PURCHASE BEHAVIOR - GENDER DIFFERENCES

Prepared for

Dr. Swaleha Bano Naqvi

National University of Sciences & Technology

Prepared by

Minahil Hassan
Zainab Zahra
Ayera Bilal
Khadija Zulfikar Khan
Zahra Sajjad
Manaahil Raheel

May 22, 2023.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………………….………
iii
LIST OF FIGURES………………………………………………………………………………
iv
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY……………………………………………………………………….
v

SECTION: I
INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY 1
Introduction1
Statement of the Problem 1
Significance of the Study 1
Scope of the Study 1
Review of Literature 2
Methodology 4
Limitations of the Study 5

SECTION: II
FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS 6
Key Findings 6
Conclusion 8
Recommendations 8
References 10
Appendix A11

ii
 LIST OF TABLES
Table Pages
1. Factors Influencing Purchase Decision……………………………………………………7

iii
 LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Pages
1. Age distribution of Respondents………………………………………………………….…6
2. Impact of Gender Differences on Marketing Strategies…………………………………….8

iv
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report explores the effect of gender differences on consumer purchase behavior and reveals
information for key stakeholders to create resourceful strategies. The study highlights the impact
of gender on the buying behavior of individuals and also identifies external factors that lead to
gender differences and resultantly recommends strategies to cater for these differences.
The significance of the research is underlined in the potential advantages for entities such
as advertisers, policy makers, as well as the relevant decision makers. Developing an
understanding of the variations in gender with respect to consumer behavior can help in creating
customized strategies and therefore address the diverse needs of both genders. This report
focuses the significance of gender diversity and equivalence in the present market dynamic.
The scope of the study was inhibited to analyzing perceptions of consumers in order to
identify the effects of gender differences on purchase behavior. The research predominantly is
based on students from the National University of Science and Technology in Islamabad. The
objective was to gain valuable consumer insights regarding differences in gender and thus
explore courses of actions to address them. The results of this report can aid decision makers in
developing future objectives and marketing strategies.
A detailed review of related literature signified abundant studies conducted in varying
contexts. The research studied how gender impacts purchasing decisions, impulsive buying
behavior, online consumer behavior, and the influence of gender identity. The report provides
visibility into the role of gender in consumer purchase behavior, but their limitations should be
taken into account when applying the results to a broader consumer base.
The methodology was based on an online questionnaire distributed among consumers,
primarily from the National University of Science and Technology. The results highlighted that
gender impacts consumer behavior, with differences underlined in broad factors such as brand
reputation, quality, price, and product reviews. Marketing strategies which focused on targeting
particular genders were found to have varying levels of influence.
In conclusion, this report highlights the significance of identifying influences of gender
differences in consumer behavior. By customizing strategies to cater to these differences,
businesses can target diverse and gender-inclusive markets. The results of the study underscore
the requirement for continued research in this particular area to breed sustainable marketing
strategies that address and take into account evolving consumer preferences.

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 PURCHASE BEHAVIOR - GENDER DIFFERENCES
SECTION I

Introduction to the study

Introduction
Consumer behavior is the study of the factors that influence a person’s buying and purchasing
decisions. In today’s time, many organizations are facing the impacts of gender differences on
consumer behavior. The increasing trend in gender diversity and equality has led organizations to
focus more on understanding the variations and difference in preferences between men and
women. Men and women have different shopping approaches which may be because of social,
psychological or upbringing differences, and even in our daily life we can see both the genders
are very much different in decision making in both personal and professional decisions. (Vijaya
Lakshmi, 2017). This information is very important for organizations and key decision makers to
make and improve strategies to target the needs and requirements of both genders.
Statement of the Problem
The purpose of this study is to determine the affect of gender differences on consumer buying
behavior and identify what strategies the key decision makers can utilize to address the
differences.
Significance of the Study
The groups that will benefit the most from this study are the marketers, policy makers and key
decision makers. This study focuses on analyzing and addressing the statement if gender has an
impact on consumer buying decision. It also focuses on the external factors leading to gender
differences in consumer behavior and how to address this issue. From the product development
process to marketing the product this study helps us to make effective strategies to understand
the target audience and cater their needs. All in all, this study can help the key decision makers to
adopt better policies to target the diverse and gender inclusive market.
Scope of the Study
The study was limited to focus on the consumer’s perspective to determine the effects of gender
differences on consumer buying behavior. The study was restricted to consumers who are mostly
students of the National University of Science and Technology Islamabad. The main purpose of
this study is to gain consumer insight to determine the impact gender differences may have on
consumer buying behavior and what strategies can the key decision makers can adopt to address
this issue. Overall this study can help key decision makers understand the impact gender
differences have on consumer behavior and can help them in making better future plans and
marketing strategies to address this issue.
 Review of Literature
Ahmed, & Babsail, (2021). Reports how purchasing decisions and consumer behavior is affected
by differences in gender in a Saudi Arabian setting, in their article in the PalArchs journal. The
study evaluates how gender may play a role in purchasing specific items such as cars, land,
houses, grocery items, and decorative items. The study included both qualitative and quantitative
methods. The main focus was using the quantitative approach to confirm the reliability of study
as well as ease in applying statistical techniques. Primary data was collected using qualitative
(face to face interviews) and quantitative methods (using surveys, online questionnaire, and
gathering numerical data on an individual basis). They found out through a survey of 40 people
around 50-50 male to female ratio that in Saudi Arabia there is not one gender dominated in
making decisions, rather each have their own categories. The study limited to Jeddah showed
most families there consider males to be heads of families so most of the decisions were made
with their consultations.
Literature related to effect of gender identity (in terms of masculinity and femininity) on
consumer behavior is very scarce thus Akeay & Ozdemir, (2019), presented a study on how
gender identity can effect on consumers’ impulse buying behavior and understanding if this
effect differs in any way or form, from the effect of biological sex on buying behaviors. The
study is based only on consumers in Bursa. The study used quantitative research methods for
primary data (face to face surveys) and used convenience sampling by taking into consideration
the limiting factors of cost and time. An extensive three-part survey was done in order to obtain
data which was then analyzed by IBM SPSS 23 and SmartPLS 3.2.8 package program. Another
factor on which this study was focused on was whether the femininity or masculinity identities
differ in any way according to their differences in biological sex as well. Through this study it is
found that masculine identity has no effect whatsoever in consumer purchase behavior whereas
feminine identity does affect impulse buying though positive. Therefore, marketing should be
focused on feminine identities. Overall gender identity poses an effect of about 4%. The study
limits its observation only to bursa due to which the results may vary when used by a larger and
broader consumer base.
Ashtankar, Kakade, & Kale, (2019), in their study focus on the online industry of
consumers in India. The boom in e-commerce industry in India has led to a new potential of
increase in businesses online thus viewing how gender affects consumer purchase behavior is
very important which will help companies target specific marketing strategies. They observed a
literature gap in research on influence of gender in buying behavior of consumers in online
shopping, so they used both Quantitative (primary data) and qualitative approaches. They found
out that the gender demographic plays a huge role in consumer behavior as women are more
likely to shop online and spend more than 4 hours a day on the internet.
According to Bouzari, Ebrahimi, Fekete-Farkas, Gholampour, & Jarghooiyan, (2022). Their
study’s main objective was to determine the effect of gender demographic in an online consumer
purchase behavior on Facebook in Hungary. They circulated an online questionnaire on
Facebook to be filled by those who had even once shopped through Facebook market. A sample
of 433 consumers was considered belonging to various age groups. An extensive quantitative
primary data collection method was used involving Cronbach’s alpha coefficient analysis. The
participants were in an uneven ratio 60.3 were male and 39.7 were female. The study concluded
that there exists a major difference in gender purchase behavior as men are more inclined
towards interactivity and practicality of a website whereas women tend to focus on diagnosticity,
perceived risk and vividness. Although this study was conducted during the covid-19 outbreak

2
and is only based in Hungary is a big limitation factor. It also considers the variables only at one
point in time.
Cati, & Savaskan, (2021), state in their research conducted through qualitative observation
techniques as their data collection method in order to get a detailed and a comprehensive view on
what factors influence the difference between male and female consumer behavior in grocery
shopping? Their observation took place in a natural environment involving participant
observation as well. This method is much more effective as the behavior of consumers can vary
vastly from what they ‘say’ they ‘do’ than what they actually ‘do’. Instead of surveys, this deep
research method is much better. The participants observed in their study whilst taking into
considerations the time variable, weekends and weekdays, in a retail discount chain store
operated only in the Batman Province of Turkey, limited to those shopping within the specific
time frame and in addition these were the starting days of Covid-19 pandemic. All the above
factors combined led to the conclusion of there being a vast difference in their attitudes while
shopping. Women enjoy the process more whereas men focus on productivity, focusing on what
they need and getting the work done. Their research focused on a lot of different demographics
such as in-store communication, shopping items, time allocated for shopping, effects of
discounts, price factors, and modes of payment. Through this study we know now the importance
of understanding the genders in order to develop sustainable marketing strategies catered to
them.
Chouhan, & Kumar, (2020), state in their research about the ongoing rapid growth of online
or e-commerce business in India. In today’s digital world, online shopping is rapidly increasing
in trend especially in the Indian consumer market. In a report issued by
https:/www.ecomkeeda.com/ in 2020, the number of online buyers in India have raised to 329.1
million from 54.1 million in 2014. As the industry expands, so should the marketing strategies as
well. Although Chouhan, & Kumar’s, (2020) study shows there is no significant difference in the
online information search. However, patterns in product purchase (online) across genders vary
significantly. They also studied that the reasons for genders to shift online varies a lot as well as
price sensitivity differs majorly between them too. They also revealed that amongst genders there
is no significant difference in consumer satisfaction with different online brands, which is also
backed by a previous research done by Zaczkiewicz (2018). Furthermore, this study also
explores that gender inequality has a huge impact on online shopping behavior of consumers.
The data was collected through means of secondary as well as quantitative primary data
methods. After random sampling 311 forms were selected for further analysis. They had 7
customer demographic factors, 3 online media trend products, 1 on product buying queries and 4
on online motivational factors, market awareness, driving factors and so on.
Duan, Ai, Yang, Xu, and Xu, (2021) their findings suggested possible cognitive and
emotional differences between men and women due to cross-cultural marketing strategies in
purchase decision making strategies. For transnational brand marketing, cultural advertisements
are very important. They used fNIRS (Functional near-infrared spectroscopy) technique to find
the neural connections in purchase behavior of consumers through cross-cultural marketing
strategies. For the validation of this study 40 participants outside of fNIRS study also approved
the validity and quality of both advertisements (mixed culture and original culture). Through this
study, females were more likely to purchase from the original advertisements of the products
whereas there was no difference in purchase rates of males from either the MC or the OC.
Although this study does not inculcate the factor of emotion of participants in cross culture
advertising as well as the characteristics of brands and products promoted.

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 Kovalova, Ondrijova, Stefco, & Tomkova, (2021), reporte in their study a statistically
significant difference in men and women purchase behavior through the Mann-Whitney U test.
Women are more initiative in neuro marketing and believe it can play a significant role in
consumers’ decision making. This study reveals that men’s focus is more on lights, scents,
cleanliness, delightful music, and even the interior design of the store. They are sensitive to
brand products and packaging design as well. Whereas, women focus more on the color of the
product and are likely to be influenced by social networking when choosing a product. The
research is focused on a very niche topic and is fruitful when researching in neuromarketing.
According to Pradhana, & Sastiono, (2019), men in online shopping consider trust as a major
factor and the amount of money they are spending online. Their main purpose is to study gender
differences’ influence in online shopping. The main focus in the study was on the level of trust,
level of practicality and emotional level of each individual in an online shopping context.
Pradhana, & Sastiono, (2019), stated that women are more risk averse than men however, this
doesn’t affect their frequency in shopping. Women are influenced by practicality and emotional
factors whereas men’s risk aversion factors influence their online expenditures.

Methodology
Research Design:

The research utilized a quantitative research design to gather and analyze data in regards to the
impact of gender differences on the purchase behavior of consumers. The primary data collection
instrument was an online questionnaire.

Sample Selection:

The sample was restricted only to consumers who were primarily students of the National
University of Science and Technology Islamabad. Convenience sampling was employed to select
the study participants.

Data Collection:

The questionnaire was comprised of multiple-choice and Likert scale questions. It categorized
elements on the basis of demographic profile, consumer behavior, and the effect of marketing
strategies on gender. The questionnaire was sent out digitally to the relevant study participants,
and responses were obtained over a set period of time.

Data Analysis:

The extracted data was analyzed by employing descriptive statistics, such as frequencies and
percentages. The results were displayed using tables and charts to provide a more apt
representation of the results.

Ethical Considerations:

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 The research strictly adhered to ethical guidelines by ensuring participant confidentiality as well
as voluntary participation. Informed consent was obtained from all study participants prior to
their participation in the study.

Validity and Reliability:

The questionnaire was designed on the basis of relevant literature and existing researches. The
survey instrument's validity and reliability were gauged through pilot testing and consistency
analysis internally among the team.

Implications and Recommendations:

Using the results of the research, relevant conclusions were drawn with respect to the impact of
gender differences on consumer behavior. Recommendations were listed for key stakeholders to
create appropriate marketing strategies which target diverse and gender-inclusive markets.

Limitations
This research was limited in certain aspects which included the fact that the area in which the
research was conducted was a very small one, it consisted mainly of just one university in a
certain city and was therefore not very representative of the entirety of gender groups. The
limitation occurred from the fact that it was mostly conducted in a place where only a certain
niche of people can be found which means that the responses came from people with mostly
similar mindsets. Another limitation arose from the fact that the sample size was only 24 which
represents a very minor portion of the population and therefore cannot be used to reach reliable
conclusions about the research. Added to this, 91.7% of the respondents belonged to the same
age group (18-24) and so other age group’s preferences were not really represented. The ratio of
male to female respondents was also not well divided. There were more female than male
respondents. The research may also be limited due to the fact that the method of collecting data
was through questionnaires which usually collect limited information only and the respondents
are not able to represent all aspects of how they feel about a topic.

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 SECTION II

Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations

Introduction
The objective of the study was to find out effects of gender differences on consumer behavior
and the strategies that key decision makers of a company can use to improve their marketing
skills. An online questionnaire was distributed to consumers and most of them belonged to
National University of Science and Technology located in the Federal Capital of Pakistan. We
got a total of 24 responses. Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations come under this
section.
Findings
The findings are sectioned into three parts based on these characteristics: Demographic Profile,
Consumer Purchase Behavior, and Impact of Marketing Strategies on Gender.
Demographic Profile:
As the sample size was limited the number of responses returned was 24. Out of these
respondents, there were 16 (66.7%) females and 8 (33.3%) males. The questionnaire consisted of
four different age groups out of which 22 (91.7%) were of 18-24 age group and 2 (8.3%) were of
25-34 age group.
Figure 1: Age Distribution of Respondents

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 Age Group

8.3

91.7
18-24 25-34 35-44 44 above

Consumer Purchase Behavior:

The respondents were given a questionnaire that consisted of different factors that might affect
their purchase pattern. One of the variables was "Which factor is most influential to them when
making a purchase?" The categories were Brand Reputation, Quality, Price, Product Reviews,
and Personal Recommendations. The responses showed that males were least affected by the
Quality of the product but Price and Brand Reputation was most influential to them with Product
Reviews having a minimal effect.
The factor of Quality was most dominant amongst females after which they relied on the Product
Reviews, which can also be seen in the research by Kovalova, Ondrijova, Stefco, & Tomkova,
(2021) that social networking has great influence on women when choosing a product. Overall
Quality and Product Reviews mattered the most to all the individuals.
When asked about "If you would buy a product targeted specifically for your gender?". In
answer to this question 9 (56.25%) of the females said "Yes" and 7 (43.75%) replied with "No".
However, 50% of the men were influenced by gender specific marketing and on the other hand,
50% were not affected.
Lastly, women considered Packaging and Product Design "Somewhat Important" in their
purchase decisions as 56.25% of them responded respectively. Whereas only 25% considered it
an influential factor. However, 18.75% of the females were neutral.
Coming towards the males, 50% of them consider “Product Design” a "Very Important" factor
while 25% consider it "Somewhat Important" and the remaining went with "Neutral" and "Not
Important".

Table 1: Factors Influencing Purchase Decision

Factors Influencing Purchase Decision

Males (8) Females (16)
Price 37.5% 6.25%
Quality 12.5% 50%
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 Brand Reputation 25% 6.25%
Product Reviews 25% 37.5%
Personal Information 0% 0%

Impact of Marketing Strategies on Gender:

According to our Findings, for 62.5% of the women, advertisements showing gender specific
roles matter to "Some Extent". For 37.5% of the females, these advertisements are not influential
at all. On the other side, 50% of the males considered advertisements pretty influential while
50% of them were least bothered by it.
As far as the role of companies was concerned in developing marketing strategies addressing the
gender differences, 75% of the women thought it to be "Very Important". 18.75% of the females
had mixed opinions and only 1 out 16 considered it not necessary. Opposite to that, 37.5% of the
males considered the companies' role "Very Important" and 50% of them did not consider it
necessary whereas 1 out 8 was "Not Sure".

Should companies consider gender differences in their

marketing strategies?

16.70%

20.80%
62.50%

Yes, it is important to consider gender differences No, it is not necessary

Not sure

Figure 2: Impact of Gender Differences on Marketing Strategies

Conclusions
There are several conclusions that can be drawn from the findings of this research. Firstly, it can
be concluded that gender-based differences in consumer behavior exist and, can be used in
marketing and for other purposes. Prices and brand reputation affect the male population the
most whereas the major factor that affects the female population is quality and they are ready to
compromise on other factors like price. When trying to target the different genders, this
information can be incorporated in the decision-making process.

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Moreover, the idea of advertisements targeted towards specific genders is more influential in
males as compared to females and therefore marketing strategies targeted towards the female
gender would be less effective in increasing sales since a greater majority of women do not think
it is important to consider gender differences in advertisements. However, overall it is seen that it
is important for the companies to consider gender based differences as they have an impact on
consumer buying behavior largely
Recommendations
After a thorough examination of findings and conclusions of this study, the following
recommendations are suggested:
1. The target audience needs to be identified and thoroughly understood. If the target
audience for the product or service is male, we need to keep into account that according
to our key findings, male consumers are least concerned with product reviews. The price
of the product is found not to be a much influential aspect for men, however product
quality and brand reputation played key roles in affecting their purchase decisions.
Likewise, women, when choosing a product, consider the price and the brand name.
2. Advertisements play a key role in influencing purchase behaviour of both men and
women as is evident by the surveys we conducted. Marketing campaigns should be
tailored to each gender for whom the product is meant in order to ensure maximum reach,
interaction, and purchase. Further research is of the utmost importance in this regard to
gain a satisfactory understanding of preferences of the target audience, as well the
attitudes towards buying the goods. Marketing strategies should be adapted to resound
with consumers and made sure the advertisements are relevant.
3. The maximum utilization of online platforms is the key to enhancing customer
engagement. Rapid growth of e-commerce that has been seen recently, must be
considered and digital presence of companies should be prioritized. This is due to the
observation that a large percentage of women prefer online shopping as it is more
convenient for them. Companies should optimize digital marketing and invest in websites
that are more user friendly. Online promotions should be focused and targeted
advertisements for women are likely to result in building brand loyalty and increase in
sales.
4. Building trust is a very important part of increasing sales, as men tend to be careful in
making purchases online. They make sure to be cautious and avoid risks when shopping
online therefore male consumers should be satisfied in this regard. Their risk aversion
concerns must be addressed thoroughly to help them make more purchases online. This
can be done by ensuring secure and sound payment options, dependable customer support
and unambiguous policies.
5. Cultural influences must be considered while designing and implementing marketing
strategies, as there are different factors in different cultures that affect consumer
behaviour of men and women. There are various emotional and analytical differences
between men and women in each culture, which must be taken into account in order to
make effective marketing plans.
6. Neuromarketing insights, such as store ambience, scents, lighting, are different for men
and women, and must be catered to each for whom the store is based, to create an ideal
shopping experience for them. This helps consumers feel comfortable in their
environment, and emotional triggers for women also impact their purchase decisions. If

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the product is being sold online, the websites must cater to both men and women’s
comfort or be such that it makes them want to make a purchase.

10
 References
Ahmed, M. & Babsail, M. (2021). Influences of gender on family’s purchasing decision in Saudi
Arabia. Palarch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, 18(16), 415-421. ISSN 1567-
214x.
Akeay, G. & Ozdemir, E. (2019), ‘The Effect of Gender Identity on Consumers’ Impulse Buying Behavior
and The Moderating Role of Biological Sex’, Business and Economics Research Journal, vol.10, no. 5, pp.
1109-1125, doi: 10.20409/berj.2019.218
Ashtankar, O.M., Kakade, K., Kale, S. (2019), ‘Impact of Gender Differences on Online Purchase
Intensions of Indian Consumers’, Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR), vol.
6, issue. 3, url:https://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1903M19.pdf

Bouzari, P., Ebrahimi, P., Fekete-Farkas, M., Gholampour, A. & Jarghooiyan, H. (2022). ‘How
can Gender and Age Affect Consumer Purchase Behavior? Evidence from a Microeconomic
Perspective from Hungary’. AD-minister, no. 39. doi: https://doi.org/10.17230/ad-minister.39.2
Cati, K. & Savaskan, A. G. (2021), ‘Investigation of Consumer Behavior in Market Shopping in
the Gender Context’, Electronic Journal of Sciences, vol.20, no. 77, pp. 255-272, doi:
10.17755/esosder.767017

Chouhan.R, Kumar.A (2020), ‘A critical analysis of gender differences in consumer online shopping
behavior in the digital era’, International Journal of Advanced Research in Commerce, Management &
Social Science (IJARCMSS) 295 ISSN: 2581-7930, Impact Factor :5.260, Volume 03
Duan. L, Ai. H, Yang. L, Xu. L and Xu. P (2021) Gender Differences in Transnational Brand
Purchase Decision Toward Mixed Culture and Original Culture Advertisements: An fNIRS
Study. Front. Psychol. 12:654360. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.654360
Kovalova, J., Ondrijova, I., Stefco, R., Tomkova, A. (2021), ‘Consumer Purchasing Behaviour
and Neuromarketing in The Context of Gender Differences’, Journal of Marketing Research and
Case Studies, vol. 2021, doi: 10.5171/2021.321466
Pradhana, F. & Sastiono, P. (2019), ‘Gender Differences in Online Shopping: Are Men More Shopaholic
Online?’, Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, vol. 72.
Rafiq, M. & Umair, J. (2018). ‘Gender Difference Online Shopping’. SSRN. doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3170212

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 Appendix A

Questionnaire

Link to Questionnaire: https://forms.gle/6pt8kxTipRhB8ePD7

Purchase Behavior - Gender Differences

1. What is your gender?

 Male
 Female
 Prefer not to say

2. What is your age group?

 18-24
 25-34
 35-44
 45-54

3. How frequently do you shop in a month?

 Less than once
 1-2 times
 3-4 times
 5 or more times

4. Which factor is most influential to you when purchasing a product?

 Price
 Quality
 Brand Reputation
 Product Reviews
 Personal Recommendations

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5. In your opinion, does gender have an important part in your product preferences?
 Yes, it significantly influences my preferences
 Yes, but it has a minimal influence
 No, it has no effect on my preferences
 Not sure

6. Are you more drawn towards products that target your gender specifically?
 Yes, I’m more likely to purchase
 No, it does not influence my purchase behavior
 Not sure

7. How significant is the packaging and design of an item when making a purchase?
 Very important
 Somewhat important
 Neutral
 Not important

8. Have you ever turned to a brand that offered an item/service more designated towards
your gender?
 Yes
 No
 Not applicable

9. Are you influenced by advertisements that represent gender-specific stereotypes?

 Yes, significantly
 Yes, to some extent
 No, not at all

10. In your opinion, is it necessary for companies to consider gender differences in their
marketing strategies?
 Yes, it is important to consider gender differences
 No, it is not necessary
 Not sure

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