Women are becoming more deliberate about the technology they bring into their homes – prioritising products that solve practical, recurring problems rather than simply adding more technology for technology’s sake, according to new research from Solenco.
Comparing data from the lifestyle technology company’s direct online store year-on-year, order volumes from women increased by 20% compared with 9% for men. Female spend rose 14%, while male spend was virtually unchanged at 1%.
The shift is significant because it points to more than an increase in spending. It suggests women are increasingly treating home technology as an investment in how their homes function – with greater consideration given to products that support comfort, air quality, energy use, and the everyday demands of running a household.
The pattern comes as Discovery Bank and Visa’s SpendTrend26 report points to a more measured, value-conscious South African consumer. Households are planning purchases more carefully – comparing prices, using rewards, and budgeting more deliberately.
That more considered approach to spending is also extending into health and wellbeing.
SpendTrend26 found that 58% of surveyed South Africans buy supplements or vitamins as part of their wellness routines, while 54% spend on fitness. Across its health and wellness categories, most consumers reported spending the same or more than a year earlier.
Bianca Leonard, brand manager at Solenco, says the significance lies in what women are choosing for the home, particularly as broader health and wellness spending trends increasingly align with technology that supports healthier living environments.
“Women are showing us that technology has to earn its place,” Leonard says. “The strongest purchases solve recurring problems around air quality, comfort, energy use, and the everyday demands of running a home. A long list of smart features means very little if the product does not make daily life easier.”
The purchasing data supports this.
Women consistently allocated 15% to 18% of their spend to air purifiers, compared with around 10% for men. Around 16% of female spend also went to replacement filters and consumables, suggesting that the investment extends beyond the initial purchase and into maintaining the product over time.
Winter comfort showed another shift. Heaters increased from 4% to 10% of women’s spend year-on-year, while humidifiers entered their leading categories for the first time.
Together, these purchasing patterns point towards a broader shift in how women may be approaching technology for the home: not as disposable upgrades, but as considered purchases that need to provide a tangible benefit over time.
It’s a behaviour that fits with the emerging idea of “slow tech,” inspired by the slow fashion movement and centred on buying fewer, better-made devices that remain useful for longer.
“For many women, Intentional buying starts with asking what problem you are trying to solve and how long you expect the product to keep solving it,” Leonard says. “Energy efficiency, warranty length, access to replacement parts, and local technical support all influence whether something represents good value over time.”