The Mind Of The Male Shopper

How do you get male shoppers into your store? Ever think about it much? I found this article by Aaron Britt of the San Francisco Chronicle on making guys feel at home shopping. Britt visited several men's stores with retail and brand development specialist Bertrand Pellegrin, and shared some notes from the trip.

It seems Pellegrin's favorite store was the Mollusk Surf Shop. Britt says its "large, open space felt immediately authentic, charmingly quirky and instantly right." Sounds a lot like the reviews I've heard about Terrain.

The article also shares 10 tips for getting into the male shopper's mind:

10 commandments of a great men's store

The following are author Bertrand Pellegrin's non-negotiable suggestions for creating an ideal men's retail experience.

1. Get the goods - and believe in them.

2. Make service a priority, and never compromise.

3. Give them something they can't find anywhere else.

4. Selling isn't the only goal; make time to connect.

5. Keep it real.

6. Give 'em room - especially in the fitting room.

7. Tell them something they didn't already know.

8. Create a great community and evolve the idea of a 'third place.'

9. Make them feel like Hugh Hefner.

10. Show and tell a great story.

A lot of these rules apply to women, as well, and while I don't know about #9, I like #8. It would be safe to say my husband "hangs out" at Home Depot, visiting his future riding mower and checking out the new power tools. Do you have the merchandise that makes women AND men want to hang out?