Because the eALT market is new to many consumers, having previously been dominated by health and social care provision where an ‘expert’ assesses and recommends a product or service, some of the participants were concerned about being able to choose the right product for them and buy something that would actually meet their need. It was argued that they would be more inclined to make a decision to purchase if they had the opportunity to ‘try before you buy’, and that this would not be any different to how consumers currently purchase mainstream technologies, for example, by testing a laptop or television in a showroom to test out the features, and get a feel for the product. It was also felt that it would be important to purchase eALT from sales staff who were knowledgeable, patient, honest, helpful, and who did not use jargon when speaking. This was not an area of expertise for the industry representatives, as they were used to working on a business to business basis (or business to local authority basis), and would not necessarily be responsible for providing information directly to the end-user of the product.
There was also concern that some people would be put off purchasing eALT products, either due to stigma (e.g., associating pendant alarms with disability and vulnerability), or fear. Some participants argued that electronic memory reminders could evoke a negative response as it could cause people to worry that they were developing dementia. Similarly, automatic fall detectors were seen negatively with one participant stating that requiring such a device would make them feel like they were ‘on my way out’. However, mainstream technology which could help with day to day life such as mobile phones and Smartphones were viewed positively by most participants (although some preferred the simpler style mobile as opposed to Smartphones), with one participant joking that she would rather go without food than her mobile phone. Table 5 provides a summary of the feedback on purchasing particular types of eALT