Exploring the resources associated with consumer vulnerability : Designing nuanced retail hardship programs

Journal article

Glavas, Charmaine, Letheren, Kate, Russell-Bennett, Rebekah, McAndrew, Ryan and Bedggood, Rowan E.. (2020). Exploring the resources associated with consumer vulnerability : Designing nuanced retail hardship programs. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 57, pp. 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102212
AuthorsGlavas, Charmaine, Letheren, Kate, Russell-Bennett, Rebekah, McAndrew, Ryan and Bedggood, Rowan E.
Abstract

Retailers across a variety of sectors offer hardship programs to assist consumers who are experiencing vulnerability. Hardship programs are typically designed as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, viewing consumer recipients as one homogenous group. To investigate the resources associated with consumer vulnerability, we thematically analyzed reports from 20 government-funded projects in Australia which directly assisted 32,498 low-income households in the energy retail sector. Our findings reveal three resource ‘bundles’: connections-resource-bundle, convenience-resource-bundle and security-resource-bundle. We then provide recommendations for retailers and service providers on what they can do to alleviate hardship for consumers within each resource-bundle.

Keywordsconsumer vulnerability; hardship; retail; resource-based view; motivation-opportunity-ability; consumer services
Year01 Jan 2020
JournalJournal of Retailing and Consumer Services
Journal citation57, pp. 1-11
PublisherElsevier Ltd. (UK)
ISSN0969-6989
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102212
Web address (URL)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698920301570?via%3Dihub
Open accessOpen access
Research or scholarlyResearch
Page range1-11
Author's accepted manuscript
License
File Access Level
Open
Publisher's version
License
All rights reserved
File Access Level
Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online03 Sep 2020
Publication process dates
Accepted28 Jun 2020
Deposited19 Sep 2024
Additional information

Crown Copyright © 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

For Author manuscript: © Crown Copyright
© 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Creative Commons: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0

Research data: available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698920301570?...
Download under CC BY NC 3.0 licence

Place of publicationUnited Kingdom
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/90y6w/exploring-the-resources-associated-with-consumer-vulnerability-designing-nuanced-retail-hardship-programs

Log in to edit

Download files

Author's accepted manuscript
AM_Letheren_2020_Exploring_the_resources_associated_with_consumer.pdf
License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
File access level: Open

Restricted files

Publisher's version

  • 11
    total views
  • 7
    total downloads
  • 2
    views this month
  • 2
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Avoiding excessive AI service agent anthropomorphism : Examining its role in delivering bad news
Mulcahy, Rory Francis, Riedel, Aimee, Keating, Byron, Beatson, Amanda and Letheren, Kate. (2024). Avoiding excessive AI service agent anthropomorphism : Examining its role in delivering bad news. Journal of Service Theory and Practice. 34(1), pp. 98-126. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-04-2023-0118
ChatGPT and service : opportunities, challenges, and research directions
Sigala, Marianna, Ooi, Keng-Boon, Tan, Garry Wei-Han, Aw, Eugene Cheng-Xi, Cham, Tat-Huei, Dwivedi, Yogesh K., Kunz, Werner H., Letheren, Kate, Mishra, Anubhav, Russell-Bennett, Rebekah and Wirtz, Jochen. (2024). ChatGPT and service : opportunities, challenges, and research directions. Journal of Service Theory and Practice. 34(5), pp. 726-737. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-11-2023-0292
Mapping the deepfake landscape for innovation: A multidisciplinary systematic review and future research agenda
Whittaker, Lucas, Mulcahy, Rory Francis, Letheren, Kate, Kietzmann, Jan and Russell-Bennett, Rebekah. (2023). Mapping the deepfake landscape for innovation: A multidisciplinary systematic review and future research agenda. Technovation. 125, pp. 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2023.102784
Reducing deviant consumer behaviour with service robot guardians
Dootson, Paula, Greer, Dominique A., Letheren, Kate and Daunt, Kate L.. (2023). Reducing deviant consumer behaviour with service robot guardians. Journal of Services Marketing. 37(3), pp. 276-286. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-11-2021-0400
The Robotic-Human Service Trilemma : the challenges for well-being within the human service triad
Phillips, Chelsea, Russell–Bennett, Rebekah, Odekerken-Schröder, Gaby, Mahr, Dominik and Letheren, Kate. (2023). The Robotic-Human Service Trilemma : the challenges for well-being within the human service triad. Journal of Service Management. 34(4), pp. 770-805. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-03-2022-0091
The 5R guidelines for a strengths-based approach to co-design with customers experiencing vulnerability
Russell-Bennett, Rebekah, Kelly, Nick, Letheren, Kate and Chell, Kathleen. (2023). The 5R guidelines for a strengths-based approach to co-design with customers experiencing vulnerability. International Journal of Market Research. 65(2-3), pp. 167-182. https://doi.org/10.1177/14707853231151605
Brace yourself! Why managers should adopt a synthetic media incident response playbook in an age of falsity and synthetic media
Whittaker, Lucas, Kietzmann, Jan, Letheren, Kate, Mulcahy, Rory and Russell-Bennett, Rebekah. (2023). Brace yourself! Why managers should adopt a synthetic media incident response playbook in an age of falsity and synthetic media. Business Horizons. 66(2), pp. 277-290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2022.07.004
I'm no expert, but … ? Consumer use of supportive digital tools in health services
Bocking, Helen, Russell-Bennett, Rebekah and Letheren, Kate. (2022). I'm no expert, but … ? Consumer use of supportive digital tools in health services. Journal of Service Theory and Practice. 32(2), pp. 105-131. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-09-2020-0225
The effects of gender, age, and videogame experience on performance and experiences with a surgical robotic arm : an exploratory study with general public
Türkay, Selen, Letheren, Kate, Crawford, Ross, Roberts, Jonathan and Jaiprakash, Anjali Tumkur. (2022). The effects of gender, age, and videogame experience on performance and experiences with a surgical robotic arm : an exploratory study with general public. Journal of Robotic Surgery. 16(3), pp. 621-629. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11701-021-01287-4
Robots should be seen and not heard…sometimes : Anthropomorphism and AI service robot interactions
Letheren, Kate, Jetten, Jolanda, Roberts, Jonathan and Donovan, Jared. (2021). Robots should be seen and not heard…sometimes : Anthropomorphism and AI service robot interactions. Psychology and Marketing. 38(12), pp. 2393-2406. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21575
The evolution is now : Service robots, behavioral bias and emotions
Letheren, Kate, Russell-Bennett, Rebekah, Whittaker, Lucas, Whyte, Stephen and Dulleck, Uwe. (2020). The evolution is now : Service robots, behavioral bias and emotions. In In Härtel, Charmine E. J., Zerbe, Wilfred J. and Ashkanasy, Neal M. (Ed.). Emotions and Service in the Digital Age pp. 27 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1746-979120200000016005
Before crisis : How near-miss affects organizational trust and industry transference in emerging industries
Mehta, Amisha M., Tam, Lisa, Greer, Dominique A. and Letheren, Kate. (2020). Before crisis : How near-miss affects organizational trust and industry transference in emerging industries. Public Relations Review. 46(2), pp. 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2020.101886