Women Buy for a Cause

DENVER -- When choosing between two brands that benefit a cause, 43 percent of women say they choose the brand that donates with every purchase over a brand that donates a set amount. This was revealed in "The Checkout," a new shopper experience study currently underway by The Integer Group and M/A/R/C Research.

"This may be because shoppers aim for instant gratification and a feeling of doing good, which they receive from making each purchase," said Randy Wahl, executive vice president for M/A/R/C Research. "This is also good for the brand since it encourages repeat purchase and loyalty."

Women seem to be motivated by causes that hold an emotional and personal relevance, according to study results. Of several different causes, women report finding disease prevention the most compelling, with social change, faith-based, animal welfare and child welfare causes all trailing behind.

On the other hand, many cognitive researchers believe that rational thought trumps empathy in men's brains. This seems to point to a more pragmatic process of why men lean more toward social causes where involvement is typically a monetary fix vs. an emotional engagement.

"Brands need to appeal to men's rationale side, delivering a more rational benefit for their participation in a cause program, which can lead to higher engagement," said Craig Elston, senior vice president of The Integer Group. "Men are more likely to support organizations like The Salvation Army or Goodwill, with women saying they support disease prevention causes such as breast cancer awareness. If you're targeting women, focus on the messaging as a means to evoke emotion."

The study data comes from a national survey in which consumers are asked about their shopping attitudes, shopping behaviors and economic outlook. Topics range from criteria shoppers use to select retailers, to which in-store stimulus is most likely to drive purchase, to factors that might lead shoppers to leave an aisle empty-handed.

The Checkout is available for download at Integer's blog or M/A/R/C's website .