I know. You are all sick of hearing how wonderful Apple is, but bear with me. Randall Stross wrote a great piece in yesterday's New York Times and I want to emphasize a few of his points, especially from the marketing perspective.

First - Just read the title of the article for a big clue: "Apple's Lesson for Sony's Stores: Just Connect." If there was a single word to represent the way a woman thinks, communicates and buys, "connection" is that word.

Second - To quote Stross: "Mr. Jobs understood, however, that his stores would sell not merely products but also gratification." (In that, the buyer can take the product home - and doesn't have to have it UPSd home as would be the case with a Gateway store purchase).

Third - With regard to the Apple store's "Genius Bar," what other brand would think/commit to dedicating more than half of its retail staff to post-sales service?

Fourth - Sony's stores were conceived, according to Dennis Syracuse, the vice president for Sony Retail, as a "'fashion boutique for women and children that incidentally happened to carry electronics instead of clothing."

The first three of the above are details of a retail customer experience that happen to serve women and men very well - but women may be more likely to notice. Also, women may be more "multi-sensory" in general, but give the opportunity to "see, touch, take-home" to anyone and watch them buy. Finally, women aren't the only ones who appreciate a customer service relationship (Genius Bar) over a single transaction (buy the computer, and then good luck with follow-up questions).

As for point #4: Uh... this seems to be a mistake that consumer electronics/tech brands frequently make. They assume that they can take whatever product and sell it "like fashion" (which could mean a lot of different things), and all women everywhere will be compelled to buy. Aren't women's lives mainly about fashion shopping, after all? (sigh)

Rather, the better idea is to be inspired and guided by the women you serve (some of whom love shopping for fun, and others, who'd rather avoid the whole thing for as long as possible). Find out which elements of the apparel/fashion purchase experience are most-loved by your unique women's market. (Perhaps: lots of space for moving around, simpler displays, and customer service when/how you want it.) Apply those insights to your industry in a way that makes sense: the way Apple has done.

I'm not saying that Apple did a lot of women's market-specific research. (I have no idea if they did or not.) Instead, I'm saying that they did their homework and everything they do seems to emotionally resonate with core customers - male and female/whether they realize they want an emotional connection or not - who then LOVE it so much they talk and talk and talk....