The multifaceted buyer: Why brands must invest in knowing their female customers

Published on: September 4, 2022

Conventionally, men have been buying big-ticket items. Computers, automobiles, and hi-tech components have always fascinated men more than women – “it’s a guy thing.” And just like how all good things must come to an end, it is time to put paid to this obsolete stereotype.

Let’s get the facts right

Women don’t chat enthusiastically about these things since they don’t care about them the way men do. You won't find Femina or Vogue printing articles on these topics, and women readers may make a minuscule portion of the Sportstar and Autocar subscriptions. My guess is that it’s easy to fall for the bias, and this is indeed how the best brains in marketing function – it’s the gut feeling that assesses who the real enthusiasts are, and then it’s “obvious” who the target group for the brand’s marketing effort should be. (Hold your horses!)

Only because women don’t make a hobby out of these products does not imply they don’t buy them. In fact, Indian women account for 40% of all electronic purchases as of 2022. They made up 46% of consumer electronics buying choices and account for more than half of the buyers of microwave ovens and washing machines. Since the pandemic, women have even been driving the acquisition of a second car for the family, which has risen to 25% from 19% before the covid outbreak. 

Now that you’ve seen these numbers, the only thing that is “obvious” is that you ought to change the approach to marketing to a sizable chunk of your buyer base. When it comes to men, buying from these categories is fun, while for women, it is functional. Two distinct perceptions – two distinct marketing appeals.

Find out your buyer composition

Compare the number of male and female buyers of your product. If it is an even split, it simply means nobody else, i.e., your competitors, has tapped the female market either. Or else, they’d have a majority of female buyers and you’d be racing to catch up! 

With only a handful of companies marketing to women diligently, any one business that truly puts in the dedicated effort is bound to win and retain the lion’s share of women’s market. This may be as well since these days product categories are fiercely competitive: two or three brands rule the roost and obtaining an incremental share is a laudable marketing triumph. And it’s easier to gain an incremental share of women buyers simply because the others aren’t looking that way!

Imagine this: Say you’re a DIY furniture manufacturer whose target audience is the young urban population and your market research has highlighted a trend. Majority of your buyers are single, young women who find your “guy-size” complementary toolbox too uncomfortable to work with. What went wrong? You assumed DIY furniture is male territory and it is “obvious” that the tool kit has to be made to their order. Alas, the petite gender suffers. But what if your competitors get a whiff of this? Imagine if they actually understood this problem and resolved it. Women would naturally gravitate to a place where they feel their opinions are valued and their problems are heard.

This is an analogy to draw your marketing effort to the untapped potential of attracting women’s business. You’d be amazed at how much of your sales are to women even though you haven’t been catering to their specific needs. It is actually surprising that so many companies have overlooked segmenting their market opportunity by gender. Stereotypes and biases can dig marketing potholes on the path to success.

And while the fault may or may not be in your stars, it certainly shouldn’t be in your marketing approach!

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