Some men think of shopping as challenge; others as torture

ATHENS, Ga. - David Lindsay can't think of anything worse.

"My wife really has to drag me into the store to shop," said Mr. Lindsay, a retired University of Georgia cell biologist. "She's even given my daughter a finder's fee for dragging her father to (a men's clothing store) and elsewhere even to buy a shirt."

Mr. Lindsay might be in the minority, though, according to two researchers.

Cele Otnes, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Mary Ann McGrath, of Loyola University, uncovered that not only do some men actually enjoy shopping but many also are quite adept at it.

In a study reported in a recent issue of the Journal of Retailing, the researchers showed that although women shop because they enjoy it, men shop for accomplishment.

"I've got to agree with that," said Bob Yongue, a retiree from what is now Athens Area Technical College.

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Many times, Mr. Yongue said, he visits stores such as Belk, TJ Maxx, Lowe's or The Home Depot in hopes of locating items ranging from a sweatshirt and jeans to glue. The key, he said, is the "conquest," being able to find an item at a price he's willing to pay.

"I don't have any qualms with shopping," he said. "I even go with (my wife) when she grocery shops."

Atlanta-based The Home Depot, a perennial favorite for male shoppers, is taking advantage of research that shows 47 percent of purchases are made by couples.

With that being the case, the retailers have expansive design and decor areas in most stores and, to ensure that those impatient men get in and get out quickly, are rolling out automated checkouts at hundreds of stores across the nation.

"We've recognized that customers, once they've made their decisions, are ready to go," said Don Harrison, a spokesman for The Home Depot. "It's a widely held perception men don't enjoy shopping, but I think Home Depot has changed that."

Last year, Georgia Square Mall in Athens added cushioned chairs throughout its corridors. The chairs, which are placed near anchor stores, such as Belk and Sears, are quite frequently used by the sad-looking men who sit guarding their wives' bags.

"That's where the men hang out when the women shop," said Amber Joyce, the marketing director of Georgia Square Mall. "We've given them a place to rest."

Mr. Lindsay, however, has no such intention of ever enjoying shopping. To his mind, shopping, especially for groceries and other household items, is just not a very pleasurable experience.

For example, in stark contrast to his wife, he says he enters a store, gets only what's on the list and leaves. This can invite a discussion from his spouse that his clothes are, well, outdated, but who's looking?

"I really don't need another shirt," he said. "They might be 10 years old, but I have five or six."

--From the Wednesday, April 16, 2003 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle