Interesting piece in Sunday's New York Times.  As women gain more of share of household income and control major spending decisions, retailers are beginning to take notice and cater to them with unique services and offerings. 

According to the article, " Retailers like Home Depot, Lowe’s, Sears, Best Buy and others recognize that women are running their households like purchasing managers. Some are “identifying stores that have more female shoppers and offering additional services,” including sales support, customized signs and special product displays, said Dana L. Telsey, who runs her own independent research firm. Travel companies, automakers, and other companies, meanwhile, have had to cater to the tastes of women who have careers outside the home and are pursuing hobbies and other pricey interests. The phenomenon is readily apparent on the Internet, where Web sites built around the needs and interests of such groups as female homeowners and car buyers have gained steady traction."

Even online retailers are beginning to take a new approach when it comes to marketing to both male and female shoppers.   "For its part, Best Buy is more than willing to show them the way. Online, Best Buy has added “click to call,” so that a shopper can ask a representative to call her back at a time she requests to help with buying decisions. In the stores, it has made the aisles cleaner and wider and added shopping bags as an alternative to carts."