The Power of Retail

According to new research by Satchi & Satchi, consumer electronic manufacturers and retailers are missing out on a major segment of the market by not targeting women consumers. The numbers in 2007 are likely to add up to GBP600 million in lost sales by not focusing on women consumers. With close to 35% of female internet consumers likely to increase their spending on electronics if marketers and retailers would focus on their approach to women and even offer guidance at both the in-store and online formats. Half the women surveyed said that they leave stores and exit websites without purchasing anything when they are unable to find what they want, which is a huge opportunity for retailers.

Close to a third of women don’t feel confident to ask questions in stores and feel that technology advertising is not focused on them or is even relevant to them. An interesting find for male marketers, but a very basic one for women, is the revelation that women customers do not look for feminine colors when purchasing electronic items and instead feel patronized when these are offered.

Belinda Parmar, a planning director at Saatchi & Saatchi, and author of the report, said that 43 per cent of women go shopping for consumer electronics without a specific brand or product in mind. “There is a real opportunity here for brands and retailers in the consumer electronics sector to target women,” said Parmar.

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