one are the days when it was �socially incorrect� for women to give her opinion about household purchases. She was to dutifully put to use what the man of the house bought, especially when the item in question was an expensive durable. Times have changed, and pleasantly so. Lowe�s study reveals that women too are a significant part of the decision-making process when it comes to household utility purchases. The extent of influence varies, of course, depending on the use of the product.

Women take the call where comparatively low-ticket items such as hair dryers, cookers, water filters and sewing machines are concerned. Men have the last say on items such as two-wheelers, mobile phones and computers. However, a joint decision, where both partners have a say, is taken for the purchase of big-ticket, family-use items such as cars, refrigerators, air conditioners and television sets. Speaking broadly then, the more expensive the purchase, the more the skew towards a joint decision.... more