It turns out that men generally treat shopping like a mission: Get it, get out, move on. (Surprise, surprise.) This week, Paco has some tips on how to best approach the guys in your store.
Shopping “anthropologist” Paco Underhill’s research over the past 20 years has confirmed what many retailers knew – men are more mission-driven than women. They move faster through store aisles than women, look at price tags less (72 percent compared to 86 percent for women), buy what they came for and leave. If they don’t find what they want – or feel they are in a overly feminine environment, they are more likely to make their exit without asking for help or making a purchase.
Given such habits, there is often less time for that interception and conversion. You may want to approach the male shopper earlier in the shopping process than you would a female, offer assistance and help him achieve his mission (the purchase) before he gets away. Bottom line: Study your shoppers and how they behave while in your store.
Get more actionable advice from the world’s leading retail environment expert at The SMART Show. Paco Underhill’s must-see keynote session takes place on Saturday, April 18, at 8:30 a.m., and is sponsored by Synchrony Financial.
Wilkerson Testimonials
Cleaning House for a New Generation
At Komara Jewelers in Canfield, Ohio, Wilkerson handled all the aspects of its retirement sale just as owner Bob Komara’s children took over day-to-day operations of the business. They’d used other companies before, says Brianna Komara-Pridon, but they didn’t compare. “If we had used Wilkerson then, it would have been so much better.”
