Gender and consumer behaviour

Consumer buying behaviour can be influence by various factor, which included several major factor that could influence their buying behaviour while in engaging in buying decision. Therefore, these factor could be vary tremendously in terms of income, age, personal taste, as well as gender. By understanding consumer buying behaviour it will allows marketers making further process while in creating an appropriate marketing strategy aim on their consumers. Furthermore, it can be a foundation for marketers to develop a sense of awareness on the criteria that influence consumer buying decision making. In this analysis, it is to study the differences between the genders at a various level of buying decision.
Among all these factor which will influence consumer buying behaviour. Gender is one of the major factor. Putrevu, (2001, p.1) stated that gender is one of the most common method while on segmenting criteria which used by nowadays marketers. This makes sense, by dividing gender into two male and female primary category, its makes marketers ease to identify and access into their market and at the same time it is large enough to be profitable.
The differences between men and women is due to their diversity in socialization, biological and psychological factors that illustrate the differences on their behaviour at the various situations. When comes to decision making whether it is on shopping or eating, or perhaps in the aspect of personal or professional life, research found that men and women are tend to have a diversity in decision making.
As stated by Eagly & Mladinic, (1989). People are more into women than men and women are preferable the most by people due to the nature characteristic and attitude toward problem are different. Costa et.al., (2001) men have a higher score on assertiveness while women have a higher score on neuroticism, warmth, compassionate and agreeableness. In other word means, men are more dogmatism, they are most likely “straight-forward” types of human being and develop the simplest way while on solving their problem. Men are more concern on solving the problem efficiently and effectively but not how the problem is solved. On the other side, Women tend to be approach problem with compassionate and in various way of consideration. They are more into details and more concerned about the way on solving problem instead of solving the problem itself.

Same goes to buying behaviour in both of these gender, usually women took a longer times while on buying. It is because they are looking into every details of a certain product. For an instance, Fischer and Arnold, (1990), women are put more effort and spent more longer time in choosing Christmas present than men and they are more enjoy the process of shopping way more than men do. From this statement we can tell that, most of the time women are appear to be have more satisfactory and discover pleasure while in shopping, whereas men seems to be shown less interesting in shopping.
According to Mitchell and Walsh, (2004) claimed that, the wants of men and women on products are different which most likely affect their own way of liking product. Akturan, (2009:66), consumer behaviour are reflected by their expectations, which means that the want and needs of both masculinity and feminity are shown different. The differences on paradigm in buying behaviour of these two primary gender are now widely accepted by nowadays marketers. Current marketers nowadays has figured this fact, and strategy has been amended based on the demand of each gender. Teather, (1995), the differences of wants occur between the gender are not merely based on genetic or personal characteristic reasons but it is also quite often relate to cultural variations.
The present research look into gender buying behaviour in three various type of marketing strategy which is brand commitment, hedonic consumption and also impulse buying, (Hantula, 2003; Miller, 2009; Saad, 2007). This framework is concern on the field of evolutionary psychology as a valuable perspective for the research purpose of consumer behaviour.
First of the perspective among the three is brand commitment, Kim, et al., (2008) refer brand commitment as a highly related with brand loyalty and it is based on the function of the characteristic of brand. Brand commitment may be associated with consumer traits which is sufficient and necessary condition for a brand loyalty. Matzler el at., (2006) stated that brand commitment and loyalty are often related with the risk aversion. That is to say that, brand commitment is the degree of loyalty which consumer given to a certain brand, which the frequency they might re-buying it in future. While on this perspective, women reported tend to have higher brand commitment if compare to men.

Kruger and Byker (2009), explaining the reason behind this is due to women involve in buying activities tend to be more if it’s compared to men, and from his research found that women are tend to be more careful while in observing the product. It is also because of different in gender when comes to assessing the trustworthiness. Once they found the product that they prefer, most likely there are higher chance that they will re-own it. According to Kacen, (2000) stated that, consumption has always been gendered. For instance, cosmetic and skin care products. Most of the cosmetic and skin care products have a particular gender type, which some have the features for feminine, and precisely some have masculine features for men as well. Due to each gender have different types of skin and different types of needs for their skin, product gender are created and is sustained by nowadays marketers.
Hence, when comes to skin care and cosmetic products, women tend to be more particular in this field. By the reason of they have more experience while on selecting cosmetic and skin care products. Through the source of information by personal experience it which causes in a stronger influence on brand buying loyalty. As stated by Kruger and Byker (2009), women involve in buying activities are more than men, which put them into higher interest position while in search for cosmetic and skin care related information.
Whereas men consumer are pay less concern on cosmetic and skin care products is because men are concern only about the main function and features on the product, which men will tend to be less while in shaping their future buying behaviour. However, in terms of electronic and automotive device like hardware item, men has shown more brand commitment in this area. Black, (2007,p.8) declared that, men are more compulsive buyers on hardware item are shown significant more than women.
(Dittmar, 2007; Richards, 1996) Cosmetic and skin care products is the type of item which will represent personal and social status needs which often have an sense of emotional by owning the certain brand of products. The role of cosmetic and skin care products are creating and representing a feminist identity and that can be a significant representing the sef-image of an individual. Dittmar and Drury (2000), claimed that women were more concerns when it is on gaining self-image, which intimately related to brand commitment are higher than men.

Second perspective. The hedonic consumption. Hirschman and Holbrook (1982) describe hedonic consumption as the experience that can be practice through the involvement various sensory modalities, for example touch, taste, sound and scent. It is possible to produce an emotional stimulation through imaginative ideation under hedonic shopping. Hirschman and Holbrook (1982), hedonic consumption is emotional, multisensory and fantasy while consumer are interacting with the products, which associate use of certain product to satisfy emotions and fulfil the satisfaction of consumer. In other saying, it is about what consumer “wants” for pleasure and based on the pleasurable experiences which consequence consumer from using a brand.
Through the activity of shopping can be consider as one of the hedonic experience for women, which women most likely to achieve this perspective with the involvement of emotional satisfaction that is potentially multisensory in nature. According to Robert, (1998) stated that, women are reported more likely to have been entertain to develop pleasure from shopping if compared to men. Women and men present differentiation is women view the activity shopping as a social need and shopping is consider an exciting action for women. (Van Slyke et al. 2002) In addition, women do more shopping as they are shopping for the household need which provides them a more shopping opportunities than men.
Therefore, hypothesis has proposed, it is suggest that women are have higher rate in hedonic consumption. Based on Kruger and Byker, (2009), perceived women enjoying shopping and derive the pleasure more than men do. Through the perspective of hedonic consumption consumer be able to experience multisensory like excitement, fun as well as pleasure. Therefore, products that have a potential to bring an individual a sense of satisfaction and happiness by owning it. In this case, item such as flowers, music, branded cloth and luxury item are always fall into hedonic consumption category.
One things that we can be acknowledge is that hedonic consumption is often associated with “wants” but not “needs”. It is related to the desire of an individual. On the other hand, it is most likely in touch with individual heart but not mind. (Shiv, B. Fedorikhin, A. And Nowlis,S. 2005). For instance, a person on assessing a watch, an individual may care for its both features and functions.

To state that the different between men and female buying behaviour, the intention of female go for a watch it is because of its brand or perhaps hedonic features (design) which they believe high pleasure will be derive by owning it. Whereas, men may show less interesting on the design and care for the quality and its functional features (durability), due to men have their own nature thought which luxuries are less important if compare to the necessities.
Gendered buying plays an important role while in understanding the consumer behaviour. Akturan, (2009:66) explained that the differences between men and women is basically about needs and wants as well as the expectation in lifestyle, which marketers able to read and understand consumer consumption behaviour. The essential selection theory may also explain gender differences in the way of impulse buying tendency, which is through the last perspective of gender buying behaviour. According to Wood, (1998), marketers illustrate impulse buying as a major component that used to measure and stimulate market through product and point of purchase advertising display. Ridgway et al.,( 2006, p. 131) in other word means, it occur when a consumer involve a sudden and strong urge to own a product immediately and is regarded by consumer as a way to fulfil their personal desire or needs.

Impulse buying be able to influence an individual emotional conflict and consumer stated that
They feel satisfaction after an impulse buying and even experienced an impression of being rewarded. Hausman, (2000), despite the fact that such buying are actually unintentionally but consumer may perceived this buying as fulfilling their needs. In between men and women, women have the significant high level on impulse buying. Feingold, (1994) stated that there is related link between hedonic consumption and impulsive buying, if women have a high score on hedonic consumption, then we can expect women will also show a higher level and more likely on impulse buying as well. Based on this statement, we be able to tell that women have a major level of impulse buying than men do.
If it is impulse buying has the relation with hedonic consumption. Then it is totally natural to say that impulse buying can causes women to produce an emotional stimulation through imaginative ideation under hedonic shopping, which is often associated with “wants” but not “needs”. It is related to the desire of an individual.

With all these reason, it has proven that women have higher need on experience the sense of tactilely than men. Whereas men has shown less active on impulse buying, by the result of men are consider the needs more over than the wants. If it is not necessary, men wouldn’t even go for shopping and that’s what makes the differences between men and women buying behaviour. It may be natural selection while selected against behaviour that resulted impulse buying in men. Which most likely occur when the certain wanted item are on sales.
Luxuries item are usually come into this category as well, the desire is strong when women meet the luxuries item and for such item as following, Pandora bracelet, Victoria secret perfume, adornment item, luxury Prada handbag and so. Verplanken et al., (2005), declared that women means to fulfil their satisfaction and improve their mental state through this impulse buying. It is due to women tend to be easier to suffer from anxiety and depression than an individual men do. Same goes to men might face difficulty and depression, but men have their own way while on solving their issues, whereas research found that women often release their tension and anxiety through impulse buying, even though the product that they purchased are not necessary for basic needs, but it somehow fulfil the contentment in the aspect of their mental state and emotional. (Verplanken et al., 2005).
In conclude, marketers nowadays use gendered consumer method to segmenting market. considerable impact in between men and women we be able to tell that, in terms of buying decision and behaviour, most of women found pleasure through shopping and enjoy more if compare to men. Women tend to be shown higher rate in brand commitment, impulse buying and hedonic consumption.

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