The Retail Shopping Experience for Low-Literate Consumers

With the lack of research on low-literate consumer shopping behavior in retail settings, retailing decisions are likely to be based on implicit assumptions about literate consumer behavior. In turn, this leads to a lack of understanding of how low-literate consumers can be empowered in the retail environment. A series of interviews and observations offer qualitative insights about the challenges that low-literate consumers face when shopping in retail settings and the coping
strategies they employ. These insights are used to develop a theoretical interpretation of low-literate consumer behavior in the retail setting, covering aspects such as environmental effects, self-esteem maintenance and avoidance behaviors. Implications for retailers and consumer research are discussed.