When someone thinks of hats, they usually think of a specific type of hat because most of us associate the term “hat” with something specific like the stereotypical “man in a cowboy hat” or an athlete in a baseball cap.
However, as you know, hats come in all shapes, sizes and colors and are worn for a variety of reasons.
Some hats are meant for men, while others are meant for women. Some hats are designed for athletes, while others are designed for fashion-conscious individuals. Some people might wear a fedora to a formal event, while others might wear a beanie to stay warm in the winter.
Hats are a very versatile accessory that can be worn by anyone, regardless of gender or age.
So how do we begin to understand the target market for hats?
In this article, we’ll analyze this market by reviewing the types of hats that most consumers buy and understanding their motivations in selecting one type of hat over another.
Different Types of Hats
While no list of hats can ever be complete, if we are to understand the target market for hats, we need to at least make a list of the most common types of hats that people in the 21st-century purchase.
So here are the most common types of hats on the market today:
- Baseball caps
- Cowboy hats
- Fedoras
- Beanies
- Sun hats
- Winter hats
- Beret
- Panama hat
- Bucket hat
- Breton hat
- Straw Hat
- Hard Hat
And many more …
As you can imagine this list can go on and on. In the Reference section of this article, we’ll leave you with links to more comprehensive lists of hats.
As someone considering entering this market, you will need to decide which of these types of hats you will make or sell. This decision should be based on the primary reasons why people in your target market buy hats. What you want to avoid is to make or sell hats that you like but no one in your target market does.
So why do people buy hats? Let’s cover that next.
Understanding the Target Market for Hats: Why do people buy hats?
Each type of hat appeals to a different segment of the target market. For example, baseball caps are typically worn by athletes or people who want to support their favorite team. Cowboy hats, on the other hand, are typically worn by people who live in rural areas or people who want to have a specific fashion style.
And then there are hats like fedoras and beanies which can be worn by anyone, regardless of their occupation or location.
To complicate matters, the same consumer will wear different hats for different reasons or for different occasions. So when we segment that target market for hats based on the motivation behind the purchase of a hat, bear in mind that a single individual can be categorized into more than one segment.
So here are the 7 main reasons why someone buys a hat:
- To protect themselves from the sun
- To keep their head warm
- To protect themselves from the rain
- To make a fashion statement
- To support their favorite team or player
- To show their allegiance to a particular lifestyle or subculture
- To hide their hair or baldness
This is market segmentation based on purchase intent. Let’s look closely at each of these segments.
1. To protect themselves from the sun
One of the most common reasons people by a hat is to protect themselves from the sun. This is especially true for people who spend a lot of time outdoors such as golfers, tennis players, fishermen, and hikers.
SPF hats are designed to keep the sun off your face and neck and can be very effective in preventing sunburns.
Parents buy hats for their small children for the same reason. Children have more sensitive skins than do adults and need extra protection not just with a sun hat but sometimes also with long-sleeved shirts, long pants, sunglasses and sunblock.
In this respect, there is an overlap between the target market for hats and the target market for sunglasses.
2. To keep their head warm
Another common reason why people buy hats is to keep their heads warm. This is especially true of people who live in cold climates or who spend a lot of time outdoors in the winter where temperatures can dip below freezing and the wind chill can make it feel even colder.
Beanies and toboggans are two types of hats that are commonly worn for this purpose.
People who live in colder climates such as Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia and Russia often wear fur-lined hats to keep their heads warm. And people who participate in winter sports such as skiing or snowboarding also buy hats to keep their heads warm while they are on the slopes.
3. To protect themselves from the rain
People who live in rainy climates such as the Pacific Northwest or parts of Asia, or those who spend a lot of time outdoors in the rain such as hikers, also buy hats to protect themselves from the rain.
Rain hats are made with waterproof materials such as Gore-Tex and are designed to keep your head dry even when it is raining heavily.
Bucket hats and fedoras are two types of hats that are commonly worn for this purpose.
4. To make a fashion statement
Many people wear hats as a way to make a fashion statement. Hats can be a great way to express your personal style and can be used to add a finishing touch to your outfit.
Fedoras, for example, are often worn by people who want to project an image of sophistication and class.
Cowboy hats can make a fashion statement about being rugged and outdoorsy. And beanies can make a fashion statement about being hip and cool.
Some women will wear a wide-brimmed hat to look chic and elegant while, at the same time, protecting themselves from the sun.
In recent years, even baseball caps have been used as a fashion accessory to state a certain lifestyle or affiliation.
5. To support their favorite team or player
Branded hats are a common way to show support for the brand. The brand could be a favorite sports team or a sportsperson. It could also be a company, a product or a club.
For example, baseball hats are a common way to show support for a favorite team or player.
Many people buy baseball caps with the logos of their favorite sports teams such as the Yankees, Red Sox, Lakers or Cowboys. And many people also buy branded hats with the logos of their favorite companies such as Nike, Adidas or Apple.
6. To show their allegiance to a particular lifestyle or subculture
The hat can sometimes be a statement. Either a statement of conformance or a statement of non-conformance.
In some cases, the hat is a way to show that you are part of a particular group or subculture. For example, people who wear trucker hats may want to be seen as being part of the “trucker” subculture.
People who wear fedoras may want to be seen as being part of the “hipster” subculture.
People who wear cowboy hats may want to be seen as being part of the “cowboy” or “western” subculture.
In other cases, the hat is a way to show the reverse – that you are not part of a particular group or subculture. For example, some people will wear beanies as a sign of being non-conformists.
7. To hide their hair or baldness
Some people wear hats to cover or hide their hair. This could be because they are having a bad hair day or because they want to protect their hair from the sun.
Other people wear hats to cover their baldness. Hats such as baseball caps and beanies are common for this purpose.
Summary
The target market for hats is difficult to define because it includes almost everyone. At some point in their life, everyone’s had a need for a hat. At the same time, the market is complex to segment because a single individual can easily fit into multiple segments as he or she could buy different hats for different reasons or different occasions.
In this article, we’ve classified the target market for hats based on the reason why people buy a hat.
We saw that there are a variety of reasons why people buy hats, depending on the climate, their personal style, and even their favorite team or player. Often, they buy hats to make a fashion statement or show support for a particular group or subculture. Others might wear hats to protect themselves from the sun or the rain or hide their hair or baldness.
Ultimately, if you decide to enter the hat business you will need to survey your target market and decide which segments of the market you will serve. Understand their needs and especially understand their motivation for purchasing certain types of hats.
