Targeting the Male Shopper

Men are notoriously difficult to get into stores; but, this is slowly changing, especially as men are taking ownership and a personal interest in their health. “Men are overwhelmingly concerned with three issues, not in any particular priority: prostate health, cardiovascular health and sexual function,” Sunil Kohli, vice president, Health Plus Inc., said. “When it comes to shopping for a personal product, typically men like to get into the store and get out. Of course, there are a handful of men who are highly interested in health and the science it entails. These men are easily recognized as they linger, poring over labels, flipping through brochures and pondering the book aisle.”

Men tend to prefer straightforward speak and also prefer an all-encompassing approach, Eileen Sheets, managing director, Bioforce USA, said. “With the exception of male bodybuilders who delve deep into various sports supplements, most men who seek natural support through supplements would rather have a combination they can trust than taking a handful of individual supplements, covering all the bases in an easy-to-take form,” she said.

Customized, gender-specific supplements are increasingly becoming more coveted since the amount of information can be overwhelming to many consumers. “Dosages can be different for male and female,” Sheets noted. “I think both men and women feel more comfortable taking a product that has been tailored specifically for them. It makes a consumer feel more confident if they can rely on the manufacturer to have done their homework well and produced a product that is really geared to their individual needs.”

Ultimately, women are still the key household buyer. “Women are used to the role of caretaker and are used to being rather inquisitive, so it’s natural for the retailer to combine these general traits to get women to shop the men’s health section” Sheets said, adding signage clearly stating something to the effect of “for him” and “support your mate” may translate the message instantly to wives, fiancés and girlfriends. Concise product information conveniently placed will help keep them abreast about their partner’s needs.

Kohli also mentioned the nurturing aspect of the female consumer shopping for her men, “When they care, they will go out of their way to ensure they buy the best for the loved ones.” He also stressed: “Keep it simple and provide enough support to educate women to the next level or any level the women desire. We all know the typical car scenario; women ask the directions, men try to figure it out on their own. Same rules apply here.”

Looking Man-Pretty
One sector affected by an increasingly savvy male consumer is the personal care, where new SKUs include anti-aging skin care personally formulated for male’s skin, manscara, bronzing products and toning gels. A report from Euromoniter International noted the male grooming market grew by 61 percent between 2002 and 2007. This slightly outpaced the cosmetics and personal care market as a whole, which grew by only 49 percent. The male grooming business worldwide is currently worth around $23 billion and is forecasted to be worth $27 billion within four years. “More men have taken a serious interest in their skin care as we have more Baby boomers that are still in the work force and wish to look at least their age if not younger,” said Taylor Sparks, founder of Skin Care for Athletes. “The health and fitness industry and the skin care and beauty industry have practically merged as they target the importance of not only being healthy but looking healthy, too.”