by Carol Milano
Back in the 'old' 20th century, industry experts believed that women made 95% of decisions about home furnishings. But today, men show great interest in their homes -in fact, they are involved in 72% of furniture purchases. In a recent study by Rosenthal & George of Atlanta, single men bought 19% of furnishings, couples 53% and single women only 28%. What's happened? Lifestyles and shopping options have shifted. Today's young men tend to marry later and attain fairly high incomes sooner. They're often style-conscious, so several retail chains, like Restoration Hardware, created a more masculine atmosphere. The September issue of Men's Journal, devoted to design, was its best-selling issue; the popular monthly has added a home furnishings page.
Another factor, on-line shopping, makes home furnishings available at all times. Last year, 97 million internet users spent over $90 million on furniture and housewares. The industry's most popular web site, www.furniture.com, finds men make half the calls to its 800 number for design consultation. Drawn by the convenience of on-line shopping and access to free advice, about 350,000 men visit the site monthly. At another busy web site, www.Living.com, half the sales are to men, who tend to choose higher-priced items.
In retail stores like Pottery Barn or Crate & Barrel, up to 40% of customers are single men, who are less concerned with price than single women are. As "fear of furnishing" fades among American males, some merchants have seized the opportunity to reach out to this market segment. Restoration Hardware's holiday catalog showed a leather sofa before a wall of sports trophies. Alert manufacturers are targeting male consumers. Last fall, La-Z-Boy introduced Oasis, "the ultimate recliner for true sports fans: who needs skybox seats if you can get front-row luxury in your living room?" asks John J. Case, vice president, marketing. Sales were so strong that, before Super Bowl XXXIV, La-Z-Boy launched a Team Spirit line (19 color options to create any team's look), retaining popular Oasis features: electric cooling unit inside one arm, motorized massage/heat system, built-in cup/can holders, telephone with 99-number memory.
Here are ways for your store to lure male shoppers:
- Add a more masculine touch to a print or TV ad. Show a young male shopper with a salesperson, or a heroic historic figure who owned an oriental rug
- Offer free in-store decorating advice, at an evening or weekend "clinic," where shoppers talk one-to-one to a staff or local designer about their home settings
- Add brief background information to print or radio ads, to make younger men comfortable shopping for a product they know little about.
- Send a direct mail piece to young professionals, showing how oriental rugs enhance a decor.