PHOENIX -- When it comes to cleanliness, low prices and safety at convenience stores, women and men come from the same planet, according to a researcher speaking at CSP's Shopper Insights & Engagement Forum in Phoenix.
But regarding customer service, store ambiance and the amount of time spent shopping, the "women are from Venus, men are from Mars," hypothesis applies, according to Suzy Silliman, senior vice president and managing director for data integration and analysis firm Management Science Associates (MSA), Pittsburgh.
Speaking before about 50 attendees at the roundtable, Silliman said MSA research showed that 25% of female shoppers are bypassing the convenience store channel, raising questions of how c-stores can lure in the demographic and then convert them into frequent shoppers.
"Females have a greater expectation for customer service and knowledgeable employees," Silliman said, explaining that men are more strategic and interested in going directly for the intended product and getting out. Additionally, females on average purchase more impulse products such as mints and gums, implying that women are more open to suggestive sales tactics.
Other findings from MSA studies showed females are more interested in the following:
- Having items they want in stock.
- Organized displays.
- Modern look and feel of the store.
"Women are more likely to spend time looking for exactly what they want," she said. "And if it's not there, they're more likely than men to leave the store without buying anything."
With these insights in mind, having popular items and brands in stock is important. She added that store displays may be more useful targeting females, who have a greater tendency to spend more time in the store than mission-focused males. Retailers may find better results with displays that have a more feminine aesthetic, incorporating more colorful and emotionally engaging themes or causes.
The female consumer accounts for $20 trillion in annual consumer spending, with that figure going to $28 trillion in the next five years, she said, adding that 93% of the food and grocery purchases are made by females.
"Women find themselves playing multiple roles in their households," Silliman said. "C-stores have the opportunity to serve the female shopper."
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