The times, they are a changin’. The age-old belief that men hate shopping has defined retail marketing across generations, but Japanese fast fashion giant Uniqlo thinks it’s rubbish – and now they have the data to prove it. According to new research commissioned by the casual apparel retailer, 71 per cent of men believe that shopping is a self-rewarding process and almost half (40 per cent) actually enjoy the activity. The figures are reflective of changing attitudes, with 49 per cent of m
millennial males indicating that they feel positive about shopping, compared to 26 per cent of baby boomers. The intergenerational shift is being seen as an opportunity for savvy retailers and as men move further into the world of fast fashion, the focus of the industry is likely to shift.
“Traditionally, shopping has been marketed towards women. However, the retail industry is increasingly focusing its marketing efforts on males too,” Uniqlo’s head of marketing, Tracey Lang, told Inside Retail Weekly. “There’s a stigma around shopping being a somewhat ‘female’ activity, which does play a role in men’s tradition aversion to shopping.”
Lang says that Uniqlo commissioned the research to ultimately improve the experience they offer men, recognising that as millennials become a more influential demographic within the marketplace, more men will seek out shopping. However, more than half of men are still wary about the fast fashion experience, begging the question: how can retailers entice the elusive male shopper?
Understanding male shoppers – the ‘wear, rip, buy’ cycle
Men’s attitudes may be changing, but there are, unsurprisingly, still significant differences between how men and women approach shopping. PWC senior analyst Paddy Carney thinks the distinction is needs based, telling Inside Retail Weekly that men and women simply shop for different reasons.
“Men are more outcomes-focused than women,” she said. “They know they want a green shirt so they go looking for one. They will generally buy the first one that meets most of their requirements.”
“The difference with women is that they tend to not be as specific in what they are looking for and they will also look at a lot more alternatives.”
It seems that might be one part of the traditional stereotype that still sticks. Whilst the research revealed that 47 per cent of men love finding new clothes and 41 per cent believe it enhances their appearances, a quarter of men still admit to putting off shopping until it’s necessary.
Kent & Lime co-founder Will Rogers, who has made a business out of shopping for men, calls it the ‘wear, rip, buy cycle’ and says that it reflects the two predominant factors that influence men’s shopping habits – time and relevance.
“Imagine a guy walking into a department store. They’re being presented with a range and there’s no-one to guide them through what that is. You can’t assume that all guys have style and you may think they have style, but putting it together may be something else,” he told Inside Retail Weekly.
“Guys need that help in terms of going through a store and being able to understand why certain things will work and why certain things wouldn’t work. The time-saving associated with that is an immense draw,” Rogers continued.
According to Rogers, men are hardwired to get things done quickly, pointing out that retailers need to make the experience as easy as possible. While women will actively go shopping, men still need a little hand-holding.
“[Men] leave it until the last minute then call us in panic,” Rogers said. “If a guy buys some jeans, we’ll know six months later that it’s probably coming to the end of its life. It’s then about sending them a selection of new jeans that are available to replace the ones that they’ve bought.”
“It’s about being smart and short-circuiting that decision-making process by saying: ‘Here’s an easy way to get it because we know a little bit about you’. You make sure that customers are happy with that decision rather than being forced to go out and buy when things are falling to bits,” Rogers explained.
What men want
Although men are becoming more fashion-focused, 61 per cent still look first for clothes that are comfortable and fit well, and 52 per cent are attracted by good quality clothes that last. However, whilst men have a good idea of what they want and like, Rogers says they often have trouble describing what they need – an area where retailers should step in.
“If you told them to describe a shirt they couldn’t, but if you showed them three pictures they’ll tell you exactly what they wanted,” Rogers said.
“It’s about how men connect with products from a needs perspective. Guys shop because they need something to go to a barbeque with or because they need something to go to work and look smart. [Retailers] need to present those preferences in a more effective and clear way,” he continued.
Interestingly, the research also revealed that whilst the overwhelming majority of men prefer to shop for themselves, they spend more when shopping with their partner or friends. Uniqlo found that the average basket size increases from $117 to $131 if a partner is present and again to $159 if shopping with mates.
Uniqlo believes its data indicates that men are easily influenced in-store, and thus might be more social shoppers than previously thought. But according to Lang, buying products isn’t necessarily what men want from a shopping trip, with the research revealing that other shopping centre activities like the food court rank higher on men’s overall shopping trip preferences.
“Two in five males chose aspects such as the food court when asked to choose their favourite things about shopping,” Lang explained. “It’s important that retailers start thinking more about tailored experiences for men that actually entice them to be in-store, and to help them enjoy their shopping experience.”
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