Marketing professor Gayle Marco of Robert Morris College has a common-sense warning for all eretailers who think they know the sex ratio of their shoppers, “In many households, the husband is the first one to shop online. Later, when wives shop they’re apt to just sign in under their husband’s account. It’s easier. There’s no way Amazon can tell whether it’s the wife or child or husband pressing those keys. They never ask who’s using this account now?” Marco recommends eretailers start asking this question in order to truly personalize the shopping experience.

Marco also says eretailers need learn that a woman’s cost consciousness can vary dramatically depending on which “hat” she is wearing. “If I’m shopping for my child price may play a bigger role because she’ll outgrow things, whereas price may not be an issue when I’m shopping for myself.” Therefore women who respond well to savings offers in one situation, may not care in another.