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Just an Online Minute... Gender Differences

If you’re targeting your upcoming online campaigns by gender, just remember that men prefer "online" to "in-line" and women will shop for the best price.

That is, according to online direct marketing company CoolSavings (yes, the one with that little pink pig for a spokesman). They’ve found that this holiday season, avoiding long lines will be more important to male shoppers than getting the best price. By contrast, women are more concerned with knowing the right gifts to buy and getting the best price.

Through the Internet-based survey, CoolSavings asked its members to report what causes the most stress when holiday gift shopping. "Long lines and crowds" stress 34% of men, but just 24% of women. Worries about "getting the best price" stress 26% of women, but just 16% of men. Men and women worry equally about knowing the right gifts to buy (35% and 34% respectively).

Other survey results show that, overall, more than eight out of ten respondents said they would rely on online research for making decisions on holiday gift purchases, regardless of whether they ultimately buy online or in retail stores. Eighteen percent said they will "check for everything I'm interested in online," while 64% indicated they will "pick and choose certain items I feel need more information about online." In this regard, men were 6% more likely to say they will research their holiday gift purchases online. As far as making purchases online, 61% of all respondents said they would make at least a quarter of their holiday purchases online this year.

"Families struggle to keep up their holiday traditions amid a busier lifestyle than we remember as kids," said Matt Moog, chief executive officer of CoolSavings. "Using the Internet is clearly one of the ways our members plan to save money, avoid crowds, and hopefully reduce the stress of holiday shopping."

The survey is part of an ongoing series that CoolSavings conducts through their website on consumer attitudes toward spending and saving, and how costs affect purchase behaviors.

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