Chapter 128 Question 116

Why do most department stores put men's clothing on the lower floors and women's clothing on the upper floors? (Lima Savaya) At Macys and Bloorngdales, most menswear is on the ground floor, while most womenswear is on the third floor.With few exceptions, department stores around the world largely follow this model.Why do department stores put men's clothing departments where it's easier to find? While most men and women want to be well-dressed in public, appearance plays a bigger role in constructing a woman's identity.Moreover, the fact that women spend twice as much on clothing as men suggests that women are more careful than men when choosing clothes.So having to take an elevator to get to the women's department doesn't deter women from shopping for clothes.

Conversely, even the slightest obstacle can keep many men away from the menswear department.Most men don't feel compelled to buy a new suit, and if it's not convenient to do so, many will take the attitude of avoiding it if they can. Another advantage of putting men's clothing on the first floor is that many husbands are in charge of buying clothes for their wives.A woman passing by the men's clothing department is likely to help her husband buy a pair of socks, or a few shirts.Men rarely buy clothes for their wives, so stores get little benefit if men's and women's clothing is placed in reverse.