Shop Like a Man?

For some awful reason I turned on The Today Show this week and saw a segment called "Shop Like a Man." According to the segment, men and women shop different. They sketched out how men shop with "blinders on", which means they go in and get what they need and get out, while women are more likely to browse, which ends up in a higher bill. In addition to pointing out how men differ from women, they mention a number of other influences that lead to higher than intended bills such as shopping with friends or physically picking up an item.

For a number of reasons I would have liked to have went through the TV and smacked everyone participating in this segment. Here's why:

In my household, I do 99.9% of the shopping. This covers everything from trips to the grocery store, Home Depot, Pet Smart, etc. If the man of the house needs some attachment for the air compressor, I'm the one that goes and gets it. If the man of the house needs some some new tire valve covers, I'm the one that goes and gets it. If the man of the house wants some Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies, I'm the one that goes and gets it. Shopping is an allergy to the man of the house. So, if something is bought in this household, I'm the one that does the buying.

About 99.9% of the time all my shopping trips are planned. I have my list (see my previous post on price-matching at Wal-Mart) and targeted stores. I usually do not go out shopping unless there is something I need or would like to replace. This includes shopping for clothes. I go out only when I know something needs to be replaced or buying something for a special event, which isn't often. Only during .01% of the time do I derive from my shopping list or intended destination. Most of these impulse buys are the result of one of two things. 1) I am pre-emptively buying something for the man of the house because he would really like it or something that I know he will eventually discover he wants. So, under this scenario, I'm buying for someone else and not myself. 2) While shopping for clothes, I see some item not on my original list that is either really effing amazing or something that is on super discount that would be amazing in my wardrobe. In this case, it is a 50/50 chance that the item will eventually go back. Some items that I have found under such scenario include silver earrings for $4, a silver bracelet for $5, and tights for $10. I have not regretted any of these purchases simply because of the number of complements I have received.

So, my point is that since I do most of the shopping and there is only a small fraction of the time (unscientifically verified of course) that I do derive from the shopping list does not make me any different of a shopper than a man. If anything it just makes it to where I have greater opportunity to derive. If me and the man of the house were to shop equally, I guarantee you that he would forget items off the list and even drag in some questionable items. Luckily for me, I'm the only one shopping on Black Friday or I would be curious to know what random items would be returning to the house without me knowing.