Electronics-savvy women think outside the color box
Attention, electronics retailers and manufacturers: The color pink is not the way to a woman's wallet.
According to research by the Consumer Electronics Association and Oxygen Media, women's interest in buying electronics and tech gadgets is increasing.
Patricia Hickman, general manager at the Best Buy store on Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth, sees that the ages and backgrounds of the female electronics buyers in the store run the gamut.
"We have younger females who come in who are all about trendsetting, who want the newest technology," Hickman says. "A lot of the women are the main shoppers for their families so they're not limited to what they're coming in here looking for."
And it's not just because they can get these items in pretty colors.
While there's nothing wrong with having a myriad of gadget color choices, experts say what women want from their technology purchase goes beyond looks.
In fact, according to the Oxygen study, 76 percent of women surveyed said they will buy an unattractive cell phone "as long as it does everything they need it to do - functionality is more important than appearance." Oxygen is the only women-owned and operated cable network.
Twenty-four percent of women surveyed said they would buy an up-to-date cell phone that has all the functions they need only if it was attractive.
Also, according to Oxygen's study, 77 percent of those surveyed said they would prefer a new plasma television to a diamond solitaire necklace.
"Women want things to suit their needs, whether it's electronics, a car, a kitchen appliance or piece of clothing," says Laura Heller, a Chicago-based consultant on consumer electronics and editor of Entertainment Living. "We want them to work for us." She adds that marketing to this demographic "has always been a challenge for an industry that's born of technology."
In the Oxygen study, 21 percent of women surveyed said they wished they felt more comfortable using technology, compared with 79 percent who said they felt comfortable.
"Their [advertisers' and manufacturers'] message should be how to make technology a part of your life," says Molly Wood, executive editor with cnet.com.
Hickman says that's exactly what female customers want to know when they come to her store.
"They want clarity on how [the technology] is going to make their life better," she says. Women want to know "'how do I use it and how is it going to benefit me? How is it going to make my life better and fit into my lifestyle?' "
Color choices notwithstanding, it seems women are plunking down their hard-earned dollars to stay in the electronics and technology game. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, women are outspending men in consumer electronics purchases $55 billion to $41 billion - and 90 percent of the latter is influenced by women.
According to Hickman, many women looking for gaming-related items for their children aren't satisfied with just picking up the latest popular thing.
"They want to understand the systems themselves," Hickman says.
As far as product gear, Hickman states that "what's really getting their attention, especially for trendsetters around computers is the ability to go with WiFi cards and to become completely connected no matter where you are."
Hickman sums up the lifestyle of a number of female customers purchasing electronics this way: "She's very 'multi-task' and somehow that [technology] has got to fit in her life and make things more enjoyable for her and her family."
