Male vs. Female Shopping Statistics: Who Runs the Online Shopping World In 2026

Online shopping is now common for both men and women in 2026. The most recent data show only a small difference in participation rates between genders, with both groups actively buying across major ecommerce platforms.

Earlier assumptions about clear behavioral gaps have weakened as digital access and mobile commerce have expanded. Differences still appear in how people search, compare, and decide, but they are no longer large enough to define overall shopping power. And any ecommerce store should operate based on this data. This article reviews current male vs. female shopping statistics and how these patterns look in 2026.

Table of contents:

General shopping habits
How men and women shop online
What do men and women shop online for

General Shopping Habits

One should begin their journey into the difference between the two sexes with exploring general shopping habits and behaviors. Being aware of differences in shopping habits, behaviors, and dynamics can help you take the first step toward diversifying your marketing campaigns and targeting your advertising.

In general, a slightly larger percentage of women than men opt for online shopping (72% of women, 68% men). The reasons why approximately 30% of both sexes of customers prefer to visit brick-and-mortar shops are mostly the same:

• The capability to put on, touch, and feel the item
• Human interaction with consultants or shopping mates
• Online shops raise their information security concerns
• Unwillingness to wait for long shipping terms

As for why men and women opt to shop online, that is when the differences between the sexes manifest.

According to behavioral studies, while shopping online, men tend to be more:

• Focused on the mission. Men consider shopping as a common activity with one straightforward goal: to purchase.
• Logical – men are largely driven by reason, not emotion or someone’s opinion.
• Reliant on product information – males usually carefully study the features of an item before making a decision.
• Resistant to special offers, discounts, and sales, and less frequently take them into account when making the decision to purchase or not.
• Interested in the result – not captivated by the process, men make a purchase as soon as a suitable item is found.

Women, on the other hand:

• Enjoy the shopping process as a whole and tend to spend more time shopping online.
• Make up their mind based on reviews and ratings, not specific features of the item.
• Tend to follow trends and fashion, and make the purchasing decision with them in mind.
• Tend to make impulse and unplanned purchases, triggered by advertisement, special offer or sale, personal recommendation, desire to improve mood, etc.
• Are more selective, searching not for the item they need, but the one that will suit perfectly.

How Men and Women Shop Online

The next crucial aspect for online merchants for building proper interaction with customers of both sexes is understanding HOW they make purchases online and WHAT they prioritize in their purchases.

According to the statistics, men prove to be more technically adept than women in online shopping. 45% of men use a smartphone or a tablet for purchasing online, compared to 34% of women. On the other hand, the gap between the percentage of males and females that utilize laptops or PCs for web purchases is not especially wide – 82% of women and 85% of men.

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It is common knowledge that when it comes to making a decision about the purchase, there are always a variety of small things, or nuances, that come into play and influence the final resolution. Here is the list of things that matter to men and women in different proportions:

• Free shipping is equally important to 60% of both men and women.
• Best bargain – matters nearly equally (to 74% of men and 77% of women).
• Buying on sale is more crucial to women (74% compared with 57% of men).
• Applying coupons or promo codes – women tend to care about it more than men (34% of females and 26% of males).
• Study promotional emails – women are more curious, so they open them more frequently (14% of women and only 8% of men).

What Men and Women Shop Online For

The aspect of WHAT is being purchased by males and females is surprisingly often regarded as the case solved and closed long ago – men purchase gadgets and technology, while women are obsessed with fashion items. On the one hand, this assumption can’t be called an entirely false one. On the other hand, this is a rough generalization that merchants accept and put into the base of their brand positioning as well as marketing and advertising campaigns. At a time when sex and gender stereotypes are largely cast off and rethought, it is inappropriate and harmful to a store or a brand to follow them blindly. Instead, base your marketing concepts on proven statistical data.

According to the research, males shop online for:

• Computer and tech (39%, compared to 18% of females)
• Travel and holiday accommodation (37%, compared to 35% of females)
• Household items (32%, compared to 30% of females)
• Tickets for events (27%, compared to 26% of females)
• Media content – movies and music (22%, compared to 16% of females)

The fair sex, in their turn, purchases online the following items:

• Clothes and sports goods (46%, compared to 14% of males)
• Books, magazines, and electronic educational literature (25%, compared to 23% of males)
• Groceries (18%, compared to 14% of males)
• Medicine (10%, compared to 8% of males)

Wrapping It Up

As you can see, the differences between male and female purchasing behavior and tendencies exist, but it is not that huge and significant to oppose both sexes in your marketing campaigns. We assure you it is possible to create a gender-balanced marketing campaign that will be as interesting as the one based on common stereotypes.