A guy's guide to manly art of shopping
By Anne D'Innocenzio
Associated Press
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| A field guide to the male shopper
The male consumer — whether married or single — seems to be increasingly shopping alone. And not all of them shop alike. According to NPD Group, a market research firm, more than 45 percent of menswear sold in the United States last year was sold to men who were shopping without women, compared with 26 percent in 2000. Alan Katz, publisher of the new men's shopping magazine Cargo, said the publication's research found three different kinds of male buyers: The enthusiast, who buys a lot across all categories, and is the first to embrace the latest trends. The focused buyer, who does a lot of research, but buys in only a few categories. The guided buyer, who looks to publications, friends, girlfriends or his wife to tell him what to buy. — Associated Press |
A new shopping magazine is being closely watched by industry experts and advertisers to see if men actually want more help than a wife or girlfriend, if they have one, can provide.
Then again, some may well buy Cargo magazine just to get through the whole shopping experience more quickly.
"I have a sense of style, and want what is trendy, but I don't have a lot of patience looking for things," said Wilson Cleveland, 29, of Manhattan.
Cleveland spends about $500 a month on himself, and used to do almost all his buying at few stores: clothes from Banana Republic, J. Crew or the Gap. "Admittedly, I closed off many options," he said.
Then he picked up Cargo, which Conde Nast Publications introduced on newsstands in March. He immediately spent $300 on shirts and skin creams from stores he had never previously shopped at, including Lacoste and Sephora.
"This tells me where to go, and I don't even have to go looking for it," he said.
Cargo is considered the biggest launch ever for a men's magazine, based on the 99 pages of advertising in the premiere issue. Conde Nast, which also publishes the highly successful women's shopping magazine Lucky, is targeting Cargo to men ages 25 to 45.
Stores such as Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue have reported an uptick in sales of products featured in the magazine. Designer John Varvatos, for instance, has practically sold out of a $120 sneaker for Converse at his stores.
That's catching the attention of other retailers and advertisers. The success of publications like Cargo — some competitors will be coming out soon — could provide more evidence of a change in male attitudes on shopping.
"Men do like to buy things. They just like more information" than women, said Cargo publisher Alan Katz. He says sales at newsstands have been strong.
In particular, sellers of men's clothing — which have been struggling more than women's — could benefit if they find more effective ways to reach customers, according to Marshal Cohen, senior industry analyst at NPD Group, a market research company.
About half of Cargo's editorial content is focused on fashion and grooming. The rest covers such areas as entertaining, including wine, electronic gadgets and cars. The premiere issue offers advice on how to pick the right cut of suit for your body, a low-down on digital camcorders and a review of premium rums.
Unlike Lucky, which resembles a catalog, Cargo does have short articles.
"The main difference is that Lucky celebrates shopping as a pastime," said Ariel Foxman, Cargo's editor in chief. "For men, it's about minimizing time shopping to maximize the pleasure of actually enjoying the purchase."
Cargo also offers something extra, presumably for men who won't be seen carrying a shopping magazine into a store: Wallet-sized tear-out cards with product tips.
It's not the first shopping magazine for men. Complex magazine came out in April 2002, but targets trendsetters and views itself as more multicultural. Ziff Davis Media will unveil Sync, a guide to gadgets, this summer. And this fall, Fairchild Publications, which publishes the glossy W and Women's Wear Daily, will unveil Vitals, focusing on the high-end market.
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