Talk is Cheap: On the Usability Advice Salespeople offer to Older Consumers

Abstract

When older consumers approach a salesperson with questions about product usability, what advice are they likely to receive? To find out, we interviewed salespeople selling four types of products – cell phones, dryers, recliners, and jewelry. Our 63 participants were more likely to recommend specific features rather than specific products, and they were more likely to focus on mobility rather than cognitive or sensory issues. However, when directly asked to make suggestions for a person who had sensory or cognitive concerns, the salespeople were generally able to do so. We found no evidence that the type of store, the salesperson's gender, or the salesperson's age predicted the amount of usability information they could provide. However, we did learn that the people who provided the most suggestions generally reported coming up with their advice through direct interaction with older adults rather than from reading product literature or from personal product use.