Women on the Web

A man asks a genie if he can grant him one wish—a bridge crossing a treacherous river. "No," says the genie. "It's too difficult. Make another wish." So, the man asks to have the key to unlock the secrets of women's minds, to which the genie replies, "How many lanes did you want that bridge: two or four?"

That joke underscores the challenge outdoor industry companies face—understanding women and their needs so they can attract and sell them useful women's-specific products.

For instance, to better serve female customers, some retailers have created women's departments in their store and trained their staff in addressing and approaching female customers. Manufacturers have teams of female athletes testing products and feeding them information before, after and during their design process, which are often led by female designers.

And, in cyberspace, more and more companies are jumping on the bandwagon, striving to attract female consumers in their own ways.

"We're definitely redefining the shopping experience for women," says Michelle Theall, women's marketing director for Women-Outdoors.com, a Web site that Planetoutdoors.com launched in December to cover cycling, climbing/mountaineering, hiking/backpacking, trail running and snow sports.

Theall says that women view shopping as an "experience" rather than a "transaction," as men do. With that in mind, WomenOutdoors.com will connect with women in a variety of ways. Besides selling thousands of women's-specific products, the site offers gear reviews, product information, links to women's sport camps, inspirational stories and education materials.

If women have questions, they can access the site's female customer specialists, who will chat with them in real time.

Customer service is also paramount at MountainWoman.com, an online retail sales outlet for Benchmark Outdoor Outfitters, which has four stores in the Midwest. Leigh McGuigan, founder and operator of the Web site, says MountainWoman.com targets female outdoor enthusiasts, many of whom have had trouble in the past getting products that fit right, or have been intimidated or unable to get the service they need in retail stores.

The site offers gear reviews, but instead of emphasizing technical features, McGuigan, an avid climber and backpacker, and her partner and professional guide, Kathy Cosley, share their own personal opinions to help women decide.

"I want to run the kind of store that has a unique voice that people trust," says McGuigan. "Most of the people shopping on MountainWoman.com are not as interested in comparing technical characteristics as they are hearing somebody say, 'I've worn this one and here's what I think.' "

McGuigan's goal: to be the online retail store equivalent to a brick-and-mortar climbing shop where people hang out and trust the proprietor. Though, she says, the jury is still out on successful Internet selling strategies, she believes that "good customer service is going to prove important."

Again, it is customer service—rather a lack of—that prompted Lori Bamberger to switch careers as an attorney and establish GearGoddess.com this winter. She had been frustrated with her experiences buying gear at retail stores, so she established a Web site to help women find gear based on their individual needs, and link them to brick-and-mortar and online retail stores so they can buy women's-specific and unisex products.

"We don't think women are going to buy everything online. Retailers are not going to go away," says Bamberger. "We're putting together a network of retailers all over the country. We're not charging them anything and, basically, we're giving them access to this market of women so that we can help them find stores that have the items they want in stock."

On GearGoddess.com, women will find expert and user gear reviews and product spec information so they can do their own comparisons.

"It really is a way to provide greater consumer information and empower consumers, so they can make more educated decisions in the marketplace and find what they're looking for," says Bamberger.

If business owners in the outdoor industry could have one wish, they'd probably ask for the secret formula for attracting female shoppers. But right now, there's no guaranteed approach. One thing's for sure—attracting women is worth the energy, because their buying power is no joke.