shopping habits
Mars and Venus
Decoding the mystery of gender-based shopping habits
By Lindsey Aspinall

So what do Martians and Venusians wear for eyewear? Top: ClearVision style Adam. bottom: Tura Elegance style TE501

Retailers have long tried to decipher the differences in shopping habits between men and women. What are the major shopping characteristics of the sexes—and can they be individually defined?

Trying to simultaneously target both men and women in the dispensary can be tricky, so a firm understanding of this battle of the sexes is key. These basic observations about gender-specific shopping styles can help you bring in the sales.

MEN HUNT, WOMEN GATHER

It's a caveman perspective, but it often rings true in modern life, and it can certainly be applied to male and female shopping habits. According to a recent survey
conducted by MONEY magazine, with help from market research firm ICR, when American men go shopping, they plan ahead. Women are often more likely to make
purchases without a plan.

Consumers who shop with a purpose tend to be males over the age of 35. If a man enters the dispensary needing a specific item, chances are he won't deviate from this plan.

On the other hand, women are more likely to browse. They will often wander through the dispensary. "Women are more prone to making impulse buys," says Janie Webber, managing partner at Styleyes in Franklin, Tenn.

SHOP GIRL, SHOP GUY

According to John Gray's famous book Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, "A man looks for advice only after he's done what he can do alone." This can be applied to frame shopping, too. Men will go as far as selecting a few frames they like, but in many cases want a woman to give her affirmation that they look good.

"When men come in alone, nine times out of 10 they'll put the frames they liked on hold to have their wives or girlfriends make the final decision," says Webber.

Meeting the needs of men and women requires an understanding of their similarities and differences. A similarity: Both are looking for style. Top to bottom: Emporio Armani style EA9315 from Sàfilo; Magic Twist style MTW 107 from Viva International

Men who do make same-day purchases often rely heavily on a female staffer's opinion. Phyllis Teiko, manager of Vizio Optic in Brookline, Mass., says that she often hears male shoppers asking the female staff, "Does this look good on me?"

Women shoppers appear more confident. "Men really depend much more on what we say than women do," says Webber.

But when men and women shop as a pair, the shopping experience is much less predictable. "Men and women shop differently when shopping with their significant other," says Teiko. "They are looking for approval. Many times it makes the shopping process much more drawn out. Other times it makes them afraid to try things on. It boils down to whether the significant other is supportive of the frame selection process."

EXCEPTIONS THAT SHATTER THE STEREOTYPES

The 18-to-34 age bracket of young males is changing the assumption that men only shop out of necessity. A WSL Strategic Retail study showed that the gender-based shopping gap is closing up between young men and women. The study reports some revealing stats about this age bracket.

■ Young men make 3.6 shopping trips per week, compared to 4.1 by young women.

■ 29 percent of men reported they shop more in malls than they did a year ago, compared to only 18 percent of women claiming this.

■ Specialty stores are increasingly popular, with 37 percent of both groups claiming they shopped more in specialty stores than they had the previous year.

While it is important that retailers recognize the different shopping habits that apply to many men and women, it would be a mistake to assume all men and women fit into a shopping stereotype. For example, while Webber notes women are more prone to impulse buys, she also says this is changing with sunwear, which men often purchase as a second pair.

Information on these generalities should be applied to areas such as display setups, marketing plans, or sales pitch focuses. But while it's smart to vary your sales tactics based on the specific needs of men or women, it should never affect the level of service. For the same reason that women complain about being treated differently when purchasing a car (biggest complaints include being ignored or talked down to, according to Dealer magazine), men will not appreciate poor service in the dispensary, even if they know little about fashion.

Top to bottom: Esprit style ET9280 from Charmant. Men's style available in Europe; Marchon Power Rangers style I and Disney Princess style Sweetheart on kids. Marchon styles M-822 and M-753 on woman and man, respectively; Marc Hunter style MH7217 from New York Eye

Revving Sales

A recent look at marketing data for CNN by Peter Valdes-Dapena uncovered what makes certain cars more popular with men and others more favorable to women. Figuring out what men wanted was easy—engine power, looks, features—but women used a complex formula to choose a car.

1. Men want "more," which is why the Mustang GT has four headlights when only two are needed. Don't assume men won't want eyewear add-ons. Be sure to educate on how additions can improve the quality.

2. Women decide which car to purchase by adding up all the good things, subtracting the bad things, and comparing the result with the cost of the car. When selling, cover all the bases and respect that she is factoring everything into the equation.

3. Men decide which car to buy by adding up the good qualities and then wondering if it's affordable. Know that men will be focused on cost and what makes the frame a must-have item.