Perceived Accessibility Service Failures Online: Examining Their Effect on Avoidance Behaviors for Disabled Consumers and Their Social Networks

This three-part study examines how online accessibility-related service failures adversely impact a retailer through avoidance behaviors by directly offended disabled consumers (30 million Americans), their proximal network learning of the service failure by direct word of mouth, and distal networks learning of incidents through indirect online communication e.g. blogs and reviews. A preliminary test sheds light on the widespread issue of inaccessible websites by rating the top 100 retailers and Fortune 500 companies on accessibility conformance using accepted standards for accessible site design. Using high and low effort online service failure conditions to elicit feelings of disconfirmed expectations of “normalcy” and “welcome” , study one examines how these failures result in varying levels of avoidance behaviors which are mediated by the emotions of anger and frustration. In addition, we analyze how these avoidance behaviors are moderated by prior expectations, feelings of helplessness, living alone, and prior patronage. For study two, the disabled participants from study one email the survey to non-disabled people in their proximal networks such as family, friends, and coworkers. After learning about the service failure directly from a disabled person they know, we propose the relationship to the disabled consumer leads to higher levels of empathy resulting in greater levels of avoidance behavior toward the retailer. In study three random participants are asked to read different examples of a disabled consumer’s service failure experience. We predict the levels of empathy change resulting in subsequent levels of avoidance behaviors based upon the strength or absence of a relationship with a disabled person. Extensions of Assimilation-contrast, attribution, and intergroup contact theories are presented to better understand potential outcomes of the studies. Finally, we discuss current disability legislation along with societal and economic impact of online accessibility issues.

Committee Members Committee Chair - Rolph Anderson, PhD Royal H. Gibson, Sr. Professor of Marketing Drexel University Daniel Korschun, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Marketing Drexel University Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D. Professor and Founding Director Center for Hospitality and Sport Management, Drexel University Kristen Betts, Ed.D, Clinical Professor School of Education Drexel University Joseph Lema, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies Richard Stockton Univeristy of New jersey