between men and women, consider product quality an important factor in purchase decision. Thus, marketers should emphasize on promoting their product quality and advertising it to appeal the national consumers.

Fashion is another important factor for customers; however, not much research has been conducted in Pakistan. But, fashion and style are something that differs on the basis of trend and its likeability to complement the respective customer's personality and style. Consumer's decision to obtain a particular product depends on the shopper's amount of fashion awareness, so choice will be accustomed by their belief of what is currently up-to-the-minute.

Consumers use shopping to gratify an amount of needs, not just their need for the goods they attain during the shopping expedition. Therefore, the act of shopping in itself satisfies particular needs of the customers, and purchasing without any anticipation during these trips, fall into the category of impulse purchase behavior, that is another characteristics of buying behaviors of customers

A number of researchers have expanded the description from a one-dimensional unplanned buying to include more of an emotional factor or an immense urge to make the acquisition. In Pakistan, according to the research women are more likely to buy on impulse compared to male consumers; who are impulsive buyers of clothing but in comparison to females, are not as much impulsive.

When consumers are shopping they are motivated by list of needs, apart from those that particularly relate to obtaining a product or service. Hedonic products are those consumed for intrinsic and emotional reasons and the consumers of such products are less price conscious I comparison to those who are more utilitarian.

On what men and women spend more money?

The results from the survey showed than women in Pakistan, are more likely to reach out for goods that satisfy their symbolic reasons or need compared to men; who show signs of hedonic consciousness but on a lesser degree than women in Pakistan.

The six characteristic derived hypothesis, were inspired from international methodologies which were used ideally in a number of other countries. The result of the research was also in support of the statements from international studies from around the world.

Relevant Marketing Strategies for Women (Intl)

Family oriented or employed statuses are the most vital factors regarding how to attract women; most 'housewives' act in a similar manner when compared to career oriented women, regardless of age, which, in comparison to men, is completely opposite. For men, age, education and revenue are the most important factors. The distinction in what each sexual category makes a vital factor is explained by the diversities of purchasing choices men and women make. The majority of decisions made my male consumers are mainly for them, whereas, women purchase In consideration of those around them. A female consumer may on a usual note, spend her finances for herself, her partner, her kin, and/or her parents. Women are more often in charge of family finances than in previous generations.

The study in regard, mentioned that women make up to 85% of purchase decisions, which is a fairly recent finding, regardless the stereotype of female consumers always shopping. The research stated the marketers, till now, do not target their female consumers' right. It said that companies differentiate their marketing plans for women so much that they believe a separate brand must be launches in order to reach them, which in most cases backfires since the brands tend to lose the true value and message of the company and, as a result, they lose valuable loyal female consumers. Effective marketing strategy to target female consumers is all about setting high bars of quality and constantly delivering on your (the company's) promises.

The perceptive nature of women, and the ability to interpret body language and facial expressions better when compared to men, as discussed in the research, makes female consumers outstanding at sensing inconsistencies and being more receptive to contextual brand messages. According to the study, if the company's product quality and retail experience to don't go with the company's message, the company might as well have lost that female consumer's trust she will have switched brands in result. Whereas, on the other hand, if female consumers trust the product and find it to be a quality product, they will be willing to pay a premium for that item for consumption.

Apple, Volvo, and Whole Foods are examples of companies that have it right with women. All three guarantee quality products that justify the price and are able to demand a market premium. Apple is without fail delivering on their market promise of high quality, ease of use, and a passionate everyday life. Volvo has fully understood women's wants and developed key elements imperative to women such as easy to load trunks and color-coding fluid lids. They have also paid attention on safety and reliability in their objective and delivered on that promise.

On the other hand, Whole Foods has put an emphasis on conveying an enjoyable shopping ambiance with superior quality healthy foodstuffs, friendly sales personnel, and hard-to find foodstuffs. All of the above companies have successfully determined what is of most importance to their female target consumers and directed themselves on delivering quality meaningful results in the particular areas. Since, the companies have backed their statements with their performance, women can walk into any of their physical or online stores and discover a number of features very easily.

Relevant Marketing Strategies for Men (Intl)

Marketing to men, according to the research is considered more stereotypical mainly focusing on comical or bad-boy contents. Sullivan, Higdon ; Sink, SHS is most famous for their marketing campaigns targeted to men. They have seemed to identify five universal facts about men that may aid in targeting men. Those are "men seek enlightenment, they seek experience, they seek success on their own terms, men happily define themselves as principle-driven and men identify themselves as family-centric." Nevertheless men also make impulsive purchases frequently. Men shop to please extrinsic rewards, or in a utilitarian regard. They review factors such as the availability of parking, rush at checkout lines, and the stockpile of the things they intend to purchase. Also, it is essential to market to genuine male consumers, the type of men who are "normal" are ones that do more than go out, and look for partners.

The research stated that marketing has lost touch with targeting and appealing male consumers. In latest years, the study affirmed, there were fewer websites designed directly for men because of the difficulty to be gender unbiased. Sites such as Popular Mechanics and others have faced heavy criticism as a result of their dominantly male publications. On the other hand, women targeted comparable sites have not faced any denigration. Famous marketing methods like social networking sites have noted a development that male consumers are far less prone to slot in on marketing on these sites. Differing trends in well-known marketing and public views have caused targeting men more difficult.

According to the journal, the fluctuations in the view of males and their role in society and home are major factors that have contributed to the variation in the kinds of goods that can be successfully targeted to male consumers. As an example, there has been a significant increase in the recent demand for plastic surgeries and skin care routines among. In regards to Frank Westerbeke of Skin Inc., the report stated, men rather seek pleasure in taking care of their personal outlook.

Male consumers actually like to feel satisfied about their looks, however, in a subtle manner that does not seem like they are giving up on their manly demeanor and belonging to the crowd. Significantly, momentous female influences in male consumers' lives are often the ones to direct men on the path of beauty acquisitions. Marketing to women, in the company's' live has been discovered to be more effective because a male consumer's first spa session usually arises from a desire to get hairless body, shaped eyebrows or an updated hairstyle.

Example

Summary of Confession of a Shopaholic:

Like many New York City girls, Rebecca Bloomswood (Isla Fisher) loves to shop. She was also known as a green scarf girl later on. She was so much obsessed with shopping. She stated that when "I shop the world gets better when I don't it is not so I have to shop again!" The trouble was, she shopped so much that she was drown in a heavy debt. Rebecca love to work at the city's top fashion magazine but was unable to get her foot in the door. Afterward she gets opportunity to work as an advice columnist for a financial magazine owned by the same company. Her column becomes an overnight success, but her secret threatens to ruin her love life and career.
This shows that how marketers makes people obsessed with shopping and create sense of urgency and complexity to make them buy it urgently otherwise they will lose battle of fashion or prestige maybe.

SUGGESTIONS

1. A company should market exclusive products for both gender consumers.
2. Market should include your attitude and personal appeal in their advertising communication as the consumer buy products on their own
3. Determination of product price should be affordable. It should be similar to close substitutes.
4. Usually consumers are not ready to spend much attempt should be made to change the attitudes. More attempts should be made to share the Information through different source.

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