Why a woman can help a man strike a better deal

WHEN it comes to bagging a bargain or sealing a deal, many men favour the macho approach. But it seems there’s a more effective path to success – having a woman present.

A study has found that a female is an asset in every type of transaction – from buying a new car to investing in stocks and shares.

Researchers said pairs that include at least one woman are more likely to choose a ‘compromise’ option, leading to a more sen- sible outcome with fewer risks. In contrast, all-male pairings are inclined to go for ‘extreme’ choices – too expensive or too cheap, for example – often because they worry that compromise is a feminine trait.

The study, by the Carroll School of Management at Boston College in the US, tested a range of goods – torches, cars, stocks, shares and lottery tickets with different prizes – on nearly 900 volunteers split into pairs. When a woman had to make a purchasing decision with another man or woman, the outcome was more likely to involve a compromise. But two men together would end up at one extreme or the other.

The results, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, concluded men shopping together go for the riskier choices to ‘assert their masculinity’ in front of each other. Assistant professor of marketing Hristina Nikolova said: ‘When men are in the presence of other men, they feel the need to prove their masculinity. Both tend to push away from the compromise option because [it] is consistent with feminine norms.’

The authors found that mixed and female pairs go for the middle option because it seems ‘reasonable’.