-By Dr. Kenneth C. Herbst and Harold Lloyd

In 2009, I have traveled the country touring stores from small to enormous. I look not only at the latest merchandising and promotional tactics, but I also chat with customers about what they like, what they do not like, and which changes could be made to enhance their shopping experiences.

In January, Harold and I wrote that 2009 is "The Year of Research." Some readers probably reacted by thinking that, in these times, paying for market research is going to slide down in importance. We think it would behoove you to emphasize research now. Getting to know your customer has never been more important. It's a buyer's market, and so having the right product at the right time at the right place is as important now as it has ever been. How do you get all of these "rights" right? You conduct research and allow your data to drive insights and change.

Recently, I was in the western part of our beautiful country. The idea of conducting research early and often certainly did not first enter my mind on this trip -- no, conducting research and using data to make decisions are part of my DNA. I think my second two-syllable word (after "da-da") was "re-search." At any rate, I talked to a woman near the conference at which I was presenting, and I realized that she was frustrated. I thought to myself, well, there are a multitude of reasons why this woman could be annoyed, and she seems sufficiently displeased to a point where I am going to look for a "Warning" sign hanging over her head that states "Stay Back 300 Feet" before I approach her. I saw no such sign, and so I offered her two pennies for her thoughts.

At first, there was anger and no eye contact. Eventually, we had a conversation, and the reason for her frustration came to a head -- quickly. Her store rarely has employees who can help her lift the items she needs. After moderate perspiration and wrestling the product into her cart, she has no room left in the cart to place other items. So, she leaves. Note to retailers: If a customer leaves because one rather inexpensive and bulky item occupies all of the space in her cart, then, Houston, we have a problem. Worse yet, she walks right to her car, and she … well, she wrestles the large package into the back of her SUV, aggravating the herniated disc in her back. This experience for her is completely avoidable if retailers make proactive moves on the merchandising and service fronts to circumvent experiences like this one.

In this 2009 – The Year of Research, we implore you to consider how you can win the Most-Appealing-to-Women Retailer of the Year Award. Depending on which author you read or which sites you surf, cited percentages vary as far as what percentage-of-household-item-purchases is heavily influenced by women. The bottom line is that the percentage is very high, and women make many decisions. They come to the store organized with a list, and they spend more and stay longer than men.

Here is a sample of our in-store data on shopping behavior differences between females and males:

Shopping Behavior     Females      Males
Shop with a List           45%              27%
Minutes Shopping       28.5              23.0
in Store
Money Spent per          $52.42         $40.09
Shopping Trip

So, how can we appeal more to women? It is simple -- just ask them. A woman's average height is close to 64 inches. So, when you have a product targeting women, make sure to merchandise it at eye-level for her height.
Keep your store clean. Cleanliness is very important to women (and to men as well, but women refer to it often). An unsightly store can be a turnoff to anyone, but a woman's radar for cleanliness and what "clean" signifies seem to affect greatly her desire to spend time in the store shopping.

Set up a Web site on which you post daily activities and specials at your store. Make sure that your site offers an opportunity to blog about the store and to provide feedback on the events you host. In other words, appeal to her social networks, which are quickly increasing in popularity. Send a birthday discount card for a high-margin item that would appeal to women, and do the same around Mother's Day and the holidays. For the margin you forgo with these engaging promotional activities, Harold and I are confident that the return on investment will make it worthwhile -- and then some.

In-store events can bring excitement to unprecedented levels, and we always teach that feet in your door mean cash for your store. We are excited to chat with you about our marketing-to-women research ideas. Making your store an appealing destination for the most important household decision-maker is critical. Retailers are finally jumping on this moving train that is quickly gathering steam. We think that taking time to consider how you can more effectively appeal to women is a good way to make sure that you drive sales.

Dr. Kenneth C. Herbst is an Assistant Professor of Marketing in the Babcock Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. He earned a Masters and Ph.D. from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition, Dr. Herbst earned a B.A. from Wake Forest University.
Dr. Herbst has been interviewed about his food research and industry expertise by, among others, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, the Ottawa Citizen, the Montreal Gazette, the San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today, and Woman's Day. Recently, he gave a keynote presentation on his in-store food shopper research at Shopper Insights in Action. He has also recently spoken at FMI and IDDBA. In April, at the 2009 NARMS Spring Conference and Annual Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colo., he presented data on the profound effect of sampling on purchase.

Harold Lloyd was the President and CEO of a 14-unit retail organization for 10 years. His practical, exciting ideas and dynamic presentation style have combined to earn him a highly regarded reputation reflected in his top ratings at numerous appearances at such prestigious events as the annual FMI and IDDBA conventions, as well as The Gourmet Retailer's annual Retail 2020 event. To assist his clients, Harold authored the book It's About Time, focusing on time management.

For more information on customized research or speaking engagements, please e-mail Dr. Herbst at Kenny.Herbst@mba.wfu.edu. In addition, be sure to visit his Web site at www.mba.wfu.edu/herbst at Wake Forest University.