How to Shop for Women Online

Mel Gibson famously showed us that it is a difficult task working out ‘What Women Want’, but with the vast array of websites designated exclusively to women’s needs and desires: men, you are guaranteed to find something which doesnt have to have a good returns policy with it!

Are men starting to enjoy shopping?

It is a known fact that men dislike shopping as much as they dislike women’s directions. However new research from PayPal has revealed than men spent more online than women in the past six months.

PayPal's August 2009 Online Report found that 12.9 million men bought items via online retail sites during the first six months of the year, compared with just over 10 million women. The online revolution has turned men into shopaholics who love the quick and efficient nature of the internet, especially when it comes to buying technology and gadgets as well as gifts.

Men can enjoy the many benefits of online shopping including better choice, cost savings and ease of use. Shopping on the internet is very convenient as it can be done 24 hours a day and you avoid the crowded frenzied high streets. New figures have shown that shoppers spent more than £3.8 billion online in August alone, which shows an increase of 16% on statistics for the same time last year.

The key drivers of this growth are clothing, accessories and electrical equipment. Consumers continue to see the benefits of greater choice, price competitiveness and convenience from buying online in these sectors. This trend looks set to continue, which shows that the number of people using online shopping websites is likely to rise by £5.0 million in the next four years.

Men have a variety of ways they attempt shopping for women, the most popular approach is using search engines such as Google to find the ideal gift- for those who don’t have any idea at all of what to get. New research by Google has found that there has been a drop in searches such as luxury goods, while people are increasingly looking for voucher codes or discounts online. Google also reported that consumer behavior is changing rapidly as a result of increasing internet access and faster broadband speeds in the UK. This change in behavior is accelerating even in the recession, meaning online shopping is beating the battle of the credit crunch.

Is online shopping taking over?

While women do represent the majority of online shoppers, men are outspending them. And, more than that, they are no longer just shopping online for the convenience, now they are also researching, browsing and comparing prices. This can be done from the comfort of your own home, while watching sport on the TV in the background- so you don’t miss those all important results, after all what else are you going to discuss with your mates down the pub...shopping?

Women can be picky when it comes to knowing exactly what they want but one thing is for sure you are guaranteed to find the perfect gift online- even for the most fickle of women.

- K.J.N -