Study finds both male- and female-oriented products sell better

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Consumers are more likely to buy products that are highly gendered — whether masculine or feminine – than they are to buy products that are not as gendered, according to a new study from the University of Miami School of Business Administration. 

 

The study, published in the April 2015 issue of Psychology & Marketing, found that consumers place a higher value on products that have been assigned a gender using aesthetic attributes like color, texture, weight and tone. For instance, if a product appears more "female" — shiny, smooth, colorful and light-weight — or "male" (angular and bulky with a dull texture) a shopper is more likely to perceive it as more functional and is more likely to buy it.

 

"We found that this was the case for both male- and female-gendered products regardless of the gender of the consumer," said Claudia Townsend, assistant professor of marketing at the University of Miami School of Business, who conducted the research with professors from the University of St. Gallen. "The findings offer real design guidelines for product makers."