Gender and Shopping Behavior

Interactions, a leader in innovative retail services and experiential marketing for retailers and brands, discovered that despite differences in shopping patterns between men and women, the two genders generally share much in common when it comes to their retail experience. According to Interactions’ latest Retail Perceptions report, “Does Gender Influence Shopping Behavior?” men and women’s shopping behaviors are intertwined yet still distinct. “Our latest report shows that men and women each want a unique experience tailored to their needs and preferences, but they’re not so different from each other in what they demand from retailers,” said Lance Eliot, Vice President of Information Technology with Interactions. “With the lines blurring, the opportunity for retailers lies in creating an experience that equally delights male and female shoppers.” Within the store, the impact that associates have on shoppers is nearly identical for both genders. For example, 56 percent of women and 60 percent of men would prefer to communicate with a retailer through a store associate rather than with a mobile device. That said, 80 percent of women and 77 percent of men who download retailer apps use them while they shop in the store. In addition, 44 percent of men feel that receiving mobile alerts from the store they are in during shopping trips would improve their in-store experience – this number drops slightly to 39 percent for women. From technology to timing, male and female shoppers do showcase some notable differences. According to the report, 44 percent of men who use mobile wallets have left a retailer without making a purchase because the retailer did not accept that payment option, while only 34 percent of women have done the same. For online shoppers, nearly 10 percent of men shop through a retailer’s app, while only two percent of women do the same. Today’s male shoppers will try competing brands for products they like, sign up for retailer apps, read all product information before purchasing, and sign up for loyalty cards more than women. On the other hand, more female shoppers will make an impulse purchase, invite others to shop with them and shop for leisure. And although many products are marketed specifically toward men or women, 46 percent of women purchase products marketed toward the opposite gender for their own use – while only 25 percent of men do so. “In a world where personalization is paramount, every shopper attribute matters,” noted Eliot. “But even with the different shopping behaviors, retailers and CPGs should aim to effectively enhance customer engagement equally between genders.”