Women and Men Respond Differently to the Recession

LEEDS, England, March 25, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Male and female shoppers reacted differently to both the recession and the impact of this on their finances. Whether shoppers now go online to voucher code sites such as VoucherSeeker (http://www.voucherseeker.co.uk/vouchercodes) for money off items, shop around for products, or are prepared to shop down for items, male and female shoppers changed their shopping behaviours to ensure they survived the recession financially.

Research by Emphatica, an industry leader in the measurement, reporting and improvement of customer experiences, found that 72% of women moderately to significantly cut their spending in 2009, whilst only 62% of men did. Also, whilst one in ten men admitted that due to the recession they hardly ever ate out at restaurants, one in five women admitted they now hardly ever ate out.

The way the sexes managed their finances during the recession was also different. Research by Paypal found that men were quicker to resort to the internet when the recession first hit, realising it's potential for cheaper products. 12.9 million men in the UK now shop online, compared with just 10.3 women. Since 2006, 839,000 extra men are now shopping online compared with an additional 400,000 women.

However, this could be simply that women already understood the saving potential of discount voucher sites such as VoucherSeeker. Before the recession, the key demographic for both shopping online and using discount codes was women. In fact, the research by Emphatica also found that 48.3% of women would be enticed to a restaurant if the restaurant offered vouchers for money off.

Whilst women cut their spending dramatically, they also allowed themselves treats. These treats could include meals out or simply less expensive products. The sales of products such as lipstick soared when the recession was first announced. Whilst men took a more proactive approach by realising the potential of discount code sites such as VoucherSeeker, women tried to make themselves feel better. Lipstick is not an extravagant purchase but it can change how a woman looks and therefore makes her feel better within herself. Men responded differently, with manufacturer's of home brew kits seeing a noted surge in demand.

"Whether you want Vodafone Promotional Codes (http://www.voucherseeker.co.uk/file/8c07f9b2387a79aa4860f829cdf713e7/ vodafone-promotional-code.html) for mobile phones or Currys Discount Codes (http://www.voucherseeker.co.uk/file/a62ac26940c49940f7f8da1eabd901e1/currys- discount-codes.html) for electricals, promotional codes from VoucherSeeker is the way to save money," states Neil Ainsworth, VoucherSeeker Director. "Consumers have learnt VoucherSeeker offers discount voucher codes for money off many items which can be found on the high street. By using discount vouchers from VoucherSeeker, they can save money whilst shopping online."

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Consumers also turned to comfort foods and products which were associated with quality and value. Sales of Cottage Pie and other traditional dishes went through the roof, whilst supermarkets tried to capitalise on this new found product popularity.

The way men and women dealt with the recession differed significantly. Men were quick to discover the benefits of shopping online and using discount codes from VoucherSeeker. Women, however, were concerned with not only saving money, but treating themselves and making themselves feel better also. This was shown in the increase in sales of Lipsticks, and research which found more women went out for meals than men.

Consumers also turned to comfort foods and products which offered value for money and quality brands in an effort to survive. However, now the recession is over, shopping habits including using voucher codes from sites such as VoucherSeeker (http://www.voucherseeker.co.uk/vouchercodes), shopping down for products and researching products are all set to become permanent shopping habits.

About VoucherSeeker

http://www.voucherseeker.co.uk is a leading UK voucher codes website. It features all the latest vouchers, voucher codes and discount codes from a wide range of shops and top brands. Users can use the site to find the latest discount vouchers and promotional codes to save money on many products and services. VoucherSeeker also provides its users with details of all the latest sales and promotions.

For further information, please contact Deborah Read at VoucherSeeker: email: [email protected], direct line: +44-113-380-0891.

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SOURCE VoucherSeeker