For instance, with children to look after, mothers are more likely to bring them along to shop than to exercise in a gym. It is noteworthy that the nature of goods might influence the strength of the psychological motives as certain goods such as clothes have greater potential in projecting identity concerns than others such as body-care products (Dittmar, 2000, 2001, as cited in Dittmar, 2008).
Since psychological needs are more prominent in womens consumption behaviour than mens, it is possible that women may show greater resistance towards online buying as computer-mediated shopping may not provide much experiential and social benefits. Furthermore, Jackson, Ervin, Gardner, and Schmitt (2001) found that women reported greater computer anxiety, lower computer self-efficacy, and less favourable attitudes toward the internet than men. It is therefore plausible that the shopping environment has a stronger impact on womens buying motivations than mens. Dittmar, Long, and Meek (2004) conducted two studies to examine the gender differences in buying motives between conventional and online buying. Findings of the first qualitative study revealed that both genders endorsed functional motives pertaining to convenience and efficiency when buying at conventional stores; and men in particular tend to shop expeditiously. These motives were even more heavily endorsed when purchasing online. Furthermore, functional motives relating to the ability to make price and product comparisons, and to access a wider selection of goods at lower costs were also highlighted in online buying. However, due to lack of direct contact with merchandise and social interactions with others, online buying was perceived as less psychologically stimulating than conventional buying. Furthermore, women more strongly than men perceived online buying to be less emotionally engaging, often lacking in thrill and excitement compared to conventional buying.
