Just-for-him merchandising strategies gain momentum in men's grooming

Drug Store News,  March 7, 2005  by Antoinette Alexander

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Seeing an opportunity to tap into the growing Men's grooming segment, Graham Bingham opened in October a specialty retailer just for men called Momentum. While Vancouver, B.C.-based Momentum is by no means a chain drug retailer, its unique concept could serve as a model for those retailers at mass looking to better serve today's male shopper and make him feel more comfortable.

"I built the store from the ground up for men. It is a very masculine store that has an open retail concept where products can be smelled and tested," Bingham said. "It is an environment as much as it is a retail store."

The 1,200-square-foot Momentum store offers roughly 500 to 600 SKUs of hair care, skin care, foot care, bath and shaving products just for men.

The concept, which could be expanded to such U.S. cities as Seattle, San Francisco and Portland, Ore., is a hit largely because it offers men personalized service in a nonintimidating, easy-to-shop store just for them--a tip some industry observers believe could benefit chain drug stores and mass merchants.

At mass, The men's products are either integrated in the same area as the women's products or are so adjacent [that they are hard to find]," said David Wolfe, creative director at the Doneger Group. "Segregating [the product] is part of it, but also the packaging and signage has to be more masculine.

Several manufacturers are taking greater steps to cater to men by using appealing language and imagery. For example, Gillette is offering this month its new battery-operated M3Power Nitro shaving system and, through a division called TAG Fragrance Co., recently rolled out TAG Body Spray for men, which is packaged in a brushed gunmetal aluminum can to reflect its masculine personality.

In addition, Five Star Fragrance Co., the licensee of Michael Jordan fragrances and grooming products, will roll out this spring a line of Michael Jordan grooming products. The collection is offered now exclusively at Rite Aid. Also hitting the mass market this year is the new 23 by Michael Jordan fragrance.

Meanwhile, word gas been spreading throughout the industry that L'Oreal will come out with a men's line this year, but details were not available as of press time.

While a few retailers, like CVS, are retooling their men's grooming category to drive sales of men's products--which, according to Packaged Facts, are expected to near $10 billion at retail by 2008--industry observers agree that there's a lot of room for improvement.

"Visits ... to several major drug stores and mass merchandise outlets found even the most innovative products ending up in the least favorable shelf locations, either well above eye level or practically on the floor," Packaged Facts wrote in its 2004 "U.S. Market for Men's Grooming Products" report.

About a year ago, CVS, which merchandises its men's skin care products adjacent to shave, increased the shelf space for men's grooming products from one shelf to four and moved the products up higher, said CVS spokesman Todd Andrews. Moving products up from the lower shelf makes them easier to shop--especially because men tend to be taller.

However, Andrews noted that CVS' focus remains on women, major contributors to men's grooming product sales. According to "The U.S. Male Grooming Market" report from Kline & Co., 87 percent of women who have men in their household buy the men's grooming products. The most frequently purchased items: hair care, shaving products and bar soap.

In general, men feel uncomfortable shopping in a women's department. "Women shopping for a men's product have no problem moving into an area for men, but men have a difficult time [moving into a women's area]," added Wolfe.

Drug chains and mass merchants "are still geared toward women. They don't know how to talk to men," said Bingham. "I always felt intimidated."

By creating a well-defined men's grooming department, chains perhaps can create their own momentum.

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