Consumer's gender in marketing - survey results

Abstract

The survey results confi rm the fact that women do most shopping. However, there is a visible division in making decisions concerning a purchase of the particular categories of products. Among male decisive domains belong categories of high degree of technological complexity (automotive, RTV and durable goods). Women are still associated with household chores and making decisions concerning food products and detergents. Finances are the fi eld where disproportion between women and men in making decisions concerning choosing the product are not great. In the fi nancial branch, you may feel the breaths of fresh trends, as there are created products and marketing messages targeted at women. Firms in this branch are the fastest to notice women's needs and the market segment that is gaining power. The results of the survey part dedicated to behaviours of women and men as consumers, univocally point out the awareness of a gender gap infl uence on consumer behaviours. According to the surveyed, women are much more demanding customers. In this context, frequent declarations that women gather less information about a product/service than men before they make a purchase decision are confusing. These opinions may relate to an unaware but more frequent contact of women with a product or a chosen brand already on the stage of gathering information. Maybe this is why they are believed not to be involved in recognition of the market to such a high degree as men. Surprising is also the fi nding that women are perceived as consumers less loyal to a brand. Such declarations may derive from the respondents' beliefs, instead of actual consumer behaviours. A part of the survey concerning gender directed marketing and female marketing leads to conclusion that consumers in Poland are not yet aware of the fact that products may better suit their gender related needs. It seems strange, that this is happening on the market developed in respect to the product offer, variety of brands marketing communication. It is worth to notice, that women most often declare their indifference to the fact that a brand or a product is dedicated to their gender, despite being more demanding customers. They are aware of their high expectations, but with the insuffi cient offer targeted at them, they do not realize that they could get something much better if the market comprehended their needs. This may be in connection with the long history of marketing targeted at a male customer. Many years of experiencing that kind of marketing by men resulted in the male higher than in case of women awareness regarding fulfi lment of their expectations by the market. However, consumers are becoming to anticipate a development of marketing actions dedicated to women. Female marketing has great chances of development in Poland, providing that the signals sent by female consumers will not be depreciated. This opens a large room for manoeuvre to marketers, providing that they are willing to penetrate the true needs, expectations and values of women. The factor facilitating development of this marketing area is also the fact that it is not associated with feminism, which is still perceived pejoratively in Poland.