Consumer Behavior, Regulatory Focus and the Disability Market

What do consumer behavior, regulatory focus and the market for people with disabilities have in common?

Consumer behavior is the study of how people evaluate, purchase, and use products. It informs essential marketing strategies and tactics.

Regulatory focus is an established theory of consumer behavior articulated by E. Tory Higgins and backed up by extensive empirical evidence. Under this theory, a purchase decision is made for one of two reasons: (1) to enjoy the benefits of the product, or (2) to minimize risk. A corollary of this theory is that the product experience can be hedonic or utilitarian. Almost any consumer purchase decision can be framed within regulatory focus theory, and can guide the future design, technology, and features of a product or service.

Where does the disability market fit into all this? In the whole picture of marketing, consumer behavior and regulatory focus are essential to marketing strategy, supported by evidence that these theories and concepts work. They inform what markets to target, what products to develop, what prices to set, and what messages to send to consumers. Given that people with disabilities are about 15%-20% of the market - depending on which measurements are cited - understanding what these people want can add substantial value to any company’s strategy by matching products and service with the wants and needs of consumers with disabilities.