VIP's Online Shopping: Seeking Ordinariness

Today we will discuss a research article titled “I Bought This for Me to Look More Ordinary”: A Study of Blind People Doing Online Shopping, which conducted a study to get a broader understanding of how Visually Impaired People (VIP) - specifically blind people conduct online shopping. While online shopping offers a significant advantage to VIP by eliminating the need for physical navigation, the study reveals that accessibility is just one part of the equation. The researchers emphasize that the desire to appear "ordinary" significantly influences the shopping practices of blind individuals.

The Desire for Ordinariness

The study involved in-depth interviews with twenty blind individuals in China, ranging from 17 to 48 years old. A key finding was that these individuals are highly concerned about the visual appearance of products, even though they themselves cannot see them. The reason behind this behavior is the desire to blend into society and not be treated differently. For example, participants reported carefully selecting clothing and accessories that would help them appear "normal" in social settings. One participant mentioned choosing aviator sunglasses over dark ones because dark sunglasses are often associated with blindness, making them feel labeled.

Challenges in Online Shopping

Despite the convenience of online shopping, VIP face several challenges. A major issue is that most shopping platforms rely heavily on images to convey product information. Without proper textual descriptions, blind shoppers struggle to make informed decisions. Additionally, product descriptions can sometimes be misleading. One participant shared an experience where he selected a bedsheet labeled “Big White,” expecting it to be plain white, only to later discover it had purple strips.

Another challenge is determining whether a product suits them personally. While sighted individuals can quickly assess if an outfit complements their complexion or body shape, VIP have to rely on second-hand information from product descriptions or customer reviews. Some participants developed strategies to overcome this, such as checking customer reviews from people of similar age and body type. Others relied on social assistance from friends or family members to help them select appropriate products.

Shopping with Social Assistance

The study found that while VIP strive for independence, they still frequently seek assistance when making purchase decisions. Friends, family, or colleagues play a crucial role in helping them select visually appropriate items. Participants preferred asking for help from people they trust and who understand their preferences. However, depending on social assistance has its downsides. For instance, delays in response from friends or family could result in frustration, and conflicting opinions from different people could lead to confusion.

Learning About Visual Effects

To make informed shopping decisions, blind individuals actively engage in learning about visual aesthetics. Many participants paid attention to how sighted people described fashion trends in books, conversations, or social settings. Some even listened to remarks made by others about fashion choices to better understand what is considered visually appealing. This highlights the effort blind individuals put into ensuring that their shopping choices align with societal expectations.

Design Implications

Based on the study’s findings, the researchers suggest several design improvements for e-commerce platforms:

1. Leveraging Customer Reviews from Similar Profiles: Shopping platforms should allow users to filter reviews based on age, body type, and other relevant attributes to help visually impaired shoppers make better choices.

2. Providing More Social Contextual Information: Instead of just describing a product, platforms should also provide information on fashion trends and how products fit into social settings.

3. AI for Shopping Assistance: AI-driven virtual assistants could help blind shoppers make more informed decisions by providing detailed product descriptions and recommendations tailored to their preferences.

Conclusion

The study sheds light on an often-overlooked aspect of online shopping for VIP—their desire to be perceived as ordinary. While accessibility remains an important factor, understanding the social and psychological motivations behind their shopping behaviors is crucial in designing inclusive online shopping experiences. By implementing the suggested design improvements, e-commerce platforms can make online shopping a more seamless and empowering experience for blind individuals.

However, while the research offers valuable findings, it focuses primarily on a Chinese demographic. A cross-cultural comparison could provide additional insights into whether these challenges are universal or influenced by societal norms in different regions. Furthermore, the study primarily addresses fashion-related purchases, and it would be interesting to see if the same issues apply to other product categories such as electronics or home decor.

Reference

Liu, G., Ding, X., Yu, C., Gao, L., Chi, X. and Shi, Y., 2019, May. " I Bought This for Me to Look More Ordinary" A Study of Blind People Doing Online Shopping. In Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-11).