Gender and Consumer Behaviour in Distribution Channels of Services

Purpose – The aim of the publication is to present the significance of gender in the creation of consumer behaviour on the market of services, with special consideration of decision-making process.Design/Methodology/Approach – The empirical part was developed on the basis of survey research titled “Distribution modelling in network economy”. The research was quantitative, implemented through the computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) technique on a group of 1,103 respondents. Quota and random sampling was applied. The research study was conducted in 2015.Findings – In the empirical part, differences in behaviour between women and men as consumers on the market of services were identified. The study identified distribution channels of services chosen at consecutive stages of a purchase process; respondents’ priorities in choosing those channels; and differences between women and men (of various age groups and income groups) in this respect. Practical implications – Changes undergoing on the market of services, globalisation, ICT development, and in particular the development of network economy evoked a necessity of searching for new strategies of sales services. Contemporary marketing strategies should take into account social and demographic changes and the influence of those changes on consumer purchase behaviour. Therefore, the knowledge about differences in the behaviour between women and men and their market choices should be reflected in marketing strategies of enterprises.Original value – The research concerns multichanneling on the market of services with respect to differences in female and male market behaviour.