Editorial Letter

Targeting the Male Customer

Jessica De Vault Hale EDITOR There are tons of men’s grooming products on the market, but I often wonder how many of the male customers are even aware of it. In my personal experience, men often use their women’s haircare products for their daily grooming regimen. They trust their significant others to point them in the right direction when it comes to what products to use. While there are many new products and brands to explore, if the female customer is unaware, there’s a chance the men in her life may be oblivious, too.

While this doesn’t pertain to all men, it’s a generalization that many can relate to. The male grooming industry has truly exploded in the last five years, but if you’re not seeing more male customers in your store as you were expecting, chances are they are relying on a trusted female companion to provide recommendations instead. That’s why it’s good to merchandise and market your men’s products to the fellas and the ladies. Women are likely to shop on behalf of men while they are picking up their own personal care products.

We know that finding creative ways to market male items to your female shoppers can be tricky. So to give you a little inspiration, seasoned merchandiser Scott Zangwill offers a few tips on how to do just that in this month’s “How Should You Sell It” column on page 20. You can also keep up with all of the new trends in male grooming by checking out our feature story on page 54.

In this edition, we’ll also touch on top-selling products for this popular category. There’s room for growth when you target the male customer, be sure to take advantage of this opportunity!