An Anatomy of the Male Shopper

AN ANATOMY OF THE MALE SHOPPER APRIL 7, 2010

MEN TYPICALLY ARE STEREOTYPED SHOPPERS
THESE STEREOTYPES ASSERT THAT MALE SHOPPERS ARE ONE OF THREE TYPES:
Grab and Go – shop quickly and spend as little time in retail settings
Wait and/or Whine – only accompany women into stores, but have no active role in the purchase process
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 MEN ARE MORE COMPLICATED THAN THESE STEREOTYPES SUGGEST

AN ANATOMY OF THE MALE SHOPPER
How and why men and women shop
Three main motivations of the male shopper (compared to women)
Male shopper types and personas
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 solo
Aim for a specific aisle
Are surgical shoppers – focus on searching, purchasing and returning home
Are achievement oriented – look to 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 SHOPPER 3 Men are Buyers Men Shop for a Good Solution Men Shop to Win

MEN ARE BUYERS 1

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 2

MEN’S SHOPPING DECISION PROCESS RESEMBLES A LINEAR PURCHASE PATH

MEN’S LINEAR PURCHASE PATH REFLECTS 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 ANSWER
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 3

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 PRAGMATICALLY AND 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 EMOTION
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 MOTIVATIONS
Create 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 Task Master 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 interest Typically 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

CONCLUSIONS
All 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

Barletta, Martha. Marketing to Women, How to Understand, Reach, and Increase Your Share of the
World’s Largest Market Segment. Chicago: Dearborn Trade Publishing, 2003.
Iconoculture. (2010) “Shopping Trends and Insights: The Male Shopper.”
Kruger, Daniel and Dreyson, Byker. Evolved Foraging Psychology Underlies Sex Differences In
Shopping Experiences and Behaviors : Journal of Social, Evolutionary and Cultural Psychology, 2009.
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

Underhill, Paco. Why We Buy. New York: Obat, Inc., 1999, 2000, 2009.
Wheeler, Christian S. “Men vs. Women Shoppers.” Journal of Consumer Research, October 2007.
“ Women’s shopping habits and priorities vary according to what they’re shopping for.” Marketing to
Women: Addressing Women and Women's Sensibilities . EPM Communications, Inc. 2005.
REFERENCES

THANK YOU
2010The Marketing Store. All rights reserved The Marketing Store Confidentiality and Intellectual Property Rights Notice Copyright and all other intellectual property rights contained within this document, including all the appendices, drawings and mock-ups that go with it, belong to the Marketing Store Worldwide, L.P.
You must not copy, store in any electronic form, or otherwise reproduce the whole or any part of this document or use the information contained therein except within the express written consent of the Marketing Store Worldwide, L.P.

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An Anatomy of the Male Shopper

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