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Disability Survey

 

 

                   June 15, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

Dear respondents,

    My name is EMILY Goh Yee Ming (egym83@gmail.com ), a distance-learning student of Bulacan State University, Phillipines.  I am currently pursuing my PhD supervised by Dr Ian Mackechnie, who may be contacted for verification purposes at the email ianmmac2004@yahoo.com.au .  My research thesis is entitled ‘Investigating Online Shopping Attributes for the Disabled’. 

    I, myself, am also disabled and I believe as time passes, age and circumstances may catch up to cause many previously abled people to fall into this category as well.  For example, the need to use a cane or walking frame for support falls into my category of a ‘disability’.  Therefore, recognizing the importance of this group, my research is aimed at benefitting this particular category of individuals that have received less attention all this while. 

I would truly appreciate your kind and generous assistance in aiding by answering my survey.  I understand that not everyone has access to a scanner to scan their result so by responding in email as below is also accepted:

Example: A.a: XX department of YY Hospital or A.b: email, China

1.   a

2.   a

3.   c and so forth until question 30

Kindly select which language version of the questionnaire you are more comfortable in answering.

 

My thanks and gratitude to you for sparing some of your time in contributing to my research and expanding knowledge in this field.

    All information and data will be kept strictly confidential and the identity of all participants will be kept strictly anonymous.

 

Sincerely,

Emily

 

A. Mode of survey:

„       a. Physical, Please state location:………………………………………………………

„       b. Online, Please state country and mode of communication (ex: email, Australia):……………………………………………………………………………………..

GENERAL

1. Please classify the type of disability you suffer from.

„       a. Physical (Please specify:……………………………………………………………………….)

„       b. Psychological (Please specify:………………………………………………………………)

2.  Was the disability acquired?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No. (Please proceed to Question 4)

3.  How long has your condition been this way?

„       a. Less than a year

„       b. More than a year, but less than 5

„       c. More than 5 years

 

4. In your opinion, does your disability hinder you from performing daily tasks?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No (Please proceed to Question 6)

5. Does this include shopping for necessities?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No

 

 

 

6.  What type of hindrances do you face when shopping?

„       a. Physical (ie: can’t reach, no transport, can’t get up the stairs, migrane, vertigo)

„       b. Psychological (ie: don’t know what to buy, can’t decide where to go, need the opinion of others in making any purchase, language barrier)

7.  Do you feel more can be done by marketers to cater to the needs of the disabled?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No

8.  Have you heard of online shopping like Groupon, Living Social, Dealmates, Amazon, eBay?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No (proceed to Question 11)

9.  Have you ever performed, or requested someone to make an online purchase for you?

„       a. Yes, on my own.

„       b. Yes, through a family member or friend.

„       c. No, but wouldn’t mind trying.

„       d. No, not interested. Please continue to Question 11.

„       e. No, no access to the internet or credit card. Please continue to Question 11.

10.  Was your purchase satisfying (ie: did it meet your need(s)?)?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No. Please elaborate…………………………………………………………….

 

 

11.  Do you feel internet marketing benefits you, as a disabled?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No

12.  Would you like to be more independent in life?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No (Thank you for your time)

13.  Do you feel the internet can assist you to be more independent?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No. Please elaborate……………………………………………………………………..

14.  Do you have access to a computer or smartphone?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No (Please proceed to Question 17 )

15.  What difficulties do you face when using a computer?

„       a. Hands trembling

„       b. Visual problems

„       c. Language barrier

„       d. Bad back, can’t sit for long.

„       e. Others, please specify:…………………….……………………………………………….

16.  Are you willing to make changes in your daily routine to reduce these difficulties (eg: use the computer for shorter periods to avoid back pain, perhaps use a touch-screen computer to reduce trembling problems when handling a mouse, etc)?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No (Please proceed to Question 20)

 

17.  Are you willing to learn how to use a computer and the internet to be more independent?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No (Please elaborate:…………………………………………………………………………...

18.  If educational classes were provided in teaching you how to use a computer, would you be willing to learn?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No (Please elaborate:……………………………………………………………………………

19.  Would you feel more encouraged if marketers worked together with you in making your internet experience easier for you (eg: they make their sites more user-friendly for the computer illiterate, provide audio and visual instructions online)?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No (Please elaborate:………………………………………………………………………..

20.  Would government commitment in aiding the disabled move towards the internet era further encourage you?

„       a. Yes (Please elaborate:…………………………………………………………………………

„       b. No

 

THRUSTWORTHINESS

21. Does a company’s image play a role in whether you are willing to shop on their website?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No

 

 

22.  Do you feel  a friend’s reference or advertisements can influence your buying habits to purchase online?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No

23. How much does the degree of secure data management affect your chances of making an online purchase?

„       a. Highly likely

„       b. Neutral

„       c. Doesn’t affect me

24.  Does the ability to interact (ie: communicate with the seller) influence your chances of making an online purchase?

„       a. Highly likely

„       b. Neutral

„       c. Doesn’t affect me

 

PAGE CLARITY & SITE ARCHITECTURE

25.  Does a website’s design and appearance influence your chances of making an online purchase?

„       a. Yes

„       b. No

26.  How much does a websites functionality and user-friendliness influence your chances of making a purchase (ie: very user friendly, does not hang, ease of navigating etc)?

„       a. Very much

„       b. Neutral

„       c. Not much

 

MARKETER INFORMATIVENESS

27.  How much does information accuracy about a product influence your purchasing power online?

„       a. Very much

„       b. Neutral

„       c. Not much

28.  Does aesthetic appeal (ie: how beautifully a product is portrayed online) affect your chances of making a purchase?

„       a. Very much

„       b. Neutral

„       c. Not much

 

29.  Does the physical condition of the company influence your chances of making an online purchase (ie: you feel more confident seeing pictures of the actual company you are buying from online?)?

„       a. Very much

„       b. Neutral

„       c. Not at all

30.  How much importance does after sales service

„       a. Very much

„       b. Neutral

„       c. Not much

 

Thank you for your time!!!

Groupon (M) is plain irresponsible

All the company ever does is push the blame to the merchant and try and sweep their wrong under the rug and hope no one finds out.  In the end, I was informed by my so-called merchant that my actual merchant is Groupon and not them! 

My purpose of buying the item has already diminished.  They ruined my christmas, New Year and Graduation!  All this while, I am left to handle my own issue with the 'merchant' who was even left to believe that they were my 'merchant'! 

My tribunal hearing is in a week.  I cannot cancel my proceeding or I will be penalized.  The hell with them all.  If the merchant does not want to pay then they should counter sue Groupon!  Why do I have to solve the crap caused by them. I did not receive what I paid for and all this while I have included groupon in my email loop.  They did nothing to assist me!  I would be a dumb ass to simply close my case!

I want them to bear responsibility!! When will there ever be justice in this crooked country?!! Why does everything that happen make me just hate the place more and more? God help me!!

Results Are Out!

    I did it!  I am currently an MBA graduan till end of the year when there is an official graduation ceremony!

    All the tension of submitting my final paper prior to Chinese New Year in the hope that I can spend the holidays eating cookies and not cracking my head on research for Knowledge Management paid off!  The due date was actually middle of February but I was insane enough to submit it much earlier.

    Checking for my results on a daily basis, eager to know if I passed or failed was streineous.  I tried keeping my mind off of things by watching Korean movies.  Everything has paid off.  Thinking back, the strugglesI had to go through being in excruiciating pain just completing and submitting my first paper and having no one to guide me (I'm a computer idiot) and the tears streaming down my cheeks and the added confidence that made subsequent submissions much easier was part of the benefits of the learning curve.

    Now I am still striving for more.  Doctorate programs are so damn expensive.  Malaysian universities take forever to even respond.  I know my dad has the funds but he would rather watch me die than aid in anything.  I really surrender everything unto God.  I do hope to win the lottery but I don't know what numbers to even buy!  I guess time will tell as life unfolds before my eyes.

My very own carrot raisin bread!!

    My 1st attempt at making carrot raisin bread a success!  All the altering of ingredients in order to try my best to suit the recipe and it still came out tasting good!  Haha I'm so happy.  Only made a one pound loaf in case it came out nasty, it won't be so hard to swallow.  Now mom wants me to bake something for her colleagues. 
    I was looking  at the recipe for banana walnut loaf and I saw ' beaten eggs-2 lg'.  Asked her what does lg stand for and she tell me 'low grade'.  I asked my aunt telling her what my aunt said and saying what idiot would ever eat low grade eggs and she said your mom lo!  She said lg=large =D
    And you wonder why I always wonder if mom brought the wrong baby home. 

Canopy Walk, Then Attacked by a Rhino Beetle

    The year 2011 began, I was ambitious as ever.  Mom's friend who went to Poring weeks before said I would never be able to climb all the way to the top where the canopy walk was.  Yeah, you can say I'm as stubborn as a mule but the more people say I can't make it, the more I wana try.

    It is 835 meters up from the first step up the path.  Doesn't include the walk from the parking lot.  Thst mskes it more than 1670 meters including the 4 canopy bridges we had to pass.  But heck, i made it!!!  Difficult as it is for an MS patient, I trained prior to the trip.  Cycled, walked on a treadmill, I did my share of personal training to ensure that I can make it to the top. And so I did!

    It was only on the way back, after lunch that I was attacked by that giant beetle.  I've always suffered from severe pins and needles so I thought the prickling was normal.  That was until the sucker sank all its claws in my right leg and I looked down to my horror.  It was gigantic, the size of my palm!  I freaked!  No one dared to get the beetle off me looking at the size of it. In the end mom kicked it off.  I asked if the beetle had poison, whether I can die.  A lady said they should be harmless.  My guide said if harmless then why is her leg bleeding.  I had 8 holes on my leg bleeding!  I found out later on that it was more than 8 holes in my leg.  It left holes whereever it moved on me.  I saw this beetle at a bug exhibition later but it was so peuny compared with the one that attacked me.

    The next day I vomitted in a tribemen's home, twice!  I was feeling sick since the day before but thought the psin would all just go away.  I was wrong.  So i was sick till I came back.  Miserable experience...and the hotel I stayed in was far from everywhere except banks and a police station.  If it wasn't because I was sick, any woman would have enjoyed going shopping.     

2011

    It's a new year...lots of fireworks, damn changes in the country leaving me with another difficult year ahead.  Yipee!  I can't thank our government for making their citizens, let alone the disabled like myself, to go through the joy of having to remember their plastic bags everytime they need to buy something.  Poor producers of plastic bags.  The trees dont benefit from less usage of ot.  The environment would benefit even more if cigarettes, car sales is limited to a certain number per family even plain littering is banned.  If you really want to recycle, then do it wisely.  Prohibitting the use of plastic bags and having the stupid supermarkets charge innocent customers for it saves their money but not ours!  Bravo for another genious idea that inevitably leads to more distruction....