When it comes to the topic of gender and shopping, the accepted stereotype is that women love it and men hate it.Increasingly there are men who love to have massive sneaker collections and bucketloads of ipad apps.So the question is: Are men, in their own unique way, just as addicted to shopping as women?http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamed/434398
Evolutionary psychologists believe the gender differences can be found in our caveman ancestryBy nature men are hunters and women are gatherers. Women tend to be delighted by the process of shopping. Menjust see shopping as a way to get what they want.Photo credits:http://www.flickr.com/photos/japi14/2574739213/http://www.flickr.com/photos/bkweaver/1421029978/
For many women, there are psychological and emotional aspects of shopping. Women like to evaluate the pros and cons of every purchase.Men spend less time looking. Men shop to complete a mission, so to speak.Graphic: http://www.gobankingrates.com/men-vs-women-thoughts-before-spending-money/
Researchers at The Wharton School of Business found that women spend more time shopping but actually spend less money overallItsbecause the shopping experience -trying on clothes and comparing prices - is what they find really enjoyable.Photo credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/henryfaber/25049277
A recent Westpac survey found that 47 per cent of women think their blokes squander money,and 19 per cent of womendon't trust men with shared finances.When it comes to the crunch, perhaps women are the savvy savers while men think money grows on trees?Photo credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/nevon/2094978831/
Men tend to see life as a series of contests they must conquer to maintain personal status.Men passionately feel the same about their resources – including the toys and gadgets which they see as propelling them higher in personal status.Photo credit:http://www.flickr.com//photos/spyker3292/4582114075/
Women care for their bodies as reflections of themselves,So physical attractiveness, becomes a source of self.Note that the cosmetics industry is one ofthe oldest in the world.
40% of women spend a majority of their money on clothing compared to just 12% of men.The implication is that we women are willing to go for broke if they have a nice designer outfiton while they’re doing it.Photo credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/440157748/
Shopping relates to materialism.Themain way we present our self image is through stuff,so the love of objects is tied up with a desire to adopt a certain identity and social statusBut buying stuff doesn't make materialistic people happyI shop therefore I am -Barbara Krugerhttp://barbarakruger.com/
Status Anxiety meansthe more we have the more we feel deprived & anxiousWe like to compare ourselves to those we identify withAnd the more people we compare ourselves to, the more we have status anxietyPhoto credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos//kevandotorg/3382482
Shopping as an addictiona form of obsessive compulsive disorderThose who have it liken theexperience to a drug trip, others find it sexually stimulating6 million Americans are thought to be Compulsive shoppersPhoto credit:http://www.flickr.com//photos/plasticbystander/524488138/
One studytried to prove when women are premenstrual they tend to spend more impulsivelyMost of the purchases made by the women were for adornment, including jewellery, make-up and high heels.Researchers have found women tend to dress to impress during their fertile days.Photo credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/sshb/3184036599/
But isn’t positioning shopping governed by hormones as Sexism?Men are often characterized as "collectors" and women as shopaholics.When the reality is 5.5% of men and 6% of women have shopping addictionPhoto credit:http://www.flickr.com//photos/sydneywalker/2317083720
Men don’t clip coupons.They don’t make lists(Unless they’re Virgos)And they impulse buy.Men spend more on Eating outSports ticketsElectronicsDrinkingDating services and CarsPhoto credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/seandreilinger/2187892869/
88% of impulse purchases are made because an item is on saleJewellery & sports equipment are bought on impulse the most.Impulse buys are heavily influenced by the sights sounds and smells at brick & mortar storesThe Gruen effect anyone?Photo credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/theredproject/3270224125/Photo credit:http://www.flickr.com/
Because physicalshopscater for women rather than men,menspend more online And almost twice as many men as women are joining the ranks of online shoppersPhoto credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/23912576@N05/2962194797
Men typically use the Internet for entertainment, whereas women use it to save time. When shopping online, women look for a relationship in addition to convenience. Women enjoy sites where they can browse, chat, ask questions and feel a sense of community.Photo credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/emerym42/3447387831
men base their shopping decision on conveniencesuch as location of the store and immediate need for the item. The only time they talk to a sales person is to complete a transaction and to checkout fast.Photo credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/henryfaber/33734850
According to PayPal, Men outspend women in every online category except groceries and clothing.Men in Britain also spend more on health and beauty. So metrosexual men both shop and spend the most
Let’s lay the cliché that women are emotional spenders to rest.The numbers show that, in most countrieswomen spending more on clothing and “personal care,”But men spend moreon big ticket items and in many other categories, including alcoholic drinks, cars, eating out and of course, iPadsPhoto credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos_villes_1348742988