“Alright, when you are done selecting a bag give me a call, I’ll be around the gadget store,” said the frustrated husband to his wife as he scrambled away from the designer bag showroom. He was certain that her ‘selection process’ is going to last more than his level of patience. He would rather explore something that might capture his interest for a while.
If one can closely observe a mall, maybe look at all the retail outlets in that mall, one wouldn’t be surprised to notice that almost all of them would have atleast one female customer. Even if you are looking into a men’s apparel store, you would still find a random woman who is probably accompanying her partner or maybe picking up something on her own.
The world of shopping is such that, it is designed to accommodate the female sex. Irrespective of the type of commodity that is meant to be sold, the female audience is bound to surface. This does not imply that the female audience is as easy as a cat being captivated by a laser dot. It simply means that women of today are independent and capable of thoroughly running a household, at the same time they wish to have the last say in any purchasing process. Regardless, if women are the end user of the purchased good or not, they enjoy the liberty of being a part of the shopping experience. Retail stores hence develop and design ways to please their female audience. They work on this aspect to such an extent that the male segment is completely neglected. This negligence is where a huge opportunity lies to be explored.
It’s a common occurrence where men are dragged into stores by their women companions or family members, where they are made to wait for them, while they shop. What is bound to happen is that these men will tend to slip out of the store and wait impatiently till their women are done with shopping. If this particular time can be utilized by those shops, to keep those men from leaving their stores, they can turn it into a business opportunity which can eventually be turned into sales. Knowing that it is not an easy task to interest men for long duration, these stores can try selling an offbeat product suitable for men. Say for eg, why can’t they sell a car cleaning product or advertise a latest gadget from the market. The obvious question that would arise will be, how can a women’s store accommodate something so different? But let me say, isn’t it worth a shot? Experimenting may lead to positive results. Alright, if that idea is absurd, why can’t they think of other ways to hold back these men in their stores? A playstation for them, while their respective partners shop, can also be considered as an option. Or even simpler, provide giant comfy couches with beverages for them or a giant TV in front. How about magazines in a sitting area for them? Yes, that can also capture their interest. Besides, more the time spent to keep these men pleased, more the time for women to shop carefree.
Now say, we are facing a similar problem in a men’s store where the interests of the women audience is questionable. (Although I highly doubt a women can lose interest in any format store). Stores in such cases can think of ways to pamper women, say a foot massage or a make-up counter. There is nothing more captivating to a woman than something that makes them feel loved.
The above thoughts on ways to charm the sexes have simply popped out of my head on a relaxed day. The feasibility of them is something that is left to the scrutiny of these retail companies. All I have to suggest is that there are umpteen ways to experiment and learn from their inferences. A mere research might not help but an actual implementation will do. To quote Steve Jobs, “People don’t know what they want until you show it to them.” Hence, explore, experiment and reap the benefits!
