Although women are more likely to experience problems, the issue can be more detrimental to retailers' business when male shoppers are involved. Men are nearly 20% less likely to recommend a store where they experienced problems than women.

When it comes to purchases for the home, women are the undisputed decision-makers. Women contribute $4 trillion dollars annually to U.S. retail spending, and with the National Retail Federation recently reporting that the average consumer spent 3.5% less this Black Friday as compared to last year (see story), retailers need to cater to the needs of women more than ever.

"In a year in which retailers need to work extra hard to attract customers, it's clear that delivering a great shopping experience is going to mean short term sales and long term benefits for the retailer in the form of loyalty and positive word-of-mouth," said Delia Passi, Founder of consulting company WomenCertified. Passi, author of Winning the Toughest Customer: The Essential Guide to Selling to Women, is the nation's leading authority on selling to women.

In a recent survey, WomenCertified asked female consumers a series of questions about how they cope with the retail environment. The results show that high quality service and stress-free shopping is essential in achieving shopper satisfaction.

"The women we talked to reinforced their need for a sales environment in which they could easily find what they needed and could get the help they were looking for," explained Passi. "Sometimes something as simple as ensuring there are clean bathroom facilities or making eye contact while conversing with the shopper can make the difference between a positive sales experience and one that has women promising never to return to the store."

In study published by Jay H. Baker Retail Initiative at the Wharton School titled "Men Buy, Women Shop", found that successfully selling to women will lead to exceeding the expectations of men, highlighting the need to fulfill the higher order shopping desires of women. The study also notes the primary challenge women have with retailers is the lack of customer service.

Passi says that retailers often come up short in selling to women. "This study demonstrates the need for sales representatives to provide more positive shopping experiences for the female consumer."

Some of the most relevant areas of opportunity for retailers noted by Ms. Passi are:

-- Spend time simply helping the shopper and responding to her needs. Problems are easily mitigated by a sales representative having patience and interest in the shopper.

-- If sales associates make women feel like they've had a great experience in the store, females are far more likely to remain loyal to that store in the future.

-- If a sales associate attempts to be genuine and empathetic towards a female shopper, that shopper will be highly appreciative and more than likely return to the store.

"Men and women generally want the same things when shopping, but on the whole women want more. Women are looking for high quality experiences at multiple touch points, versus men who are more task-oriented. Recognizing these different shopping mindsets is why WomenCertified believes women should feel empowered and demand more positive shopping experiences from their local retailers," concluded Ms. Passi.