Women in Society
Volume 6, Autumn 2013
ISSN 2042-7220 (Print)
ISSN 2042-7239 (Online)
Student Feature
Male and Female Attitudes to Online
Shopping
Rhian James, BA Business and Law Student, University of
South Wales
Keywords: Online Shopping, Internet, Attitudes, Trends,
Gender Stereotypes
Introduction
This research paper will attempt to examine and explore the
available literature regarding why men have dominated and
are dominating the online shopping domain. It will look at the
reasons behind these conclusions such as; computer
acceptance, aversion to risk and behaviours and attitudes to
online shopping. Traditionally, shopping is regarded as a
feminine activity and women generally shop more than men in
the high street, but the emergence of e-shopping has seen a
shift in this trend and it is important to explore why this has
happened, if it is still the case and what might happen in the
future.
Attitudes to Shopping
According to Li et al (1999) men have accepted and are
interested in using, more than one specific channel to market.
They are much more accepting of the use of technology and
favour using the internet as an intermediary, when shopping,
compared to women. Awad and Ragowsky (2008) suggested
that one of the main reasons for this is that men do not
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associate shopping with emotion: they do not have an issue
with trust and loyalty. When searching for and buying a
product online men do not perceive the transaction as a risk,
whereas women tend to if they haven’t built a rapport
beforehand, with a retailer. They proposed that websites
should be tailored with gender in mind: men prefer more
factual and quantitative information with the emphasis based
upon the outcome and space where they can post their own
opinions. Men are not concerned with interacting with others
and are not interested in reviews by other consumers. In
comparison, women tend to look for information posted by
others, look for where they can ask questions, interact and
respond to questions and have theirs responded to. Doolin et
al (2005) confirmed the ideas above, insinuating that women
value the traditional shopping experience and place more
emphasis on the social benefits it provides for them. Men
perceive the convenience and easiness of the process to be
more valuable. By being emotionally removed, the issues
women have with online shopping are generally not applicable
to men.
Male Engagement with Online Shopping
Hasan (2010) believed that the reason men are more engaged
with online shopping is due to factors such as specific personal
attributes, behaviours and attitudes. He stated that one of the
main reasons men tend to shop more online is because their
attitude remains the same in both traditional and online
shopping. With this being the case, it is obvious why the online
shopping model would be more suitable to men: they tend to
treat shopping as a mission with the aim to go in, locate the
item, purchase and get away. Men have adapted to eshopping better because of their uneasiness with the social
experience in the high street; the environment is much more
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relaxed, effective, efficient and less time consuming. Men
perceive the benefits of online shopping to be greater than
those of traditional shopping because their intention is to
purchase, rather than to browse or research products. Specific
objectives are easily achieved online because a product can
be pin pointed effortlessly and efficiently, which is important for
men because their general attitude is much more goal focused
and target driven.
Dennis and McCall (2005) argued that men are engaged
online because of the technological element. They believe the
success e-shopping has had with men is due to this major
factor. Men have been reported to be more frequent computer
users and in turn, internet users. Internet usage may be a predetermining factor. Liu and Forsythe (2010) found that
consumers already using the internet, reported to have been
men in the past, were more likely to adopt and incorporate the
internet into the shopping activity because of their familiarity
and experience with the internet and inherit trust in web-pages.
It also suggested that that they will not be afraid of new
innovations and are likely to respond better to advances and
changes in the channel to market. They believed that
traditional stores will try to engage more men by using
technology in the future because of the success in relation to
e-shopping. They have considered that for men, shopping is
not regarded as a leisure activity, so the traditional process
does not satisfy men’s needs because they regard shopping
as an operation that has a specific start and finish. Technology
has assisted enormously with speeding up this process.
Incorporating the internet and computers has made the
experience appear a more masculine activity (Dennis and
McCall,2005). It is important to note that these findings are not
conclusive and as evidence evolves some academics argue
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that there is no relation between e-shopping and gender
(Goldsmith and Goldsmith, 2002). Kaplan (2011) also
suggested that the emergence of social networks has engaged
more women in online shopping because of the availability of
conversing, liking and giving feedback about products easily
and effectively. She suggested that there is no longer a
significant difference between genders when shopping online
and the stereotype between men, technology, women and
shopping no longer exists.
Female Engagement with Online Shopping
Zhou et al (2007) suggested that there is a negative perception
surrounding women and technology. It has been reported that
women more than men are doubtful about the authenticity of
online shopping and sometimes shy away from the unknown.
Women can become frustrated by having to navigate the
computer, data and internet at once, especially if they are
apprehensive about adopting and using technology: it
becomes a challenging task. It is sexist to assume that
technology in general is a male domain, but in relation to
online shopping it may originate from the fact that when it
emerged the products available were generally aimed and
targeted at men. Products that are electronic and digital in
nature were more widely and readily available at first, rather
than products that females were reportedly more interested in,
such as groceries, apparel and home furnishings (Hasan,
2010). Women may have been slow adopting and adapting to
online shopping because they were uninterested in the items
available. Herring (2003) addressed the issues between
females and technology and suggested that as it evolves the
issues will fade and become irrelevant. At first, women
considered the whole process of learning how to use the
computer and internet to be too time consuming and required
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too much effort. They were reluctant to utilise a new shopping
method that required time and effort because they were so
content with the traditional platform: there wasn’t a need for a
replacement. In comparison, men have been reported to be
dissatisfied with the shopping experience in the high street:
this would suggest that they would welcome and favour an
alternative channel (Hart et al, 2007). Herring’s article
considered how the evolution of the internet has become much
more main stream and adopted an uncomplicated design and
interface to appeal to a wider market which will then appear
familiar, secure and reliable because it is more transparent.
This may indicate why more modern findings are reporting that
there is no significant difference between men and women
when shopping online.
The Importance of Enjoyment
When considering the behaviour and attitude of males
shopping online, academics have described them as objective
focused. Chiou and Ting (2011) suggested that consumers of
this nature prefer an informative product description, extensive
product details and a clear concise list of functions. They are
not concerned with the process of researching, comparing
prices and browsing, as this is regarded as ‘enjoyable’. Men do
not like to associate shopping with enjoyment but instead think
of it as a purposeful activity. Monsuwe et al (2004) implied that
these consumers often find shopping a chore and expected
the internet to enhance the shopping experience by making it
effortless. They expect web pages to be structured and
organised as well as being easy to navigate. For this type of
consumer to be satisfied with the online shopping experience,
it must have met their preconceived expectations and provided
them with their expected result, with as little annoyance as
possible. Men have viewed the internet as a solution to
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problems caused by the traditional shopping experience; they
see it as easy to use, productive and effective. Drawing on this
conclusion, it is fair to categorize men as utilitarian shoppers,
as opposed to women who use the activity for hedonic benefit.
Women tend to look for enjoyment and entertainment while
shopping, exhibiting traits of a hedonic shopper. In order for
women to perceive the online shopping experience as positive,
it must have provoked playfulness and pleasure. Females
value shopping as a standalone experience and appreciate it
for the perceived value and benefits it offers. If the internet
wishes to share the profit in this market, a positive experience
would incite women to escape reality and feel stimulated by
the products available, website design and general purchasing
process. If companies can successfully do this it would lead to
women appreciating the experience and in turn browsing,
resulting in impulsive and unplanned purchases. This may
explain why men have been reported to shop more online
because the impersonality of a web page and transaction may
deter women because of the lack of enjoyment and interaction.
However, Burke (2002) proposed that the women that do
prefer to shop online do so more regularly than males, but in
general if females intended to shop at home they would be
more likely to use catalogues. This is possibly an area that
could provoke more research to find out how to entice women
online, if the findings show that when online they purchase
more frequently than men.
Risk and Online Shopping
Garbarino and Strahilevitz (2004) indicated that women
associate risk with their readiness to shop online, a negative
result or experience of using the web would have severe
implications on whether they would use this channel to market
again. Unlike women, men do not tend to perceive there to be
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a risk, because the positive attributes eliminate fear: they value
the activity for convenience, speed and efficiency. Bartel
Sheehan (1999) identified that there may be a link between
risk and privacy. Offline, women are concerned about the loss
and invasion of privacy, which is only enhanced when online,
and they cannot physically see the transaction being
processed, the handling of data concerned and what is
happening with their details which add to their
apprehensiveness. Cyr et al (2007) put forward that there is a
direct correlation between social presence and loyalty online
for women specifically. Considering the inherent issues women
have with shopping online this suggested that females needed
to be engaged and enjoy the virtual experience in order to
purchase and return to purchase.
The Importance of Visual Images and Interactive Elements
Cyr et al’s results illustrated that it is fair to categorize men as
utilitarian shoppers because enjoyment had no link with
loyalty: instead they requested more information about the
product and web page in general (2007). Men take a cold and
clinical approach to shopping online and they will return to a
webpage to purchase if they have been given enough hard
facts. In comparison women wanted to be attracted to and
drawn in, highlighting their need for visual, attractive, emotive
and interactive elements. Online vendors need to find tools
and designs that replicate the social experience in the high
street, for example chat rooms, forums and being linked with
social media sites. It highlighted that females also like to be
involved in every step of the process and preferred web pages
that offered a sense of community and protection. If they were
to incorporate a platform where they can share opinions and
explore feedback women are more likely to show a likeness to
the webpage and purchasing process. In order to develop
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trust, women need to be able to interact with the virtual site
and the information must be both credible and valuable.
According to Montuwe et al (2004) the reason why women find
it so much more difficult to trust an online vendor is because
they feel powerless. Women tend to be more tactile and exhibit
traits that make them want to and need to physically view and
touch products before being fully satisfied. The issue with trust
may be rooted in the removal of a physical salesperson that is
available to offer guidance, expertise and advice. They almost
act like a safety tool and women rely upon their friendliness
and geniality in order to make a decision to purchase a specific
item. Online this person is replaced with help and search
features that are not as necessarily useful as a salesperson. It
is debateable whether the internet may ever be able to offer an
alternative to human interaction that is just as fulfilling for
women. In comparison men do not like to be engaged but
rather remain anonymous and form their own opinions about
products. For vendors this is crucial information in order to be
able to meet and satisfy different requirements portrayed by
different genders.
Recent Trends
Batechelor (2009) reported on the findings of a survey carried
out by Paypal suggesting that around 2.6 million more men
shop online than women. However, according to a report by
Mintel (2012) women are now the leading purchasers online,
they have also suggested the reasons for this. Due to the
current economy in the UK more mothers and women in
general have been forced into full time work, reducing the time
they have available for leisure activities such as shopping. This
has forced them to seek a more convenient channel to market,
hence the adoption of the internet. In today’s society women
are more computer literate and internet accepting, because of
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the workplace and availability of broadband and computers.
Although, with less disposable income readily available,
women have learned to navigate the internet to seek out a
bargain and utilise platforms such as comparison sites,
discount codes and group buying opportunities, which have
become extremely useful tools. They have accepted eshopping and utilised it in a way to suit their needs and still
fulfil the enjoyable and hedonic benefits of shopping. Men,
although quicker to accept e-shopping, do not browse or
bargain hunt but just utilise the platform in a simple way,
receiving it as it is, for purchasing. Women have also realised
the benefits of being able to access websites at all times of the
day without having the stress of taking their families to the high
street. Men have appeared to adopt e-shopping better
because they have always preferred speed, effectiveness and
convenience when shopping, arguably it has taken women
longer but now they have grasped it, it is questionable whether
they are the better shopper online, because of their need for
bargain hunting and seeking out the best available products.
Dennis et al (2002) proposed another reason for this
perception about men shopping more online than women: their
research showed that it would not be accurate to just look at
purchasing figures because women use the internet to browse
and seek products but then go into the physical store to buy
them. This evidence suggested that women do not shy away
from the online experience but instead chose to indulge
themselves in both channels to receive the optimum benefits.
It is important to look at how this trend will develop in the future
and if there is any significant difference between genders in
relation to the features explored in this review.
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Barriers to Online Shopping
Other barriers that exist in relation to gender and shopping
online are what products are available on the websites, who
the purchase is for, and the importance of and reliance on the
product being purchased. If the product serves a purpose in
the house, for a special occasion or event and the consumer
relies heavily upon its purchase, it tends to involve more
thought, time and hesitance. For both genders products of this
nature tend to cause dithering online because of the
implications a negative outcome would provoke. If a product is
needed for a specific event, consumers need to fully trust the
internet pictures and details because if it arrives and is not
right, they have to weigh up whether they will have enough
time to return it and the effort it will take. In contrast, just one
trip to the high street store to view the physical product and
judge for themselves whether it will serve the required
purpose, is required. Even though men tend to be more
specific and quick shoppers, this may become an issue for
them because of the value placed upon the experience
providing a positive outcome (Hansen and Jensen, 2009).
Another issue is channel conflict: if a retailer has a physical
store and an online space then if it is factual that women value
and prefer the traditional shopping experience they will more
likely go to the high street rather than the internet. This can be
problematic if their products are specifically targeted at women
and vice versa for retailers that have no online space and
target their products at men who reportedly prefer shopping
online.
Conclusion
In conclusion the available literature regarding e-shopping and
the adoption by both men and women is inconclusive; this
suggests that in the future more extensive research may be
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carried out in this area. This may be an important aspect for
marketers in regards to how they build and advertise their
websites, learning what products appeal more to whom, could
prove profitable. It appears that when the Internet emerged
men were happy to engage in online shopping and favoured
using this channel to market because; they were much more
familiar with technology usage, dissatisfied with the high street
shopping experience, didn’t perceive risk, emotion, loyalty and
trust as negative issues and were pleased with the
convenience, efficiency and speed the internet offered.
Women were slower to adopt the concept because,
traditionally, it was perceived that they were afraid and
apprehensive of the internet, concerned with the risk, security
and privacy of buying online, didn’t trust e-tailers that didn’t
have physical stores and were just too satisfied with hedonic
benefits of the traditional experience. Reasons for this may
include the difference in the female and male psyche, risk
aversion, behaviours and attitudes and different definitions or
reasons for shopping. Academics have found that men tend to
be more functional, rational, reasoning and utilitarian in their
shopping habits, whereas women use it a social tool and
attach emotion, hedonic benefits and value the experience of
the activity. It has been reported that women are much more
tactile than men, requiring the need to touch and feel the
physical goods, examine quality and judge sizes, which may
always be a pitfall for online shopping whereas high street
stores are trying to incorporate technology to engage men in
shopping more offline. This suggests that this area requires
more research to determine how to adapt and mould online
stores in the future in order to attract the potential buyers they
require. For certain stores that aim their products towards
either men or women, this tool is priceless for their profitability.
There is no doubt that in the future all offline retailers will adopt
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multi channels to market, they will have to be aware of channel
cannibalisation, what tools and tactics to use to appeal to their
desired market and how to entice apprehensive consumers to
online buying. This review has looked at some elements in
relation to gender, but other demographics that may also need
more research are areas such as age, generation, marital
status and sexuality when buying online as opposed to the
high street.
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