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• May 1, 2008 4:55 pm US/Eastern
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  Stores Amp Up Web Sites For Male Shoppers

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Stores Amp Up Web Sites For Male Shoppers

BOSTON (WBZ) ― If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, what does that mean when it comes to shopping? Some new research indicates that men might actually be taking the upper hand in one category of shopping.

Scott Schultz is like a lot of men when it comes to shopping. "I don't spend a lot of time when I am shopping. It's focused on what I need and I know exactly what I need."

While some women might be more inclined to shop at real stores and browse, new research is showing that men might actually make better online shoppers. Retailers are taking note of the following characteristics: men make decisions faster online; they return 10 percent fewer items; and male shoppers spend about $900 more per quarter on average.

Patti Freeman-Evans, a market research expert, says "retailers who have products that they are, that men are interested in, will absolutely want to tailor experiences to their sensibilities."

That is definitely happening. Top retailers are redesigning web sites with men in mind. For the first time, and only for men shoppers, Banana Republic is using moving models to show of its pants. Saks and Brooks Brothers now make images load faster to keep up with impatient male shoppers.

Scott likes these changes. "Who has time anymore? I mean if you're not working, you're busy with your family, or if you're not busy with your family, you are trying to get other things done."

Analysts expect to see more sites catering to men, and responding to their different shopping styles. Gerald Barnes of Neiman Marcus says "we added a tie shop where you can, where you can move back and forth and see ties, very similar to a tie table. We can tell they like it because the areas that we have directed attention to are solidly ahead."

Retailers are also looking to coax more money out of men in more traditional ways as well. Neiman Marcus plans to add a catalogue this spring which will be geared exclusively to men.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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