Men have emerged as the leading demographic when it comes to shopping online. They are frequently looking for a place that satisfies all their consumer needs and the internet offers an array of choice, whereas the high street is far too chaotic for many male shoppers. With Christmas around the corner its no surprised that men are opting to stay away from the nations high streets.

A social shopping study from Perfomics[1] indicates that men are more likely than women to conduct price comparisons online, with 63% of men research products on deal sites compared to 52% of women. This contradicts the gender stereotypes which have developed over time.

Men are driven are driven by convenience and the potential to save money. Mintel[2] research shows men are stimulating the rapid growth of online shopping, by spending more on technology, electronics and most surprisingly, almost one in five men have bought fragrances online.

The growth of Shopow (www.shopow.com) has heralded the arrival of the steadfast social shopping search engine – a place where the human aspect of high street shopping is brought online but without the interference of the sales assistants.

Men outspend women by buying in bulk online, primarily because they are price conscious and secondly because it places them in a stress-free, relaxed environment in which they can view all the things they want in one place, plus there isn’t the stress of carrying heavy bags around the high street!

Kevin Flood, co-founder and CEO of Shopow commented, “When it comes to explaining why men shop online they list the overall convenience, cost-saving, time-saving and ease-of-use of the Internet. Shopow now fulfils these needs and friends can increasingly involve each other in product reviews and purchases by discussing their views on quality, price and the service provided.”

To a large degree, the ‘shopping experience’ deals with aesthetical appeal, such as touching, thinking and smelling before purchasing an item. In fact, it is women who are always looking for that little black dress, testing the free perfumes and getting easily distracted by the bag department. In contrast, men take somewhat of a ‘hunter and gatherer’ approach; planning and executing as quickly as possible, to get back to the things that really matter.

The great news for online bargain hunters is the fact that thousands of shops and millions of products are registered with the site – including most high street favourites. Not only does this allow users to compare goods by criteria such as price, retailer, service and delivery; Shopow’s integration of various social functions (including links with Facebook and Twitter) also helps shoppers find all the information they need to make the right decisions when buying online.

By combining customer’s tastes with personalised shopping results, Shopow is designed to enhance user shopping experience by giving them the freedom to engage with their personal social networks and Shopow’s vastly expanding range of products. What’s more, once you find that irresistible bargain, you can use a ‘Shopow Strike’ to share the tip with your network of friends.

Mike Harty co-founder and COO of Shopow commented, “Our shopping habits are changing. It’s a fact that men buy and women shop and women buy new products even though they continue to express satisfaction with their old brands. However, younger males show a greater tendency for becoming more image conscious therefore they are set to follow in women’s footsteps by seeking approval from their friends online, this is one aspect in which Shopow can satisfy those personal needs.”

Shopow is a new revolutionary site that has launched at www.shopow.co.uk.It is the first Social shopping search engine in the UK and is powered by the impartial reviews and experiences of users; allowing them to make an informed choice about their purchases. The visibility for businesses of all sizes gives shoppers access to a greater range of retailers and products than ever before.

 

Shopow was conceived in October 2009 as the brainchild of Kevin Flood and Mike Harty – two budding entrepreneurs fresh out of university. Both graduated from the University of Leeds with degrees in BA Management and quickly began to use their skills to pursue success in the real world of business.

 

For more information, images or to book media interviews, contact Flame PR on +44 (0) 203 357 9742 or email shopow@flamepr.com