Shanto-Mariam University of Creative

Technology

Module Title: Consumer Behavior

Module Code: MKT 2302

Submitted To
Suborna Nawadir
Lecturer
Dept. of Fashion Design & Technology
Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology
Submitted By
Towrin
ID: 2010111051
Group: D
Batch: 38th
Dept. of Fashion Design & Technology

Assignment Topic: A Comparative Analysis of the Buying Behaviors of Men and

Women
 INDEX
Topic Page
1. Introduction 03
2. Tendencies can affect online 03-07
buying behavior
3. Men & Women Differences in 07
Shopping Habits & Buying
Decisions

4. The Differences Between 07-08

Women and Men

05. The Impact of Purchase Habits 08-09

06. Male and Female Shopping 10

Stereotypes

07. Conclusion 10-11

 A Comparative Analysis of the Buying Behaviors of Men
and Women

There is a decade worth of scientific research on this subject, which shows that
there are observable differences in how men and women behave as shoppers. It’s
clear, men and women think differently about shopping and will approach the act
of shopping online in different ways.
Gaining an understanding of how gender differences influence purchase decisions
and recognizing gender-specific tendencies (not stereotypes!) is important for any
business that sells to people – and wants to do so more effectively.
Let’s look at how these tendencies can affect online buying behavior and what you
can do to make it work in your favor.

1. It’s all in the brain: Men on a mission, women on a journey

Studies have shown that there are numerous physical differences between male and
female brains. According to the Scientific American, Women have a thicker corpus
callosum, which is the bridge of nerve tissue that connects the left and right side of
the brain. It allows women to use both sides of their brains to solve problems
quicker, while men predominantly use the left side of their brains.
2. Men’s motives for shopping appear to be more utilitarian, whereas
women’s shopping motives tend to be hedonic
According to The Mediterranean Journal of Sciences (2017), research shows that
customers have a range of underlying motivations triggering their shopping
behaviors, but there are essentially two types of shopping motives: Men tend to
follow a utilitarian, more logic-based approach. You need to tell them why they
should buy your products and why it makes sense for them to purchase it. Get to
the point quickly, focus on the products, and use active statements that demonstrate
value.
Women are mostly hedonic shoppers. To reach and engage women, you will have
to create emotive shopping experiences that resonate with them. A purely
functional approach can fall flat pretty quickly. Women want to know more about
you, your brand, the lifestyle you sell and how your products are going to make
them feel.
3. Women prefer the hunt, men want a quick and effortless process
In their study on online shopping orientations, Seock and Bailey discovered that
women visited more websites and contrasted different options more thoroughly
than men.
They also found that while female respondents were more likely to find online
sales and discounts, the shopping process of their male counterparts was more
efficient and quicker.
4. Women make decisions on a more emotional level, whereas men approach
decision-making with facts and data
Once a consumer recognizes the need for a certain product or service, information
needs to be gathered and processed to evaluate alternatives. Research shows that
men and women differ dramatically in their strategies for information processing
and decision-making.
Women tend to be more comprehensive and take both subjective (customer
reviews) and objective information into consideration, while men tend to favor
objective information (make, model, speed etc.) over subjective information.
This doesn’t mean that men don’t value the opinions and experiences of others, but
rather that their approach is different: While men use the experiences of others
with a product they’re interested in to form their own opinion, women would want
to know the reasons and motivations to understand why others purchased an item
and whether their situation is comparable, before considering it in their decision-
making.
5. Men are loyal to brands, women are loyal to good service
A study by the Erasmus University showed that once men found a brand that
worked for them, they were more likely to stick with it, which is especially true for
apparel, automobiles, financial services and home electronics, while women
showed a greater degree of loyalty if they received a good service.
The findings suggest that when advertising to women, it is important to use
marketing to build a personal relationship with female customers while when
marketing to men, you should highlight the advantages and benefits of your
products.
Comparing these 2 pins with email marketing campaigns that target men and
women, we can see that the first predominantly displays items, while the latter gets
more personal.
6. Men are more likely to make purchases on mobile devices
While men have historically been the early adopters of online shopping, women
have caught up with them quickly. According to a 2013 study conducted by See
Why, 57% of women purchased goods online, compared to 52% of men.
7. Good customer service? Woman want to feel important, Men want to get
out fast
Providing good service and maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction,
regardless of gender, is one of the most important KPI’s in contemporary
marketing because satisfied customers tend to be more loyal and consume more.
For women, customer satisfaction is strongly linked to a shop’s willingness to
share expert advice (demonstrate familiarity with the product) and the shop’s
ability to help them determine which products suit best. According to the study by
The Verde Group, 29% of women considered the “lack of help when needed” as
the top problem when shopping – It is also the likeliest reason that stores lose the
business of women.
Guided Selling can help businesses cater to male and female shoppers’ service
expectations, as it puts the shopper’s needs first, offers help and guidance as well
as a faster way to suitable products.

8. Women perceive higher levels of risk for online shopping

It’s also important to know that females perceive higher levels of risk when
shopping online, and as a result, they tend to hesitate when making a purchase
online.
Women focus more on trustworthiness and assurance issues and the ability to share
opinions and ideas. Men focus more on the value gained through the purchase.
According to Van Syke, Comunale, and Blelanger (2002), female customers in e-
commerce are more rational and more sensitive to risks than male customers in e-
commerce are.

Men & Women Differences in Shopping Habits & Buying Decisions

John Gray’s 1992 book “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus”
confirmed what men and women have always known: The two sexes differ in their
perspectives, motives, rationales, and actions. Even though the reason for the
differences (nature or nurture) continues to be debated, study after study reflects
similar results, and sophisticated companies have adapted their customer outreach
programs to account for these differences. Everything from advertising style,
message, and media, to product design, store layout, sales training, and customer
service policies are designed to appeal specifically to both sexes.

The Differences Between Women and Men

Whether (and to what extent) men and women differ has been a controversial
subject for years. Many scientists are concerned that perceived differences have led
to discrimination and unfair treatment under the assumption that one gender has
attributes the other does not. While there are observable differences between the
brains of men and women and how they process information, researchers
emphasize that the differences do not reflect a superiority of a single gender.

Furthermore, studies indicate that sex-specific characteristics fall along a broad

continuum containing substantial overlap between sexes. Trying to accurately
stereotype a single individual is difficult, if not impossible. In other words, if you
pick one male and one female out of a crowd, they could be very similar or
dissimilar depending on each person’s unique characteristics. Nevertheless,
recognizing the general characteristics of each sex is important to product retailers,
especially if their product is designed to appeal predominately to one sex or the
other.
The Impact of Purchase Habits
Whether you’re a man or a woman, your purchasing decisions are based more on
habit than rational decision-making, according to Dr. Neale Martin, professor at
Kennesaw State University’s Cole College of Business. Tony Ezell, vice president
of Eli Lilly and Company agrees, using the example of physicians who, acting with
their unconscious brains when making decisions, continue to prescribe medications
they are used to, even when they understand that new drugs are better and safer.
Once buying habits are established, they’re difficult to dislodge because it’s human
nature to resist change.

Knowing that habit drives most buying decisions and consumer behavior,
companies focus on the initial buying decision to gain an advantage before a habit
is established, ensuring their products or services are the beneficiaries of eventual
habit formation. These efforts are focused on the following:
 Initial Stimulation of a Need. Millions of dollars are spent each year to
motivate buyers to purchase particular products in the belief that the
products will make them healthier, wealthier, safer, or more attractive. This
is the logic behind special sales, coupons, and discounts. In fact, individuals
going through major life events are especially vulnerable to new appeals
since they often don’t notice, nor care, that their shopping habits have
shifted. But retailers notice, and they care quite a lot. At these unique
moments, UCLA Professor Alan Andreasen wrote in a 1980s study,
customers – both men and women – are “vulnerable to intervention by
marketers.” In other words, a precisely timed advertisement, sent to a recent
divorcee or new homeowner, can change someone’s shopping patterns for
years.
 Influence of Third Parties. Third-party endorsements by friends, social
peers, or authority figures influence our selection of products. Jonah Berger,
assistant professor of marketing at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton
School of Business and the author of “Contagious: Why things Catch On,”
says, “People often think that contagious products just get lucky. But it’s not
luck and it’s not random. It’s science.” Berger claims as many as half of all
purchasing decisions are driven by word-of-mouth marketing because it’s
considered more trustworthy than traditional advertising, even when that’s
not the case. As a consequence, retailers constantly seek out customer
 endorsements and enlist celebrities as product spokespeople to help gain an
edge.
 Personal Evaluation. Your decision to pick one product over another is
influenced by a number of factors, including the appeal of the packaging and
the method or convenience of payment. These subconscious factors can
actually exert more influence over your decision than price or quality.
Understanding your motive for purchasing one item over another helps you
make better choices.

While it would be impractical (and impossible) to systematically evaluate and

objectively determine every purchase, consumers should be aware of the habits
that drive their buying decisions. In cases where outcomes are more critical –
significant differences in price, quality, durability, convenience, or utility – a more
rational purchasing process is usually justified to ensure a successful result.

Male and Female Shopping Stereotypes

Despite near equality in numbers, according to Bloomberg, women make more

than 85% of the consumer purchases in the United States, and reputedly influence
over 95% of total goods and services purchased. Women as a whole are considered
more sophisticated shoppers than men, taking longer to make a buying decision.
Marti Barletta, president of The Trend Sight Group and coauthor of “Just Ask a
Woman: Cracking the Code of What Women Want and How they Buy,” explains
that men would rather buy a workable product than continue to shop, while women
would rather continue to shop in the hope of finding a perfect solution. In other
words, women are more selective and more likely to buy a product that fits all of
their requirements.
Conclusion
In a world where personalization is key, businesses have to keep in mind which
gender they are targeting. The fashion industry was first to recognize and respond
to men and women shopping differently. By considering the distinctive
differences between male and female online shoppers, you (even if you are not
in the fashion industry) will be able to effectively enhance customer engagement,
conversion, and loyalty.
But, remember, that people are unique and although there may be gender-specific
tendencies, they all want to be treated as unique individuals. Don’t give into
stereotypes, but try to understand your individual shopper’s motives and
expectations to give them the experience they demand.