Women wine consumers: information search and retailing implications Thomas Atkin and Linda Nowak Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California, USA, and Rosanna Garcia Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this research is to examine gender differences in information search procedures and selection criteria relative to purchase situation and social and financial risk aversion. Design/methodology/approach – An online questionnaire was completed by 497 males and 877 females in the USA. A total of 88 percent of the respondents stated that they drank wine at least once per week. Participants were obtained by sending e-mails to customer lists provided by wine-related organizations. Findings – Findings suggest that, if a consumer is unsure about making a wine selection, women are more apt than men to seek information from store personnel, a server, sommelier, or winery personnel. Labels and shelf tags are also significantly more important for women. While winery region is very important to both men and women, women rely on medals and awards more than men. Research limitations/implications – Consumers who are not necessarily comfortable with using the internet would not have had an opportunity to participate in this study. Practical implications – The differences by gender in the importance of and the usage of various information sources could help retailers prioritize their communication methods in US stores. Store personnel, servers, sommeliers, and winery personnel should be well-prepared to answer questions and make recommendations. Originality/value – Women buy 80 percent of the wine sold in the USA. This study helps retailers understand their preferences and how to assist them more effectively in their purchase decisions. Keywords Information searches, Retailing, Wines, Consumers, Gender Paper type Research paper Introduction As the global wine industry grows more competitive, marketers are asking themselves how best to differentiate their brands to consumers in ways that are critical to success. Consumer perceptions of a wine’s quality are important factors in the decision process, but with thousands of wines to choose from, how does a consumer select one wine over another? When evaluating how wine buyers make their decisions, it is probably wise to look for differences by demographic and psychographic variables. A starting point may be to look at differences by gender. According to Rappaport et al. (1993), men and women do in fact differ in terms of the relative importance they will place on pleasure, health, and convenience as it relates to food and beverage consumption. In a study The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/1751-1062.htm The authors would like to thank Northeastern University Institute of Global Innovation Management for their generous support. Women wine consumers 327 International Journal of Wine Business Research Vol. 19 No. 4, 2007 pp. 327-339 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 1751-1062 DOI 10.1108/17511060710837454