Shopping: Women and men are worlds apart

SHOPPING The personal shopping service Outfittery took a closer look at the differences in shopping behavior in the fashion sector as part of a consumer survey conducted by the market research institute GfK. The survey confirmed that men and women behave very differently when it comes to buying clothes.Men go shopping single-mindedly. According to the study, a third of men attach importance to shopping being fast and efficient above all else. They know exactly what they need and look for it purposefully. It's a bit like hunting: with the prey clearly in sight, they look for ways to hunt it down quickly and efficiently. If a man is looking for a dark blue sweater, he will come home with a dark blue sweater. They don't take the time to stroll around, search or discover something new. Only 14 percent of those surveyed said they get inspired while shopping and try out new things. The motto here is: Get in, buy and get out again.Buying clothes is stressfulIncidentally, men currently feel more comfortable in stationary stores than on the Internet: More than 55 percent said they mostly find their clothing in brick-and-mortar stores. This may be mainly due to the huge selection on the web - it's hard to keep track and find what you're looking for from the thousands of offers. In fact, 31 percent of the male respondents said they found buying clothes or putting together outfits stressful and were reluctant to do so. A further 22 percent also said they found it time-consuming to rummage through the various offers. This works better in conventional stores. A real alternative for men seems to be curated shopping on the Internet: around ten percent of men already use this form of assisted shopping. It's convenient, fast and efficient.

Shopping as a leisure activityWomen store differently. Almost a third of the women surveyed said they get inspired when shopping and also try out new things. So the "in-out" approach is not their thing. Women prefer to take their time and even see shopping as a leisure activity. At least that's what around 24 percent of them say. Efficiency and determination are not at the forefront of women's minds. While men operate with tunnel vision when shopping for the prey they are looking for, women also like to look to the right and left. So it can happen that she comes home with a handbag instead of a dark blue sweater. Women are looking for inspiration and a wide selection. That's why women love shopping on the Internet: Almost half of women find what they are looking for online. Incidentally, 16 percent of men said they had never bought clothes on the Internet - among women, the figure was only nine percent.With or without accompaniment?However, the study thoroughly dispels one myth: Women, who are generally regarded as "more social beings," prefer to go shopping alone (37 percent) rather than with a partner or girlfriend. Men tick quite differently there: The purchase is to go fast and be purposeful (40 per cent) however that nevertheless please in company. 39 percent of respondents said they prefer to go shopping with a companion.