Why men and women don't agree about websites: the secrets about men and women's web preferences G Moss and R Gunn Internet World 17 May 2006

Good news! Lots of pictures, so no danger that, following lunch …

Web design: important gap E-commerce is in a high growth state: usage - 934 million in 2004; 1.35 billion in 2007 2002 – 2004: 50% increase in Fs shopping online: 17m -> 28m shoppers (Forrester, 2004)

E-commerce is in a high growth state:

usage - 934 million in 2004; 1.35 billion in 2007

2002 – 2004: 50% increase in Fs shopping online: 17m -> 28m shoppers (Forrester, 2004)

Satisfying the customer Business survival depends on shaping products and services around the “ unique and particular needs” of the customer (Hammer, Reengineering the Corporation, 1995)

Business survival depends on shaping

products and services around the

“ unique and particular needs” of the

customer (Hammer, Reengineering the

Corporation, 1995)

Satisfying the customer: Gender Many markets segmented -> male and female markets Female : grocery, furniture, books, small electrical, OTC medicines, domestic property, cars …… Male : SLR cameras, computers, petrol ……

Many markets segmented -> male and female markets

Female : grocery, furniture, books, small electrical,

OTC medicines, domestic property, cars ……

Male : SLR cameras, computers, petrol ……

Satisfying the customer: Gender $ 64k question Do men and women like the same kinds of design?

$ 64k question

Do men and women like the same kinds of design?

Web design (Moss Gunn) Compared M and F-produced web sites. Rated sites across 2 main measures (23 variables): Visual Language 30M and 30F in UK 90M and 90F websites UK, France and Poland

Compared M and F-produced web sites.

Rated sites across 2 main measures (23 variables):

Visual

Language

30M and 30F in UK

90M and 90F websites

UK, France and Poland

Results UK / France / Poland p < 0.001 Male / females in images p < 0.001 Inanimate / animate p < 0.05 Regular / irreg typeface p < 0.001 Colours in typeface p < 0.001 Conventional layout p < 0.05 Predominant colours p < 0.001 Lines / round p < 0.001 Pictures 2D or 3D p < 0.001 Tone of words p < 0.001 Expert language p < 0.05 Own achievements p < 0.001 Denigration p < 0.001 Site map

A comparison of the male and female tendency to use straight lines : UK

A comparison of the male and female tendency to use large numbers of typeface colours : UK

A comparison of the male and female use of informal / formal language or a combination of both: UK

Male website example : 1

Male website: example 2

Female website example: 1

Female website example : 2

Web preferences 67 respondents (38M + 26F): Men prefer male-produced websites Women prefer female-produced websites

67 respondents (38M + 26F):

Men prefer male-produced websites

Women prefer female-produced websites

Causes of differences Evolution of visual skills in response to division of labour from 1.7m – 10,000 BC (from lower palaeolithic to end of Pleistocene epoch).

Evolution of visual skills in response to division of

labour from 1.7m – 10,000 BC (from lower palaeolithic to

end of Pleistocene epoch).

Implications Books Groceries Higher Education Beauty

Books

Groceries

Higher Education

Beauty

Books Sector with second largest number of e-commerce shoppers in US (Nielsen Media Research Study, 1999) M / F near parity US (Nielsen 1999) 55% of online consumers = F; UK 56% of paperbacks bought by F (Mintel)

Sector with second largest number of e-commerce shoppers in US (Nielsen Media Research Study, 1999)

M / F near parity

US (Nielsen 1999) 55% of online consumers = F; UK 56% of paperbacks bought by F (Mintel)

Amazon

Merlin

Groceries Online parity between men and women shoppers (Research and markets, 2002) Tesco – market leader in UK with 27% of the market, 10% above its nearest rival (TNS, Feb 2004) www.tesco.co.uk

Online parity between men and women shoppers (Research and markets, 2002)

Tesco – market leader in UK with 27% of the market, 10% above its nearest rival (TNS, Feb 2004)

www.tesco.co.uk

Tesco

Asda

Toys

Universities Competitive market M/ F near parity (Fs= 53% of f’t u/gs and 66% of p/t ) Analysis of 32 HEI websites: 30 with overall masculine orientation

Competitive market

M/ F near parity (Fs= 53% of f’t u/gs and 66% of p/t )

Analysis of 32 HEI websites: 30 with overall masculine orientation

University web designers 73 19 7 74 University websites (%) Interview response rate (%) M + F F M Gender of person(s) designing the University websites

Beauty Beauty Predominantly female market Men are half as likely as women to have health and beauty treatment

Beauty

Predominantly female market

Men are half as likely as women to have health and beauty treatment

Beauty

Beauty

Beauty 73 4 18 78 Beauty salon websites (%) Interview response rate (%) M + F F M Gender of person(s) designing the company’s website

IT professionals 29 71 IT operations, technicians 17 83 ICT Managers 16 84 Software professionals % Females % Males Occupation

Conclusions (1) Differences in M / F production aesthetics Differences in M / F preference aesthetics

Differences in M / F production aesthetics

Differences in M / F preference aesthetics

Conclusions (2) Massive implications for e-marketing to M and F Implications for recruitment of IT professionals

Massive implications for e-marketing to M and F

Implications for recruitment of IT professionals

Final conclusions Need to spread the word, even if it shatters cherished conceptions about optimal design....

Need to spread the word, even if it shatters cherished conceptions about optimal design....

Media coverage 80 US newspapers (Wall St journal; NY Times; Washington Post) BBC, Times Higher Education, Western Mail, Director Magazine, E-Consultancy, New Media Age 20 weblogs

80 US newspapers (Wall St journal; NY Times; Washington Post)

BBC, Times Higher Education, Western Mail, Director Magazine, E-Consultancy, New Media Age

20 weblogs

Research and consultancy Bunnyfoot Directski Bounty

Bunnyfoot

Directski

Bounty

Bounty

Can we help you? University of Glamorgan, [email_address] [email_address] 0144348 3293

University of Glamorgan,

[email_address] [email_address]

0144348 3293