“What’s in your purse?”
That’s the question we posed to over 1,000 women in a survey just this week. Their photos and answers afforded a direct look into the brands women use most frequently. Virtually every woman, 98%, reported at least one brand name, packaged good in her purse.
Of course, this revelation begs another question: What CPG brands do women most commonly carry in their handbags?
It’s a question with implications for many companies and their bottom lines.
The Great Unknown: Inside Women’s Purses
Field Agent asked 1,028 women to inventory the contents of their purses, looking specifically for name brand, packaged goods. As the photos suggest, we asked participants to take pictures of the outside, inside, and contents of their purses.
According to the inventory, the majority of women (61%) carry between 1-5 name brand, packaged goods in their purses, while another 30% carry 6-10. Only a meager 6% found more than 10 CPG brands in their bag. Notably, we did not include store brands in the inventory.
As you're about to see, a wide range of products were frequently mentioned by women, from chewing gum to cosmetics, feminine hygiene to writing utensils.
Below are the Top 50 CPG brands women carry in their purses.
See Also: "Impulse Goods in the Omnichannel Age" [Free Report]
Several things stand-out in the list above:
- Perhaps unsurprisingly, cosmetics are a mainstay of women's purses. In all, brands like CoverGirl, Maybelline, and Revlon accounted for 15 brands and 678 mentions in the Top 50 alone.
- Hey, how about that dynamic duo of Bath & Body Works and Victoria's Secret? Together, the two retailers were mentioned 300 times. Long live the mall!
- Not counting retailer-specific brands like Bath & Body Works, name brand lip-balms received 433 mentions within the Top 50. It appears brands like ChapStick and Burt's Bees are rarely out of reach for many women.
- Encompassing 7 brands and 353 mentions total, gum and mints were also well-represented in the Top 50. Gotta keep that breath fresh, after all.
In general, the list above is a testament to the impulse purchase. Many goods in the Top 50, including lip balm, chewing gum, writing utensils, tissue, and OTC medications, are often bought on-impulse, that is, without prior planning.
But as more shopping moves online, what does the future look like for impulse goods? Our free report, "Impulse Goods in the Omnichannel Age," considers this very question.
Retail Solutions for Any Challenge
Free Report: Impulse Goods Today
Based on studies with more than 3,000 shoppers, Field Agent's free report, "Impulse Goods in the Omnichannel Age," explores the challenges and opportunities of selling impulse goods to digital shoppers. The report addresses questions like:
- How common are impulse purchases among shoppers who buy groceries and household consumables online?
- How do the impulse purchases of traditional impulse goods differ from stores to online?
- Why don’t shoppers buy impulse goods online?
