Perceptions and Realities of Male Shopping Behavior

While shopping by men is on the rise, perceptions of their shopping behavior, as well as how men actually shop, remain underexplored. The objective of the study was to examine the commonly held stereotypes about male shoppers, to support or debunk these stereotypes, and to offer a theory explaining the motivations and meanings of male shopping behavior. We examined both the perceptions and realities of male shopping behavior through a variety of qualitative research techniques. To explore stereotypes, we used projective tasks such as sentence completions, as well as reactions to stories about shopping in which the gender of the shopper was ambiguous. We examined actual shopping behaviors through in-store observations over a period of six years. In addition, we interviewed twelve male shoppers in depth.Three clear and consistent stereotypes emerged from the study. These were: I) "Grab and Go," 2) "Whine and/or Wait," and 3) "Fear of the Feminine." The "Grab and Go" stereotyped portrayed men as shopping quickly and spending as little time as possible in retail settings. "Whine and/or Wait" captured the belief that men generally accompany women into stores but have no active role in the purchase process decision. Young men in particular are perceived as unhappy in this situation, and older men are likely to be bored in the marketplace. Finally, "Fear of the Feminine" asserts that it is a threat to masculine sexuality either to enjoy shopping as an avocation, or to exhibit interest in items associated with the female body or the household. Taken together, these three stereotypes assert that "real" men will avoid shopping, try to minimize any time and effort expended when shopping becomes necessary, and will not enjoy any aspect of the shopping process and experience.Observations and interviews with men offer little support for any of these three stereotypes. In reality, men did not "Grab and Go." Rather, they lingered in the marketplace to evaluate alternatives and browsed the Internet before going into a store. Many spoke of their enjoyment of bargaining and bargain hunting, and stories of browsing, touching and playing in the marketplace emerged, especially when high-tech products and tools were explored. Moreover, male shoppers were even observed socializing their sons not to "Grab and Go." Men were observed shopping together and helping each other make decisions. Similarly, the "Whine and/or Wait" stereotype proved to be prevalent only when men felt superfluous during the shopping process. Once they were made a part of the experience, men were positive both in attitude and by demonstrating helping behavior. "Fear of the Feminine" surfaced in observations of some "female" retail settings, but in general the depth interviews also debunked this stereotype. And in fact, many men consciously developed expertise in product categories and retail settings that would generally be considered feminine. We found that men derived status from detailed knowledge of these products, exerted power and control over selection of these products in the household, and also expressed the desire for deeper intimacy with women through the mastery of "feminine" shopping tasks.To explain why some men embraced the marketplace while others did not, we offered a theory of male shopping that consists of two elements. First, the concept of gender role transcendence argues that men who are not tied to traditional notions of masculinity are able to become willing shoppers, and deliberately and pragmatically pursue this activity. Yet even if this first step toward shopping is fulfilled, men who profess to enjoy shopping still typically do so in order to fulfill one entrenched tenet of the masculine code-achievement. We argue that in contrast to Daniel Miller's theory that women shop to express love to their families and social networks, men shop to win. This goal of achievement in the marketplace is furthered through the use of assertive strategies such as savvy bargaining or intensive information search via technology, in order to be assured they have made the "best" decision. We offer managerial implications and suggestions for future research.

Perceptions and Realities of Male Shopping Behavior

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