Universal Access to Shopping: Apparel Acquisition Preferences for the Working Woman with Physical Disabilities

Abstract

Consumers with physical disabilities often find the acquisition of suitable ready-towear apparel to be problematic and in some cases impossible. The number of female consumers with physical disabilities who are employed is expanding and these consumers need access to affordable, functional and attractive apparel. In spite of multichannel retailing being available, consumers with disabilities tend to prefer to shop in traditional brick and mortar stores. However, significant problems exist in finding the right product, accessing stores and fitting rooms, and finding personnel who are willing to listen and/or have some knowledge of disability. The current qualitative study involving a sample of working women with a variety of physical limitations (n=9) supports the evidence that the shopping preference of consumers with disabilities is the brick and mortar store. Their reasons for this preference included being able to see and touch the fabric, and getting a feel for how the garment looks on the body before making the purchase decision. In addition, price points were examined to see exactly how much money consumers with disabilities were willing to pay for an apparel product (jacket). This study has implications for retailers and apparel manufacturers who wish to address the diverse shopping needs of this often neglected segment of consumers.