Next time you hit the grocery store; don’t be surprised if you find a new section you’ve never seen before, the “man aisle.” The man aisle puts all men's products in one place, because if a guy has to hunt for an item, he just won’t. So the man aisle is basically a one-stop shop stocked with everything a man could need, from deodorant to razors and skin-care products, to bottled water in “manly flavors,” to dinner ingredients all displayed together, so a guy can see it and think, “He, I could make that for dinner tonight!”

So, why are stores like Wal-Mart, Target, and Walgreens installing man aisles, complete with video screens showing product ads and cooking demos? Because more men than ever are doing the family grocery shopping. A generation ago, only 14% of men were the primary grocery shopper. Today, it’s 51%, and rising. One of the main reasons: Because during the recession, a larger percentage of men lost their jobs, leaving many wives as the family breadwinner, and turning plenty of men into stay-at-home dads. 

And stores have discovered that men shop differently than women. They’re not in as much of a hurry, they don’t shop from a list, and they don’t know the layout of the store like the back of their hand, and that means man are more susceptible to impulse purchases. Men are also less likely to ask for help finding an item, no surprise there, so putting everything a man could need, and a bunch of stuff they DON’T need, but might buy anyway, all in one place, works like a charm. 

So guys, what do you think? Are “man aisles” a good thing, or just another marketing gimmick? Weigh in on facebook.com/JohnTesh.