How do women buy?

Two weeks ago we discussed how women drive 70-80% of all consumer purchasing through buying power and influence. This isn't just a statistic; it's a compelling reality that illustrate women pivotal role in shaping the market.

Then, what are the specificities of the purchasing behaviors of women? Explore with me the 10 key insights a brand should never forget to connect with women audiences.

1. Online for the “Social” element of Social Media:

• Women are more active on social media compared to men.
• They participate more actively, leveraging social media for connection, information, and entertainment.
• Staying in touch with family and friends is why women use social media (65% vs. 53% for men).
• Women harness social media for creative expression and entertainment purposes.

2. Lower Trust in Advertising:

• While men appear slightly more trusting of advertising overall, women's trust levels are notably lower.
• Brands must work on building trust, especially among female consumers, through transparent and authentic advertising.

3. Social Media is Women’s Shopping Advisor:

• A whopping 86% of women use social media for purchasing advice.
• Nearly 70% of women make purchasing decisions based on social media recommendations.
• One-third of women follow influencers who offer product recommendations.

4. Jumo into the User-Generated Content (UGC) trend:?

Mainland Chinese women, particularly of the younger generation, “don’t like to read magazines and be told what to buy from an advertisement—the old fashioned ‘this is a famous brand you should like’ approach,” says Mao Tong-yi, China general manager for GRI Group, which manages multiple imported clothing brands on the mainland. “They prefer to see a discussion around a product or brand.”

• Women have a higher propensity to trust UGC.

• Women are more likely than males to trust comments and reviews written by their friends and those written by users who have bought the product.

Encourage user-generated content, such as customer photos and testimonials, to showcase real-life experiences with your products and build trust.

5. Women don’t see themselves in current ads:

• Many women feel underrepresented in advertisements, with 79% expressing this concern.
• Brands should prioritize accurate and inclusive representation in their marketing campaigns (ethnicity inclusivity, age inclusivity, body inclusivity, love inclusivity, etc).

6. In Asia, women prefer to shop online:

• Women increasingly prefer online shopping due to cost savings, time efficiency, and reduced stress, and the new generation even more (53% of 18-29 strongly prefer shopping online in general)
• They appreciate the reliability of online retailers and the wide range of choices available.
• The first reason why: they get the best price online.

• Online shopping offers a more relaxing experience compared to traditional stores (39% of asian women buy the majority of clothing online).
• “The shift to online shopping may also have to do with what a number of women see as the less pleasant aspects of the traditional retail environment. Regionally almost half of those polled said they felt pressured to buy goods in stores but not online, and a quarter agreed or strongly agreed that staff “talked down” to them because of their gender when they bought some products in physical shops. Sales pressure is felt most keenly in Macau, India and South Korea, and Macau and India also had the highest proportions of women who felt patronised in the traditional retail environment at 47% and 42%, respectively. “ according to the Economist research “On the rise and online, Female consumers in Asia”.

7. Cross-Border Shopping Opportunities in Asia:

• Brands can tap into cross-border trade as 36% of women shop online specifically for overseas products.
• Product quality and variety are primary motivators for buying products from abroad.
• Brands should focus on logistics to meet this demand effectively.

8. Mobile and Impulsive Shopping in Asia:

“Female shoppers make up approximately 45% of Lazada’s customer base in the region and this share is similar when looking at purchases from mobile devices only, which suggests that there are a significant number of tech-savvy professional women who like to shop on the go,” said Maximilian Bittner when CEO of Lazada Group.

• The future of online shopping is mobile and impulsive, driven by younger women.
• Young women prefer shopping online via smartphones and are more likely to buy impulsively online.
• Personalized communication resonates with them, making it crucial for brands to connect at a personal level.

9. Trust in Online Reviews:

• Women tend to place a significant amount of trust in online reviews and recommendations from fellow consumers.
• Highlight the importance of authentic customer reviews and testimonials in influencing their buying choices.

10. Sustainability and Ethical Practices:

• Many women are increasingly conscious of sustainability and ethical practices.
• Women were 19% more likely to be sustainability consumers according BlueLabs analytics in the US.
• Emphasise how your brand aligns with these values, such as eco-friendly products, fair labor practices, and charitable initiatives.

Understanding women's media habits, preferences, and concerns is the key to winning marketing strategies, but the lack of comparison per gender is always astonishing.

As the marketplace continues to evolve, staying informed about these insights and adapting strategies accordingly will be the key to success in influencing women's purchasing behaviours.

Angelique Masse Nguyen

?? Are you following NOI - N? theo ki?u c?a b?n LinkedIn page? We do share weekly more content over there, too.

Any specific topics you would like me to explore?

Any LinkedIn voices on women audiences you would like to recommend?

Any cool data you came across to continue the conversation?

Jump in, I am listening.

#femvertising #women #audiences #consumers #marketing #womenconsumers #data #womenengagement #differentperspectives #vietnam #asia #adverstising #onlineshopping #ugc #gender

Sources:

Influence of user-generated content in online shopping: impact of gender on purchase behaviour, trust, and intention to purchase Beheruz N. Sethna*, Sunil Hazari and Blaise Bergiel?

https://www.sunilhazari.com/education/documents1/articles/Sethna_UGC_2017.pdf

"On the rise and online, Female consumers in Asia"

https://impact.economist.com/perspectives/sites/default/files/Laurel%20West%20-%20VIPShop%20report%20English%20Dec15%20V01.pdf

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/the-long-game/2023/05/11/the-target-audience-for-sustainability-ads-is-exactly-who-you-think-00096406