“Men are from Mars, and women are from Venus,” or so the saying goes. Gender roles in society is a subject that is intensely and continuously studied by researchers, with psychologists, filmmakers, writers, advertisers, and marketing specialists all having used the idea that men and women are different to develop stories and create persuasive imagery.
The concept of gender marketing emerged decades ago when marketers realized that insights from gender studies showed that gender-specific differences in consumer behavior presented valuable marketing opportunities. This market segmentation has evolved to encompass the gender-specific demands of consumers relating to the 5 Ps of marketing: product, place, promotion, price, and personnel. Each of these factors can be tailored to meet men’s and women’s different needs and desires to sell goods and services more effectively.
The retail sector is particularly primed for gender marketing success. This article will discuss how using a retail analytics solution to identify gender distribution and consumer behavior can help retailers create marketing campaigns and customer journeys that appeal to their consumer base.
A retail analytics solution is a sophisticated combination of 3D AI camera technology and advanced data analytics software that enables retailers to measure in-store traffic flows and consumer behavior for analytical insights on how to improve customer experience and store performance.
The camera technology can count the number of customers and identify the gender and age of customers entering a store in real-time and over some time for an accurate target market analysis. Further insights into how customers behave in-store, for example, where they stop to browse, which products they are drawn to, how they navigate the store, and which marketing campaigns compel them most, provide valuable information. Retailers can rethink store layout, product placement, marketing initiatives, and customer engagement strategies.
How retailers can use gender marketing to their advantage
It might seem cliché, but gender stereotypes exist for a reason. Women love to shop and browse, while men prefer to get what they need (and only what they need) and get out as quickly as possible. With insight into the gender distribution of their customer base, retailers can tailor the customer experience in the following ways.
Store layout and product placement
‘Place’ refers to the sales environment in which consumers go shopping and plays a decisive role in consumers making a purchase. If you have a brick-and-mortar store, you need to consider store layout and product placement and how they impact differently on men and women.
Women prefer a comfortable sales experience where they have the opportunity to browse different products or displays in a natural and leisurely manner while deciding what to purchase. Even if a woman enters a store looking for a new dress, she might spot a pair of shoes that go well with the dress and perhaps an accessory to complete the look. Retailers need to create a shopping environment with strategically placed products and a logical route to follow, with colorful and eye-catching displays, warm lighting conditions, and targeted messaging. Studies in the psychological responses to shopping spaces have shown that, to encourage women’s buying power, compatible or relevant products should be placed as closely together as possible.
Men prefer accessibility and structured simplicity. Stereotypically speaking, the masculine approach to shopping is finding the necessary product, going straight to checkout, and leaving as quickly and conveniently as possible. For them, it would make sense a more practical layout without any detours or distractions. Bright displays and cozy environments are not likely to be effective marketing strategies in the men’s department.
A retail analytics solution tracks customers’ movements, dwell times, and product interaction to show which layout and product placement strategies are effective with the target market and those that may be missing the mark.
Customer engagement
Men and women also appreciate different levels of engagement, according to consumer behavior studies. While women actively seek detailed information about products as part of the decision-making process, men are likely to choose the most accessible product without asking a sales representative for in-depth information about it.
Logically then, you would want more sales representatives with in-depth knowledge about the products you sell if your customers are predominantly female. For a primarily male customer base, the product’s functionality is fundamental to the decision-making process. Sales personnel can adapt their sales pitch accordingly to accommodate both male and female shoppers.
Effective queue and wait time management is crucial to shaping the customer journey for men and women. A retail analytics solution monitors occupancy, queue length, and wait times and sends alerts for staff intervention when predetermined limits are reached to ensure that supply always meets demand.
Vemcount Retail Analytics is essential for gender detection and effective retail marketing.
Vemcount, a revolutionary retail analytics solution, uses high-tech sensors for demographic and store performance data. In contrast, the advanced analytics dashboard converts data into actionable insights to create outstanding customer experiences and marketing campaigns.
Ready to optimize your gender marketing strategy? Get in touch with us to see how we can tailor a solution for you.
