Men unleash ‘dopamine economy’ | The Star

Beijing: If there is such a thing as belt-loosening, male consumers in China are embracing it, spending happily, without any guilt or restraint, on what drives them – and last week’s Singles Day shopping festival, or 11-11, has provided them just such an occasion, according to the latest market data.

Gaming, cycling and trendy toys are in. So are clothing, alcohol, skin care, fishing gear, tea sets, running and boxing products, according to Tmall, Alibaba’s online marketplace for established brands.

Some call it the “he-economy”. Marketers call it the “dopamine economy”.

A neurotransmitter in the brain, dopamine acts as a “reward centre”, including motivation, mood, attention, memory, movement and more.

Male consumers, encouraged by marketing blitzes, are beginning to see virtue in rewarding themselves once in a while, retail experts said, after digesting Tmall data gathered between Oct 31 and Nov 5.

The younger generation among male consumers, they said, love to give treats to themselves, in terms of games, looks and experiences, with last year’s favourites, such as Moutai liquor, fishing gear and Arc’teryx’s rain jackets, taking a backseat this year.

During the survey period, transaction volumes of flagship e-stores of gaming hardware brands, such as Aula, VGN and Republic of Gamers on Tmall, increased by over 100% year-on-year (y-o-y).

Do-it-yourself or DIY computers, keyboards, monitors and headphones ranked among the leading digital gaming products sold on Tmall.

In its first hour of sale, the transaction volume of TGIF, the official supplier of gaming chairs for the recent Hangzhou Asian Games, increased by a staggering 3,590% y-o-y, data from Tmall showed.

Male consumers were also found to be more interested in physical toys such as Lego bricks.

During the period, the growth rate of men’s purchases of trendy toys was higher than women’s.

For 11-11, Lego released the new Super Mario Piranha Plant collection.

In the past week, nearly one million people searched for Lego on Tmall.

Sales on cycling-related products surged as trends like “City Walk” and “City Ride” are sweeping Chinese cities this year. Bicycle sales doubled year-on-year during the survey period.

Among bicycle buyers, the number of male users has increased by nearly 100% y-o-y. On the first day of the shopping festival, sales of rain jackets increased by 90% y-o-y.

Jason Yu, an executive at a consultancy firm in Shanghai, is an avid fan of cycling. He bought a bike, athletic apparel and electronic devices for riding trips.

“Male consumption has often centred on their interests or hobbies. Middle-income male consumers in their 30s and 40s will unleash their spending power driven by their passions,” said Yu.

Men are also more willing to spend on good looks. Facial cleansers, perfumes and face creams are the three most popular categories among male consumers.

The average daily search volume for such products in the past week increased by 128%, 87% and 38%, respectively, Tmall data showed.

For example, male consumers prefer products with quickly-applied face foundation and concealer with brightening effects.

Men’s eyebrow trimmers, face beauty devices and facial cleansing machines have also attracted consumer attention this year. — China Daily/ANN