The ConsumHERist - Women’s Consumer Confidence

Posted on | October 16, 2008 |

By, Delia Passi

Wednesday’s news included the Commerce Department’s report on retail sales, which suffered the biggest decline in three years (down 1.2%), and nearly twice the drop predicted by economists.  Auto sales were down about three times as much as the overall number, so that industry is really reeling as we all know.

So the news that consumer confidence is also way down is no great surprise.  One thing that many marketers and sales executives don’t know is that women’s consumer confidence is generally even lower than men’s.  A study was released earlier this year that confirms what most women might surmise on their own, which is that women fret more about economic peril than men do.  That’s not to say that men don’t worry about the economy.  Of course they do.  It’s just that women are more pessimistic.

So given that general consumer confidence these days is miserable, women have got to be just plain depressed.  I know I can get pretty down in the mouth thinking about how so many of my clients are in financial services and auto sales.

But for the smart marketer and sales pro, as we all keep telling ourselves and our clients, this is the right time to think about pleasing the consumer.  You’ve got to make them feel at home when they come in, especially since 1.2% fewer came in this September than in August.  And that does give you more time to make them feel good about shopping at your business than someone else’s.

Even if she keeps her wallet closed, make her remember you so that when her confidence picks up she will be back for a little more TLC and a little business too.

Rah! Rah! Rah!

 Delia Passi, Founder of WomenCertified® and author of Winning the Toughest Customer: The Essential Guide to Selling to Women is a regular columnist on eBrandMarketing.

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