Question

Topic: Customer Behavior

Christmas Gift Shopping

Posted by HispanicMarketingLibrary on 8/10/2013 at 6:16 AM ET 500 Points
For an article about the influence of gender on consumer behavior and the marketing to consumers, I need your opinion.

Research shows that women engage (e.g., spend more time) in Christmas gift shopping more than men. An obvious marketing implication is that, during the Christmas shopping season, all other things being equal, marketers should focus on selling women more than selling men.

Are there any less obvious implications?

Thank you.

Dr. T
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Moriarty on 8/10/2013 at 6:57 AM Accepted
    Actually, most women spend more time shopping than men. That includes Christmas.

    However, many men still need to buy Christmas presents, and not being fond of shopping means that you have more chance to sell to them online! Just make sure that the thing you're selling is exactly what they want ;-)

    Perhaps the best time to segment your email list?
  • Posted by HispanicMarketingLibrary on 8/10/2013 at 7:59 AM Author
    Dear Moriarty,

    Thank you for your prompt response.

    However, one research source -- https://dailyinfographic.com/men-vs-women-online-shopping-infographic -- shows NO significant differences between the online shopping behavior of men and women.

    Dr. T



  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 8/10/2013 at 8:26 AM Accepted
    Time spent doesn't necessarily equate into total amount spent. The genders may also be purchasing different types of products.
  • Posted by mgoodman on 8/10/2013 at 9:08 AM Accepted
    As Jay suggests, the goal is not usually engagement per se, but rather conversion and profitability. If shoppers are just kicking the tires, why spend your marketing budget chasing them? The best metric is ROMI -- not engagement.

    This does not mean that engagement is worthless. Just that it may not translate to, or correlate with, profit -- the stuff that ends up in your bank account when it's all over.

    So the implication is: Spend marketing funds on the segment/gender that generates the greatest ROMI. Don't be distracted by largely-irrelevant research.
  • Posted by Moriarty on 8/10/2013 at 9:13 AM Member
    There are very real differences between the genders - only this isn't in what they are spending. It's how they are spending it and why.

    Whilst "engagement" as a broad spectrum term is pretty useless - when it is engaged to the purchasing process (ie reverse engineered from your customer's purchases) it becomes extremely powerful. Using this knowledge will allow you to refine your visitors into those who are only looking and those who are going to buy.

    What's more you can tailor all your messaging to engaging your buyers. Only first you need to know what their motives are so that you can engage this from the very start.
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 8/12/2013 at 12:00 AM Accepted
    This question raises more questions than a first look might suggest.

    But all other things are not equal, are they? What ARE these other things, and on what playing field is the equality being judged, by whom, and against which measures?

    " ... marketers should focus on selling women more than selling men." Should they? Says who? Why? Where? And for how long?

    Then there's the bigger question of not doing any "selling" at all. Instead, why not opt for meeting people's needs? Solving their problems? Making their dreams and desires come true?

  • Posted by HispanicMarketingLibrary on 8/13/2013 at 8:37 AM Author
    Dear Jay,

    Thank you for your prompt response.

    (1) Time spent was an example. Research supports that women spend more money on gifts and buy more gifts than men.

    (2) Women and men buy different products. I limited my query to all all other things being equal.

    Dr. T

  • Posted by HispanicMarketingLibrary on 8/13/2013 at 8:41 AM Author
    Dear Michael,

    Thank you for your prompt response.

    ROMI is not a gender-base implication, it applies to ALL marketing investments.

    Dr. T.

  • Posted by HispanicMarketingLibrary on 8/13/2013 at 8:48 AM Author
    Dear Gary,

    Thank you for your prompt response.

    Of course all things are not equal. However, to identify the marketing implications of gender, one purposely ignores other variables.

    Dr. T.
  • Posted by HispanicMarketingLibrary on 8/13/2013 at 8:53 AM Author
    Dear colleagues,

    Thank you for your prompt responses.

    I am looking for the marketing implications of gender.

    Elsewhere, someone suggested the following:

    Marketing communications should emphasize traditional gender roles, which might be viewed as counter-intuitive, and should not emphasize egalitarian gender roles, which might be viewed as the “politically correct” choice.

    Dr. T.
  • Posted by HispanicMarketingLibrary on 8/19/2013 at 12:18 PM Author
    Any response?

    Doctor T
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