Metrosexuals Are a Rare Species: Shopzilla Survey Reveals Men Need Grooming Guidance.

LOS ANGELES -- Metrosexuals are still more myth than reality, according to a BizRate Research study of 1,301 online buyers conducted for leading comparison shopping search site Shopzilla (www.shopzilla.com). A mere 9% of the men surveyed said their bathrooms are stocked with "the works" (everything from tweezers to eye cream), while most men (50%) said they just have the bare essentials - soap, shampoo, and a razor - in their bathroom.

Word Spy defines the term "metrosexual," (met.roh.SEK.shoo.ul) n., as an urban male with a strong aesthetic sense who spends a great deal of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle, a la James Bond, Brad Pitt, Jude Law and Richard Gere - but it takes work to achieve those stylish looks. What's happened to the real life dapper men?

Men Don't Like Change

Since the frequent use of the term "metrosexual" began in 2003, the number and variety of male grooming products has greatly increased. However, more than half (53%) of the men surveyed said they do not pay attention to products marketed to them and simply stick to what they know already. A majority (65%) of the men say they buy name brand grooming products, while 33% buy whatever is on sale at their local grocery store, drug store or mass retailer.

"Men want to look and feel attractive, but the average guy is just not as proactive as the average gal when it comes to researching and buying skin care products. Most men get set in their ways when it comes to a grooming routine," said Helen Malani, Shopzilla's chief shopping expert. "A quick search on Shopzilla for men's grooming products can be the beginning to bringing out the 'inner Bond' in any man."

Hair We Go

By far, the most popular grooming product is shampoo, with 89% of the men surveyed purchasing this product. More than half (58%) of the men surveyed described the process of styling their hair as "wash and go," compared to only (31%) of the women surveyed. One-fifth (19%) of men use hair gel or mousse when doing their hair.

Men Don't Want To Get Caught!

Mass retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target are the most popular places to purchase grooming products (65%), followed by drug stores and grocery stores. Men are more likely to do their shopping for grooming products from their local grocery store (47% of men compared to 41% of women). While male respondents in the survey said they'd be open to the idea of receiving grooming products as a gift, the numbers indicate that they are not likely to purchase these products themselves. Women agree, since 92% of women who buy men's grooming products buy them for their husbands or boyfriends.

Of the men buying grooming products, 64% spend less than $25 a month on their purchases. While only 10% of the men surveyed would shop online for grooming products, they are twice as likely to do so compared to women to avoid being seen browsing in public.

So is there still hope for wives, girlfriends or significant others who desire a fresher smelling, less hairy and overall more coifed man in their lives?

"Yes!" said Mya Walters, 30, marketing specialist. "Once my boyfriend saw how people at work were noticing him more after shaving, using a nice cologne and wearing a crisp dress shirt, he started adding new elements to his regimen like matching socks!"

About The Study:

The study, conducted by BizRate.com, a division of Shopzilla, Inc., was based on a point-of-sale survey of 1,301 online buyers from March 27 - 29, 2006.

About Shopzilla, Inc.:

Shopzilla, formerly BizRate.com, is the most powerful and easiest-to-use shopping search site on the Web. With an index of more than 30 million products from more than 67,000 stores, Shopzilla uses ShopRank, a proprietary patent-pending algorithm, to help shoppers instantly find virtually anything on sale from anyone, anywhere on the Web at the best price. Shopzilla also features powerful comparison tools and BizRate consumer reviews of stores and products, the Web's largest and most trusted consumer feedback network. Every week Shopzilla prepares millions of shoppers to make smarter, more confident purchases and sends them directly to the checkout page of thousands of online merchants. Shopzilla also operates the BizRate consumer feedback network which collects approximately 1 million fresh reviews per month. Shopzilla powers shopping search for many of the Web's largest consumer sites including AOL, Lycos, Time Warner's RoadRunner, and many others. Founded in 1996, the Los Angeles-based company also operates sites in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Shopzilla is owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP - News), a diverse media concern with interests in national television networks, newspaper publishing, broadcast television stations, TV retailing and licensing and syndication. For more information, visit www.shopzilla.com, the smarter way to shop.

5 TIPS FOR BASIC MANSCAPING

1) Shave WITH the grain to avoid ingrown hairs.
2) Don't be afraid to wax parts of your body for hair removal. In this
case, wax AGAINST the grain.
3) Shave in the shower. The steam helps your pores to open, allowing
for a cleaner shave.
4) Exfoliate. It gets rid of dead skin cells, which cause acne and
ingrown hairs.
5) If you cut yourself shaving, use a styptic pencil to stop blood
flow.

                   SHOPZILLA GROOMING TOOLS FOR MEN

Men's Hair Care for under $10:  http://www.shopzilla.com/8B--Hair_Care
__Men_-_att256143--266316-__cat_id--90

Shaving Travel Accessories for under $40:  http://www.shopzilla.com/8B
--Travel_Accessories___40_-_att259818--34400-5923__cat_id--10010800__
keyword--shave

Shaving Accessories from $1.79 to $342:  http://www.shopzilla.com/7S--
Shaving_Appliances__Men_-_att256143--266316-__cat_id--22010__keyword--
shave__show--80__sort--7

(Due to their lengths, these URLs may need to be copied/pasted into
your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra spaces if any
exist.)