Lifestyles

Women Smokers' Group Release Survey Facts

Austin, TX (August 25, 2008) - The Association for Women Cigar Smokers and Cigar Research have recently completed their first annual survey of women cigar smokers. The survey was given separately to men and women and the results compared to determine if there were significant differences between the genders. The survey also revealed data regarding the buying and smoking habits of women.

A majority of women respondents indicated that they smoke at a rate of once a week. 67.5% of women spend between $100 and $1000 dollars a year on cigars. Heather Haddad, founder of The Association for Women Cigar Smokers, comments, "This data is very exciting to female cigar smokers because it demonstrates in a tangible way that women are an important demographic. It's our goal to continue to determine the size and scope of this market so that industry will begin to create products with women in mind."

A significant difference between the sexes was discovered in their feelings while smoking cigars. While women responded that they feel powerful (24%), attractive (25%), strong (15%), fun (43%), and rebellious (22%), men, when asked the same question, responded in much lower numbers. Instead, men felt peaceful when smoking cigars (97%), a sentiment that was shared by 76% of women. Women also indicated that their primary motivation for cigar smoking was because they liked the taste of the tobacco.

The Association of Women Cigar Smokers is a professional organization for women in the cigar industry. The full results of this survey are available to its members. Cigar Research is owned by Colin C. Ganley and can be found at www.cigarresearch.com
 
The survey results are explicated below.
Women Cigar Smokers Survey

In mid-2008 a survey was conducted to gain a better understanding of female cigar consumers. This survey was created and conducted in collaboration between Cigar Research (www.cigarresearch.com) and The Association for Women Cigar Smokers (www.womencigarsmokers.com).

What follows are some major findings from the survey. Demographics and methods are briefly explained at the end of this document. For further information, you can contact either collaborator.

Quantity and Spending

The habits of female cigar smokers has long been hazy. While numbers relating to the size of this consumer group are yet unknown, some information was gathered about women cigar smokers. The average female respondent smoke 3-5 cigars per month. This is equal to about one cigar per week. While it seems clear that women smoke fewer cigars than their male counterparts, some 13% smoke one cigar per day and 7% smoke two per day.

Expenditures appeared to be in line with the above consumption pattern. The average woman (43%) spent between $101 and $500 per year on cigars. 24% of women spend between $501 and $1,000 on cigars per year.

Why Women Buy?

In a question designed to find out what most influences women's cigar buying habits, 'personal experience with a brand' was found to be most powerful. Some 82% of women respondents stated their buying was most influenced by personal experience with the brand. Surprisingly unimportant in respondents' perceptions were label and box designs. Women described themselves as indifferent to box design (73%) and label design (55%).

How Does Cigar Smoking Make Me Feel?

In this survey, women were asked how they feel when smoking cigars. The survey indicated that women's feelings about themselves were very different from those of men while smoking cigars. Women responded that they feel powerful (24%), attractive (25%), strong (15%), fun (43%), and rebellious (22%) when cigar smoking. Men, when asked the same question, responded in much lower numbers. Instead, men felt peaceful when smoking cigars (97%), a sentiment that was shared by 76% of women

Where Women Buy Cigars?

When asked where a respondent was most likely to buy cigars, both men and women responded largely 'online.' Following that answer, women chose a store in which they felt 'comfortable' for their purchasing. Other factors such as proximity, lounges, selection, alcoholic beverage service, and events were much less likely to entice them to buy cigars.

Refuting Stereotypes

When a woman enters a cigar shop, she is often treated as an amateur. Are women cigar-amateurs? The results of this survey suggest not. Not only did women of all ages respond to the survey but many had decades of cigar experience. When asked what their motivations for cigar smoking were, 59% of women said that their motivation was that they like the taste of cigars.

This response suggests that respondents are true passionados and not motivated solely by image. Women are smoking a lot of cigars, spending money on cigars, reading cigar magazines and should not be overlooked.

Demographic Information for Female Respondents

Age: The range was 18 to 87. The median was 39. The mean was 40. The modes were 43 and 45.

Geographical representation: All regions of the United States were represented.

Years of cigar experience: The range was 6 months to 78 years. The median was 3 years. The mean was 6.3 years. The mode was 1 year.

Method

The survey was conducted online with a sample size of 100 (male) and 83 (female). Results were anonymous.

For more information about this survey, please visit www.womencigarsmokers.com and www.cigarresearch.com.