1) The document summarizes research on women's shopping habits, both online and offline. It finds that women spend about equal time shopping online and offline, with 40% saying they shop during work hours. 2) Younger women are more likely to shop online at work, often due to boredom. Over half of women who shop online at work cite convenience and saving time. 3) Email is the most influential driver of online purchases for women, with 60% responding to email offers from retailers. Women also enjoy using online circulars to find deals.

1. The mall behind
the spreadsheet
Women’s online shopping
habits at the workplace
and beyond
Women are the most complicated AOL partnered with OTX to gain a
consumers on the planet. They control better understanding of this ubiquitous
$4.3 trillion, roughly 73 percent of yet mercurial group. What motivates
US household spending.1 And they do them? Who influences their decisions?
it all while juggling work, home and And where did they get those shoes?
family life. The study was based on an online
Many – particularly moms – manage survey of 700 adult women, divided
to shoehorn 27 hours of activities into evenly into groups of parents and non-
the standard 24-hour day.2 It should parents.
come as no surprise, then, that 40%
shop online during work hours. (But Sources:
1
“The New Female Consumer: The Rise of the Real
don’t tell them we told you.) Mom.” Advertising Age, November 2009. 2 “Living La Vida
Rapida.” AOL/OMD Global Moms Study, July 2008.

2. Where: The mouse or the mall
Torn between two mediums: Online vs. offline shopping
It’s no secret that
women love to shop. Equal time for both More online More offline
The question is: where?
Do they prefer a store-
front to a web address?
40 percent say they
= > <
spend equal time
shopping online and
offline. For the rest,
there’s a pretty even
split between those who
prefer one to the other.
40% 39% 40% 28% 27% 28% 32% 34% 32%
Women Overall Women 18-34 Women 35+ Women Overall Women 18-34 Women 35+ Women Overall Women 18-34 Women 35+
Working it out: Work vs. home shopping
40 percent of women shop while at work. The trend, as you might guess, is more
prevalent among the younger set.
Women Women Women
Overall 18-24 35-54 The older a woman
is, the less likely
she is to shop
while at work.
59% 40% 48% 51% 63% 37%
Home Work Home Work Home Work
(1% Other) (1% Other)

3. Why: Driven to shop by convenience and boredom
Time crunch: Reasons for shopping at work
But within the Millennial
More than group (18-24), a full 75
half the percent are doing it just
women to pass the time. (Again,
who shop please don’t shoot the
at work messenger. We don’t
do so to want to get anyone in
save time. trouble here.)
53% 40% 38% 35% 20%
Time saver/convenience To pass time I need it now Most downtime No time at home
Wanna, gotta, hafta have it: Prompts for shopping at work
Need is the main driver for women’s online purchases. However, boredom and a
compelling call-to-action can inspire younger women to shop. 18-34 yr. olds 35-54 yr. olds
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75
A need for a
specific item 69%
69%
Boredom
60%
33%
Email
notifications 40%
from companies 37%
Email
notifications that 38%
I subscribe to 34%
Online ads that
are relevant 31%
to me 23%

4. How: In search of the deal
Email is king queen: Purchase drivers
60 percent of women respond to email offers, making it the most influential driver of purchases.
10 20 30 40 50 60 Seven out of ten women sign
up for retailers’ email alerts.
Email
offers 60%
Television
commercials 35%
Online
ads 30%
Yes
Direct mail
offers 30%
Newspaper No
circulars 28%
Bargain hunting: Online circulars Free to choose: Influencers
Online circulars are read by three out of five women. Their favorite reason for visiting a company Women usually make purchase decisions themselves – a
website is to download these regular savings. small percentage of women will rely on the advice of others.
Read online circulars Find online circulars
Woman Moms
61% 61%
SALE SALE
Yes go directly to company
websites Self – 91% 91%
Spouse or significant other – 15% 16%
Someone else – 5% 3%
39% 30% Friends – 1% 1%
SALE No SALE receive them via email
Child – 11% 21%
9%
find them through online Only a little over 20 percent of moms
advertisements entertain suggestions from their children.
(Those kids have the cool moms.)

5. When: Magic at the end of the week
Our girl Friday: Popular day for shopping online
52 percent of women do their online shopping on Fridays. However, shopping
online isn’t even half as popular on weekends. They must be at the mall.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
33% 27% 35% 33% 52% 11% 7%
Eat or shop? Yes!: Time of day for shopping
On any given day, lunch and other break times Women do most
provide the best time for women to shop. of their shopping
between the hours
of 11am and 5pm.
During lunch – 54%
While multitasking – 41%
During breaks and downtime – 46%
Right after seeing a deal – 25%
A hot new deal can
inspire a purchase,
too, especially with
Women 18-34. 4% 9% 27% 49% 36% 9% 5%
12am-6am 6am-9am 9am-11am 11am-2pm 2pm-5pm 5pm-8pm 8pm-12am

6. How long: Spending when there’s time to spend
Opportunity keeps business hours: Time spent shopping
Overall, women tend to
shop between 15 and
30 minutes a day while
at work. Moms, though,
tend to shop for longer
periods of time at work.
37 percent say it’s
because they have more
downtime at work than
they do at home.
(We believe them.) Plus
I don’t shop in an avg. day 15 minutes or less 15 minutes - 30 minutes 30 minutes -1 hour 1 hour or more
9% 24% 40% 20% 8%
Moms Moms Moms Moms Moms
16% 29% 35% 17% 3%
Non-Moms Non-Moms Non-Moms Non-Moms Non-Moms
Who: Family matters
The kids and me: Recipients
Most women shop Women Moms
mainly for themselves.
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
But moms are even
more likely to shop Self 74%
for someone else – 70%
their child. Spouse or
48%
significant
other 57%
Child 40%
76%
Someone 22%
else
20%
Friends 20%
18%

7. What: Wear it, read it, watch it, buy it
Following fashion: Typical purchases
Clothing is the number one purchase choice for women online, with books and movies in second place.
Following these categories, women enjoy spending nearly equal amounts on electronics, shoes and travel.
57% 46% 38% 35% 31% 31%
Clothes Books and movies Electronics Shoes Travel Home decor
Conclusions:
1. 2. 3.
Big bang theory Watch the clock It’s in the mail
Light the fuse early in the week, allow Use dayparting to target women Women are motivated by email and
your campaigns to build momentum, during lunchtime, their favorite time deals, so make registering for email
then pay it off with a bang on Friday – to make purchases. alerts and taking advantage of special
when women shop online the most. deals an easy - even fun - process.

8. Questions?
Email research.team@corp.aol.com
Want to learn how AOL can help you
reach women who shop online?
Email sales@corp.aol.com or visit advertising.aol.com