The female customer shopping experience is not very different from the experience of male customers. However, some differences can be observed, which makes it worthwhile to consider adapting the sales process based on customer gender.

Today is Women's Day, a day to celebrate the economic, political, and social equality and achievements of women. Perhaps this is the right day to write something about the differences in the purchasing process and customer experience between women and men. Although there are no significant differences, we can still find some areas where women and men exhibit different behavioral patterns.

Difference in Perception and Duration of the Purchase Process

In most cases, shopping is not a pleasant activity for men. They know exactly what they came for and want to complete the purchase as quickly as possible. On the other hand, women are much more involved in the shopping process. They see shopping as a pleasant and fun activity. They take more time, prefer to browse products and services offered, look for the best offer for the desired product/service, and enjoy the shopping process. This also means that for providers, women are more likely to buy more than just the product/service they came for. They prefer to talk to salespeople, have questions about products, and want to hear how they can help them solve a problem.

Provider Loyalty is Stronger in Women

Studies have shown that women are much more loyal customers. They will shop at companies where they have good experiences, while men are not as loyal – we are talking about provider loyalty, of course. In case of a poor shopping experience, women are more willing to give the provider another chance, while men will quickly switch.

Privacy Protection

When it comes to feedback, women are more reserved. They may even be slightly more willing to share their experience, but they are very cautious about (personal) information for public release. Men, on the other hand, are less concerned about their privacy and the information they share publicly.   In conclusion: although there are no essential differences in the purchase process based on gender after all, you should not ignore the mentioned fluctuations. Consider adapting the user experience to effectively sell to both men and women.