The study by market researcher Mintel shows that, when questioned about their purchasing preferences, 60 percent of younger males from the United States said they would rather shop online to make beauty purchases.
Underlining the significance of this trend, the same study showed that 52 percent of women of the same age said they would prefer to make their beauty purchases online, while 41 percent of older males, aged 55+ responded similarly.
The study also revealed that younger men are more likely to be impulsive about making such purchases online, with 37 percent in this group stating they are likely to make an impulse purchase, compared to 26 percent of younger females.
Younger men believe the newest product launches are online
Delving further into the mind of the younger male and his purchasing perspective, this group also responded that they are eager to get their hands on the very latest beauty launches, with 73 percent of respondents agreeing that online shopping gave them access to hard to find beauty products, while 69 percent of younger women responded similarly.
Likewise, 43 percent said that they considered buying online beneficial because it allowed them to first try the latest products, compared to 30 per cent of females.
Underlining the fact that younger men were also 73 percent more likely to shop online because it saves time, Shannon Romanowski, beauty and personal care analyst at Mintel said:
"The time-saving factor is one of the key drivers for shopping online. The internet allows consumers to shop 24/7 from the comfort of their own home or even when waiting in line at the grocery store. As men are particularly motivated by time-saving and convenience as reasons for shopping online, beauty retailers may want to consider expanding more marketing efforts to this often untapped consumer in the beauty category.”
Online shopping is about avoiding the stores
Men have traditionally had an aversion to shopping in stores, a characteristic that the Mintel study signifies is still apparent, even in a younger generation that is deemed to be a more sophisticated shopper and better tuned into notions such as retail therap.
“Men are a prime target for online beauty retailing as they are less likely to want to spend a lot of time browsing stores and are looking for quick, simple and convenient ways to get the products they want,” said Romanowski.
“Additionally, the internet allows for a level of anonymity when shopping for products that may be a bit embarrassing to shop for in person like anti-aging or hair thinning products, particularly for men."
Younger guys love gadgets
In fact, when it comes to the incorporation of technology and gadgets into beauty products, both younger men and women are up for it, with 48 percent of females and 52 percent of males expressing an interest in apps, while 31 percent of younger men like to use mobile devices, compared to 30 percent of younger females.
Likewise, the interest in technology also extends to websites, with 45 percent of younger men expressing an interest in online portals with functions such as interactive customer service features and live chat – features that only 32 percent of younger women expressed an interest in.