Mister Myths - Deakin University

Introduction
“Shopping makes men impotent”. (New India Times, July 5 th 2010). [1]
We’ve all seen them. We all know them. Half of us may even be them: men who hate
to go shopping. In recent years, the subject of men and shopping has become the
stuff of urban myth and legend: ‘Men aren’t good shopping’. ‘Men don’t like
shopping with their partners’. ‘Men are mission shoppers’. ‘Men are ‘hunter-gathers
at the mall’. ‘Men buy more from attractive assistants’. ‘Shopping is for girls’. ‘Men
won’t ask for help or directions in stores’. ‘Men experience stress when buying gifts
for partners at Christmas’. ‘Men hate shopping’. ‘Men are only happy in hardware
stores looking at tools’. The list of mainstream media revelations in relation to male
shopping appear endless and fuels the stereotype of the reluctant, hesitant - or
absent - male shopper. The debate centres inevitably on the differences between
males and females in relation to their shopping experiences, forming a rich source of
reference for script writers, editors, journalists, industry commentators, comedians
and bloggers. This paper, the first of two focusing on men and shopping explored the
myths and realities surrounding men and shoppers, to help retailers better
understand what could well be a significant and potentially underserved market
segment in the retail economy.
Myth or reality?
It’s easy to buy into the ‘men hate shopping’ story. A cursory look through the
popular press reveals a rich evidence base of reports, surveys and studies which
portray men as victims - rather than beneficiaries of - modern consumer culture.
Shopping for them means exposure to a bewildering world of suggestion, aspiration,
endless choice and impossible decision. It’s a world which is portrayed as somehow
beyond their powers of interpretation and comprehension, a world which has evolved
more quickly than they have and they just don’t fit in. The modern male is often
portrayed as being about as controlled, comfortable and confident shopping as a
caveman would be flying a space shuttle. One wrong turn in the department store
and you could find yourself in the lingerie department, which will cause inevitable
embarrassment. Over 20,000 items for sale in the average supermarket. One
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