Solve the Old Problems in New Ways

By Barbara Bartlein

There is a new retail survey that shows that men do not like to shop. The sale of men’s apparel has dropped from $10.6 billion in 1998 to $9.9 billion in 2002 according to the National Retail Federation. They found that men are not only shunning trendy styles—they are not buying much at all. The only category of spending for men’s retail clothes that has increased is underwear and sleepwear, which for many men is basically the same. Purchases of athletic clothing, dress clothing, dress shoes, and athletic apparel have all decreased. For the most part, men only venture in the store to buy clothes when they absolutely have to.

I could have told you that. My husband still has the same pair of dress shoes from our wedding 23 years ago. I think he has only worn them a half dozen times. Based on their current wear, I am almost certain I will be able to bury him in that pair of shoes. He sees no value in shopping unless he needs something and then his approach is to get in and out as quickly as possible.

The really interesting part of the survey, however, is the reaction of retailers to the struggling market. Some, like Gadzooks, are eliminating their men’s line altogether and replacing it with a larger female apparel section. Brooks Bros. plans to return to their traditional dressier look with a wider selection of suits. (Is anyone really wearing suits these days?) And Target plans to decrease their men’s selection and devote the additional floor space to food and paper goods. Several others like department stores and specialty stores are looking for ways to enhance the shopping experience for men in hopes that they will not limit their buying to the times that their current clothing is falling apart.

There was not one retailer, however, who really came up with an innovative solution to the whole “male shopping phobia.” It seems that no one is asking, “Who buys for men?” My guess is that it is probably women. Mothers, wives, sisters, and girlfriends do most of the buying in my circle of friends and business acquaintances for the men in their lives. What about a store that would make it easy for others to shop for men?

To obtain the best solutions for business problems, it is important to consider a different viewpoint, not just more of the same. Here are some suggestions:

• Define who your customer really is. Who is actually doing the buying and who is paying the invoice? While a meeting planner may be purchasing my services, it is the head of the organization that is actually paying the invoice. Both need to be happy with the program delivered, or I will not be asked to return.
  
  
• Be easy to find. Make sure your business is visible; in the phone book, on the Web, in the community, and in trade journals. Place information rich articles in newsletters and other submissions. It establishes your group as a team of experts and makes the business come to you.
  
  
• Make it simple for them to buy. The purchase process should be effortless with a minimum of hassle and problems. Customers evaluate the service by how long they have to wait and the friendliness of the staff. Make sure both service features are perfect.
  

A man once went into a pet store and saw an elaborate dog toy with an equally outrageous price tag. Complaining to the store clerk, he said, “How do you know dogs even like this?”

“I’ve never had a dog buy one,” he replied. “But their owners love it.”

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Barbara Bartlein is the PeoplePro™. She helps businesses sell more goods and services by developing people. She can be reached at 888-747-9953, by email at: barb@barbbartlein.com or visit her Web site at www.ThePeoplePro.com.

Published in Networking Today, December 2003.