March 24, 2010

AN ANATOMY OF THE MALE SHOPPERAPRIL 7, 2010

MEN TYPICALLY ARE STEREOTYPED SHOPPERS

THESE STEREOTYPES ASSERT THAT MALE SHOPPERS ARE ONE OF THREE TYPES:

1. Grab and Go – shop quickly and spend as little time in retail settings

2. Wait and/or Whine – only accompany women into stores, but have no active role in the purchase process

3. Fear of the Feminine – view shopping as a threat to masculine sexuality (to either enjoy shopping, or to exhibit interest in items associated with the female body)

BUT

MENARE MORE COMPLICATED THAN THESE STEREOTYPES SUGGEST

AN ANATOMY OF THE MALE SHOPPER1. How and why men and women

shop2. Three main motivations of the

male shopper (compared to women)

3. Male shopper types and personas4. Male shopping paradoxes

*Implications for retailers provided along the way

HOW&WHY

MEN AND WOMEN SHOP:

Modern SHOPPING BEHAVIORS are an adaptation of male and female ancestral hunting and gathering skills

MALE SHOPPING BEHAVIOR reflects that of their instinctual hunting habits

SKILLS taught them how to hunt swiftly, quietly and was typically performed in solitude

FEMALE SHOPPING BEHAVIOR reflects that of their instinctual gathering habits

SKILLS taught them how to forage for the best options and return to the same locations while providing an environment for socializing

MODERN DAY HUNTING AND GATHERING BEHAVIOR

MEN…

• Tend to shop soloTend to shop solo

• Aim for a specific aisle Aim for a specific aisle

• Are surgical shoppers – focus Are surgical shoppers – focus on searching, purchasing and on searching, purchasing and returning homereturning home

• Are achievement oriented – look Are achievement oriented – look to return home with an itemto return home with an item

WOMEN…

• Tend to shop socially

• Evaluate total store

• Are skillful shoppers – browsing, examining, and paying more attention to detail

• Get pleasure out of looking and are happy buying nothing

THIS HUNTING VS. GATHERING MINDSET AFFECTS ALL AREAS OF MEN’S SHOPPING BEHAVIOR

MOTIVATIONS AND MEANINGS BEHIND THE MALE SHOPPER3Men are Buyers

Men Shop for a Good Solution

Men Shop to Win

MEN ARE BUYERS1

MEN ENGAGE IN “PURPOSE DRIVEN” BEHAVIOR – ENTERING FOR ONE SINGLE ITEM AND LEAVING SOON AFTER A PURCHASE

MEN VIEW GOING TO THE STORE AS INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING A JOB DONE

MEN RESPOND TO PRODUCT UTILITY: FEATURES, ATTRIBUTES, AND BENEFITS

FRUSTRATIONS ARISE FOR MEN WHEN BARRIERS TO BUYING OCCUR

29% of men rank difficulty in finding parking close to the store’s entrance their number one problem

43% of all men report out of stock items as a reason to never return to a store

WHILE MEN ARE BUYERS, WOMEN ARE SHOPPERS

Compared to men, women:• Engage in “possibility driven” behaviors –

browsing with no particular item in mind• Think of shopping as an interpersonal

relationship – seeking both attention and

direction from the sales staff• Respond favorably to interaction with

the retailer’s employees, their knowledge

of store’s inventory/products, and

their efforts in helping her find a particular

product

MEN SEARCH FOR GOOD SOLUTIONS

MEN SEARCH FOR GOOD SOLUTIONS2

MEN’S SHOPPING DECISION PROCESS RESEMBLES A LINEAR PURCHASE PATH

MEN’S LINEAR PURCHASE PATHREFLECTS A FUNCTIONAL MINDSET, ALLOWING THEM TO DECIDE UP FRONT WHAT KIND OF PRODUCT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR

MEN’S FUNCTIONAL MINDSET ALLOWS THEM TO FOCUS ON THE FACTS AND FEATURES THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM

FOCUSING THEIR KEY DECISION CRITERIA, MEN SHOP BY PROCESS OF ELIMINATION

IN THE END, MEN DEFINE SUCCESS AS FINDING A GOOD SOLUTION

IN CONTRAST, WOMEN SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT ANSWERCompared to men, women:• Use a shopping decision process

resembling a spiral purchase path – discovering a new product feature mid-search will bring her back to square one of the shopping process

• View details as added richness and texture that helps put the product or service she wants into a particular context

• Desire the Perfect Answer – an optimal solution that meets her desired criteria

MEN SHOP TO WIN

MEN SHOP TO WIN3

IN SHOPPING AS IN LIFE, SUCCESS DRIVES MEN’S INTENTIONS

TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS, MEN ARE REQUIRED TO ENGAGE IN A FEMININE ACTIVITY CALLED “SHOPPING”

MAKING MEN SHOP PRAGMATICALLYAND DELIBERATELY TO FIT A MASCULINE (VS. FEMININE)IDEAL OF ACHIEVEMENT

WHICH TRANSLATES INTO DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUCCESSFUL SHOPPING OUTCOMES

FOUR TYPES OF SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES

Shopping Success:

Men’s desire to “beat the system” or view

shopping as a competition-to-win is a motivation to want

to negotiate with the retailer

Sexual Success:

Men’s purchase of feminine products

can enhance a male’s position in

his romantic relationship

Status Success:

Men’s purchase of high end goods

result in a heightening of

his status among others

Identity Success:

Men’s purchase of clothes is often

a symbol of his identity

IN CONTRAST, WOMEN SHOP WITH EMOTIONCompared to men, women:• Are more likely to shop for their families

and loved ones, than themselves 73% of women say that buying gifts for other

people is a stronger motivation to go shopping than the desire to treat oneself

• Are affected by their emotional state – the better women feel about themselves, the more likely they are to go shopping and enjoy the trip

• View shopping as a way to compensate for their efforts at work and home – treating it as therapy for their day

IMPLICATIONS: HOW RETAILERS CAN TAP INTO MEN’S MOTIVATIONSCreate Easier Ways to Buy:• Retailers can help men in their shopping process by providing a less congested path

to purchase.– Designing rational store layouts where similar type items (sports, casual, classic) are

grouped together creates an easier, more logical path to purchase for men, and allows for easier navigation.

Help Men Find a Good Solution:• Providing an easier way for men to find, select and purchase an item they are looking for

can create store loyalty for a male shopper– Retailers can create kiosks or a check list where men can input the item they are looking for along

with their desired criteria to help focus the store’s inventory, providing a list of good solutions for the male shopper.

Allow Men to Feel like Winners:• Retailers need to find strategic ways to allow men to fulfill desired achievement outcomes

that give them control in the marketplace.– Incorporate achievement oriented tactics into the stores, i.e. games of competition or chance,

P-O-P displays of men’s interests placed in gender neutral areas, or setting up display stands where men can test out merchandise first hand.

MALE SHOPPER PERSONAS & TYPES

Shopping Process Involvement (Pos. effort)

The Tag Along

The TaskMaster

The Passion Pursuer

The Style Master

4 MALE SHOPPING PERSONAS

Shopping Process Involvement (Neg. effort)

THE TAG ALONG

Seeks advice from shopping partners

who are his primary decision makers

Typical older demo.

Values: comfort, relationship, belonging,

sharing, family, friendship

Shopping is perceived as a chore; showing

minimal interestTypically will

not shop alone

Frequently spotted in the fitting room lounge or on

mall benches

Does not have a unique, personal shopping style

Fits stereotypical male shopper

perception

Values: convenience, access, simplicity, practicality, time,

empowerment

Single minded focus is on convenience

Has a grab n’ go mindset

Shopping with a significant other, he may morph into a Tag Along

THE TASK MASTER

Has No Fear Of Shopping, but is

more comfortable navigating his own

interests

Transcends specific demos

Values: identity, adventure, experience, aspiration, fulfillment,

self-expression

Indifferent about shopping, viewed as a means to an end

Seeks specialty products that fulfill a

personal passion (sports, cooking, tech

gadgets, Do It Yourself)

Has the ability to morph into a tag along or task master pending his retail setting

THE PASSION PURSUER

Has No Fear Of Shopping

Typically in their 20’s,

30’s, or 40’s

Values: cool, style, design, fun, confident,

experience

Exhibits female shopping traits

Equally at ease shopping in any category (tech to home/gardens,

fashion and beauty)

Develop their own personal style & confident in their

shopping skills.

THE STYLE MASTER

MALE SHOPPERS DIFFER BY AGE

OLDER SHOPPERS FIT THE CONVENTIONAL MALE SHOPPER STEREOTYPE:• Less comfortable shopping for

themselves, (i.e., rely on spouse/partners or seek other’s opinions before a purchase)

• Came of shopping age when shopping was not “man’s work”

• Learning to adapt to the retail world based off necessities (e.g., longer life span, divorce, or spouse employed)

YOUNGER SHOPPERS HAVE DEFINED THEIR OWN SET OF SHOPPING RULES:• More comfortable shopping and

have developed skills to be savvy shoppers

• More acceptable to devote resources to their looks (e.g., exercise, health, grooming) and their environments (e.g., home furnishings)

• Targeted with shopping advice (e.g., GQ, Details) and more “role models” i.e., the confident, stylish man’s man (e.g., Urban Daddy, David Beckham)

IMPLICATIONS: HOW TO IDENTIFY MALE SHOPPER PERSONAS

Retailers need to be aware of the changing male persona, as personas will change based on the store, aisle, item and even time allotted for shopping

• The fashion-savvy passion pursuer may spend extra time browsing for

designer jeans or for the perfect pair of sandals, but morph into a task master

when looking for a gift for a loved one.

• Retailers can train sales staff to look for various male shopper personas

depending on the category, and create unique ways to engage male shoppers

to make the journey more fun and interesting.

TWO PARADOXES OF MALE SHOPPING:

1.) THE GROCERY STORE

2.) ONLINE

MALE GROCERY BEHAVIORS

WHEN MEN ARE STEERING THE GROCERY CART THEY TEND TO:

• Focus on convenience and location

• Buy on impulse

• Are less price sensitive than women

THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE MEN TEND TO BE CONFUSED, LOST AND ANXIETY-RIDDEN WHEN GROCERY SHOPPING

AS A RESULT, MEN SHOP INEFFICIENTLY

Overwhelmed by the number

of items

Tend to circle back in their

searches

Afraid to improvise

Prefer not to ask for help from staff

MAKING THEM MUCH LESS SELF-ASSURRED AND UNPREPARED VS. THEIR TYPICAL SHOPPING TRIP

MALE ONLINE BEHAVIORS

SIMILAR TO THEIR OFFLINE SHOPPING PATTERNS, MEN ONLINE ARE:• Goal oriented (digging for

information keeps them focused)

• Focused on sticking to their mission

• Enticed by product content first (features), and lifestyle content second (context)

THE SHOPPING PARADOX: MEN ENJOY ONLINE SHOPPING

ONLINE, MEN’S INNER SHOPPER IS AWAKENED

ONLINE EMPOWERS MALE SHOPPERS TO BE:

• More efficient

• Better informed on products and options

• Smarter consumers, as they can compare prices

IMPLICATIONS: CREATING A BETTER GROCERY AND ONLINE RETAIL EXPERIENCE

Solve men’s anxieties in the grocery store • Grocery retailers can provide solutions to the most common problems affecting

male shoppers– Make typical fill-in trip items easily accessible, allowing female list makers a way to organize

their lists according to store layout

– Make coupons available at the shelves

– Install an item locator for men who won’t ask questions

– Build cell-phone friendly stores for men who have to phone their significant other for help

finding items on the grocery list

Look for additional ways to empower men online• By tapping into male’s inner shoppers, retailers can give men more control over the

retail shopping experience

CONCLUSIONS

CONCLUSIONSAll Men don’t shop equally, but there are similarities:• As every male shopper is different, men’s behavior can generally reflect back to their

natural hunting instincts.

• Retailers must be aware of this shopping habit and understand it is not a reflection of

men’s lack of desire to shop.

Male’s Motivations to Shop fall into one of three key behaviors:• Men as buyers reflect their urgency to want to purchase and leave.

• Men searching for good solutions reflects their desire to want to find products that

meet their needs.

• Men’s desire to shop to win is a manifestation of wanting to achieve, and connects to

their self-esteem and sense of power.

Create an ideal experience for your male shopper persona:• Identifying and anticipating the different male personas and their shopping needs can

keep each type engaged in the shopping process and tempt new male shoppers to

the store.

CONCLUSIONS

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Maguire, James. “Men, Women, and E-Commerce.” Ecommerce-guide.com. 17 Jan. 2006. (http://www.ecommerce-guide.com/article.php/3577891)

McNutt, Brent. “Why Women Love Shopping.” Articlesbase. 18 Sept. 2008. (http://www.articlesbase.com/womens-issues-articles/why-women-love-shopping-567339.html)

“Men Buy, Women Shop: The Sexes Have Different Priorities When Waling Down the Aisles.” The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, November 28, 2007. (http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1848)

Otnes, Cele and McGrath, Mary Ann. Perceptions and realities of male shopping behavior. Journal of

Retailing 77 (2001) pg. 111-137.

Ryan, Tom. “Targeting Male Grocery Shoppers.” Retail Wire. 4 June 2007. http://www.retailwire.com/Discussions/Sngl_Discussion.cfm/12220)

REFERENCES

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Wheeler, Christian S. “Men vs. Women Shoppers.” Journal of Consumer Research, October 2007.

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REFERENCES

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